Super Bowl LVIII is Patriots Fans' Nightmare Scenario
To say that the Super Bowl LVIII matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers was one that "no one wanted" is perhaps an exaggeration on the part of the gridiron meme-makers.
The sequel to the game's 54th edition is perhaps warmly welcomed among those in the teams' home states of California and Missouri as well as the niche fanbases in New Jersey (Isiah Pacheco's adoring public at Rutgers), the late stages of the draft (Brock "Mr. Irrelevant" Purdy), and the music industry (have you heard Travis Kelce is dating Taylor Swift?).
In New England, however, the idea is met with particular revulsion among fans of the local Patriots. Even though both Kansas City and San Francisco reside far from the area of Foxborough disaffections ... and Patriot supporters are in no position to scoff at any form of championship football after this year's four-win slog ... there's little, if any, right answer when it comes to the question of who to root for come Feb. 11.
Jason Vinlove, USA TODAY SPORTS
At best, the extra week between conference title games and the big game in Las Vegas is five extra days of daytime sports talk getting a chance to compare Patrick Mahomes to Tom Brady. Mahomes' case for the centerpiece of the gridiron Mount Rushmore is impressive at a relatively young age, but comparing him to Brady with his career map still uncharted (and an 0-2 playoff record against the six-time champion) is foolhardy at best and sensationalism at worst. That certainly won't stop it and it has, in fact, already begun now that the fortnight-long pregame show is underway.
Patriots fans are understandably protective of Brady as is and they'll no doubt up their defenses further if his status as the undisputed most fantastic flinger is under duress. That doesn't even account for what another championship will do for the legacy of Kelce, who now stands as the most prolific catcher in NFL postseason history.
Even the staunchest Swiftie who doubles as a Patriots fan will no doubt side with Rob Gronkowski if given the opportunity. The latter's prescience through Super Bowl advertising should no doubt keep those conversations flowing.
The West Coast option is far from digestible: sure, supporters of the Patriots and 49ers could probably break bread as worshippers of the draft's final day, finding common ground in the latter rounds. Purdy usurping, Jimmy Garoppolo, one of the more egregious mistakes of Bill Belichick's tenure as general manager, does offer a slightly enlarged brand of endearment.
But the Bay Area stands at the precipice of history: with one more victory, the 49ers will earn their sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy hoist, ending their title drought a year short of three decades and joining one of the most safely-guarded penthouses in the history of the NFL. Only the Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers have the key ... for now. The fact that the Patriots seem to be lightyears away from any sort of championship contention only makes the idea of rooting for the 49ers seem even more forbidden.
That puts Patriots fans in a nearly unwinnable situation: root for the Chiefs and the franchise icon's status among the most immortal of the immortal is threatened. But strive for San Francisco and you're welcoming in a new roommate in football's most luxurious dwelling.
The coldly ironic part? Being placed in an impossibly victorious situation perhaps serves as the perfect bookend to the most trying season in recent New England memory.
