Since the beginning of Super Bowl history, every team makes it its top goal to reach the game. Some teams have an easier path than others, but that just makes other teams push harder to make it. Super Bowl history dates back to January 15th, 1967. The merger agreement between the NFL and the AFL led to a collaboration to develop a game in order to see who reigns king of all leagues. However, the history is much more complicated than that. The Super Bowl history is one all sports fans should know because eventually, your team may just be making it into the history books itself.

Image courtesy of NFL

Super Bowl History: The Past

Before the Super Bowl could entertain fans as an idea, the NFL ran the show as the only league for professional football. It was after Lamar Hunt, the eventual founder and owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, wanted to draw up expansion teams that the AFL came about. After the NFL declined Hunt of his request, Lamar set out to develop his own league, the American Football League. With stiff competition between the NFL (National Football League) and the AFL (American Football League), the two leagues decided the time came to coexist. The merge between the two leagues agreed to come by 1970 but in the mean time, there would be an AFL-NFL World Championship Game.

By 1970, each league redesigned their teams as a “conference.” Since then, the final game was a competition of the two “conferences,” the NFC and the AFC, as we know them today. Lamar Hunt came back into play and called the championship game the Super Bowl. The name came about because his kids played with a “Super Ball toy” and the name stuck in his mind and he changed it to the Bowl games. Super Bowl coined its name for the third annual championship game.

The trophy awarded to the champions at the end of the Super Bowl game, is called the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Coach Vince Lombardi successfully won the first two Super Bowl games with the Green Bay Packers. He continued his winning streak with three out of five NFL championships in the years following.

With all Super Bowl history, teams and players make it into the books with performances and wins. Currently, the Patriots hold the record for most appearances, 9, whereas the Steelers hold the record for most wins, 6. Not only do teams continually make the history books, but players too. Tom Brady, QB Patriots, ties with Charles Haley, linebacker and DE, for the most Super Bowl rings. Both Brady and Haley hold on to five Super Bowl Rings.

Super Bowl History: The Present

Super Bowl is among the most-watched sporting events in the world, second to the UEFA Champions League final. Called “The Big Game” by non-sponsoring corporations. Trademarks made by the Super Bowl keep it very specific to who can use the term. Along with its exclusivity is its ability to produce some of the most expensive commercial profit of the year. Half time performances produce great excitement to everyone, even those who don’t care to watch football. Artists like Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Whitney Houston and Lady Gaga performed as the half time show for Super Bowls. This year, Justin Timberlake gets back on the stage, the first time since his incident with Janet Jackson in 2004.

In Super Bowl LII, the Patriots and the Eagles go head to head for the ring. The Pats are breaking their own record and appearing in their 10th Super Bowl. Don’t even get started on the Super Bowl history that could be broken, yet again, if Tom Brady wins the game along with the Patriots. On the other hand, the Eagles head to the Big Game for their third trip in history. Although history seems to repeat itself in this present day as the Pats and Eagles faced one another back in Super Bowl XXXIX (39). The Patriots defeated the Eagles 24-21 in Jacksonville, FL. Will the present Super Bowl LI follow suit of history and the Patriots? Will the Eagles finally earn their first Lombardi trophy? *UPDATE* The Eagles!

The Eagles came in as the underdogs to the Patriots but lead the Pats for most of the game. The Eagles won 41-33 at Super Bowl LII. It was an entertaining game for all football fans alike while Justin Timberlake entertained during halftime. With a close game held throughout, the Eagles pulled away at the end as Foles proved why he would become the MVP of the game.

Image courtesy of Billboard

Super Bowl History: The Future

Each year, the Super Bowl changes. You can find the future locations for games all the way up to 2022. A lot of talk centers around the Super Bowl and football itself in regards to concussions and training. Allegations against Tom Brady and his new TB12 grew this past year as tensions grew between Brady and Belichick and the way TB12 encourages players to train. In the future of football, all eye will be on the safety and precautions taken toward players and their health. There are always going to be speculation about what will happen in the future of the Super Bowl. Sports Illustrated went through and examined what’s to come for the Super Bowl. Each chapter acknowledges different items and aspects of the game. Find predictions about training, equipment, stadiums, concussions, media, virtual reality and much more.