The Super Bowl is more than just a football game. It’s a full-scale event that draws millions of viewers, including many who don’t watch the NFL the rest of the year. From the matchup on the field to the halftime show to high-budget commercials, countless moments compete for attention long before the final whistle. The Super Bowl may not seem as exciting Indiana University’s national championship win, but here are five things to look forward to as Sunday approaches.
Darnold vs. Maye
The headlining matchup for the Super Bowl will almost always be the two opposing quarterbacks. This year’s showdown features Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks against New England Patriots second-year pro Drake Maye.
Darnold’s path to this stage has been anything but typical. Darnold is a seven-year pro who was drafted by the New York Jets in 2018. Once labeled a draft bust, he’s experienced a career resurrection over the past few seasons, rediscovering his confidence and consistency as a passer. In just the last two seasons, he’s thrown nearly as many touchdowns as he did across his first six years in the league — a testament to how dramatically his career has turned around.
Maye was thrown into the fire early in his NFL career. Tasked with leading his team almost immediately, the young quarterback was drafted in 2024 at the age of 21. He is 23 now and has shown poise well beyond his years. Despite his limited experience, Maye has quickly proven he belongs on the league’s biggest stage and has firmly established himself as an MVP candidate.
The Seahawks’ search for revenge
One of the biggest storylines heading into the Super Bowl is Seattle’s chance to move on from the shadow of Super Bowl XLIX, finally. That 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots in 2015, sealed by an interception at the goal line rather than a handoff to Marshawn Lynch, remains one of the most debated moments in NFL history. Nearly a decade later, it still comes up anytime questionable playcalling is discussed.
For Seahawks fans and Patriots haters alike, the memory hasn’t faded. The ending felt less like a simple mistake and more like a gut punch, turning what could have been a dynasty-defining moment into a “what if” that has shadowed the franchise ever since. A return to the Super Bowl brings those emotions back to the surface, making this game feel personal rather than just another championship appearance.
This Seahawks team, however, look nothing like the team that took the field in 2015. None of the players or coaches from that roster remain, and the organization has undergone a complete reset after a couple of down years. Still, history has a way of lingering in big moments, and for Seattle, this Super Bowl represents a chance to finally close the book on one of the most painful endings the league has ever seen.
Can the Patriots score on the Seahawks’ defense?
In 2012, the Seahawks’ defense was dubbed the “Legion of Boom,” due to their hard-hitting players. The defense was headlined by cornerback Richard Sherman, safety Earl Thomas and safety Kam Chancellor. They kept this name for four years, allowing the least yardage from 2012-15. Now, 11 years later, the Seahawks may be entering a new era of the Legion of Boom. The 2025 Seahawks are widely regarded as one of, if not the best, defense in the NFL.
While the Patriots have been impressive throughout the season and playoff run, they have weaknesses the Seahawks can exploit. This postseason, Drake Maye has been sacked 15 times, an average of five times per game. If they allow that to happen against the Seahawks, simply put, they won't win this game.
Bad Bunny’s halftime show
My Spanish comprehension is subpar at best, having only studied the language for two years in high school. Still, when Bad Bunny was announced as the Super Bowl halftime performer, I was thrilled. Not only because his songs are certified jams — whether you’re fluent in Spanish or not — but because his upcoming performance already feels bigger than just music.
Bad Bunny is known for embracing his culture and language unapologetically, and his halftime show should be no different. As we just saw in his Grammys speech, he is not afraid to take a stand and speak out. Rather than adjusting himself to fit a mainstream audience, he has the opportunity to bring Spanish and his Puerto Rican culture to one of the largest stages in the world. For viewers like me, it’s a reminder that you don’t have to understand every word to appreciate the message — and it may be a reason to pull out Duolingo to learn more of the language.
Hollywood’s chance to shine
For some viewers, the game itself is just the warm-up act for what happens during the commercial breaks. Super Bowl ads have become a cultural event of their own, with companies spending millions not just on airtime, but on celebrity cameos, cinematic storytelling and moments designed to dominate social media by halftime.
Studios also know this is their biggest guaranteed audience of the year, which makes the Super Bowl a prime spot for movie trailers. Last year the Super Bowl garnered 123.7 million viewers in the U.S. Though we don’t know what we’ll see yet, here are some predictions: “Toy Story 5,” “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “The Mandalorian and Grogu” could all release trailers during this year's big game.
Debating what commercials or trailers win the day is almost as important as who wins the actual football game.
Though I love the spectacle of the Super Bowl, I’ll always look forward to the game the most. Whether you’re watching football or just there for the commercials and halftime show, the Super Bowl has a way of appealing to the masses. No matter how you spend Super Bowl Sunday, there will be plenty of moments worth talking about long after the game ends.
Jack Davis (he/him) is a junior majoring in media with a sports concentration and pursuing a minor in folklore and ethnomusicology and a certificate in journalism.
