The Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
The city is still reeling from a tragic terror attack on New Year’s Day that claimed 14 lives on Bourbon Street.
Donald Trump, sworn in as the 47th president of the United States in January, is serving his second term in office.
While past presidents like Ronald Reagan have performed the pre-match coin toss remotely from the White House, no sitting president has ever attended the event in person.
“Security measures have been further enhanced this year, given that this will be the first time a sitting president of the United States will attend the event,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi stated.
Earlier this week, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized the significance of the Super Bowl, calling it “the biggest homeland security event that we do every year.”
Trump’s presence is expected to be controversial, given his past criticisms of the NFL throughout his political career.
A vocal critic of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Trump has frequently questioned the patriotism of players who kneel during the national anthem. The movement of taking a knee was initially meant to highlight racial injustice in the U.S.
This year’s Super Bowl marks the first in four years that will not feature an “End Racism” message in the end zone, replacing it with a “Choose Love” message instead.
Since returning to office, Trump has openly criticized diversity-focused hiring practices. However, the NFL has denied that the removal of the anti-racism banners is politically motivated.
“The Super Bowl is often a snapshot in time, and the NFL is in a unique position to capture and lift the imagination of the country,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told AFP.
“Choose love is appropriate to use as our country has endured in recent weeks wildfires in southern California, the terrorist attack here in New Orleans, the plane and helicopter crash near our nation’s capital, and the plane crash in Philadelphia.”
Meanwhile, Goodell reaffirmed the NFL’s dedication to diversity and inclusion.
“I think we’ve proven to ourselves that it does make the NFL better,” Goodell said. “We’re not in this because it’s a trend to get into it or a trend to get out of it. Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent into the NFL both on and off the field.”
Since its inception in 1967, the Super Bowl has grown into the largest event on the American sports calendar.
Last year’s Super Bowl, where the Chiefs defended their title, became the most-watched U.S. TV broadcast since the 1969 moon landing, drawing 123.4 million viewers.
Given the event’s cultural significance, it’s no surprise that political figures have become increasingly involved.
In 2017, former President George Bush became the first to attend in person for the pre-game coin toss at Super Bowl 51 in Houston.
In 1985, President Ronald Reagan conducted the coin toss via satellite from the White House.
Former President George W. Bush initiated a Super Bowl tradition in 2004 by granting a pre-game interview to the official broadcaster, a tradition continued by Barack Obama. However, Joe Biden declined the interview for two consecutive years before leaving office in 2025.
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Source: Swifteradio.com
