In Super Bowl 2023, Two Black Players Lead the Action

In Super Bowl 2023, Two Black Players Lead the Action

February 12 is not a holiday in the United States, but it may seem like one to many Americans because of one big game.

Tens of millions of Americans will gather for parties at restaurants and homes around the nation. They will enjoy food and drink together. Then, these families and friends, in groups of all sizes, will settle around televisions.

It is Super Bowl Sunday in America.

The Super Bowl is the yearly¹ championship game of the National Football League, or NFL. The game is many things. It is usually the most-watched television program of the year. It is the biggest event for television advertisers. And halfway² through the game, play stops for a performance from some of the biggest names in the music industry. This year it is Rihanna.

Sunday will be the 57th Super Bowl. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs are to face each other in Glendale, Arizona. The NFL's 32 member teams played a 17-game season and then top teams competed in playoff games to earn a chance at the championship.

Both teams have long histories and loyal³ fans. The Chiefs have appeared in the Super Bowl four other times and came away champions in 1970 and 2020.

The Eagles have won the Super Bowl once, in 2018. Sunday will be the team's fourth appearance in the championship.

This year's Super Bowl is getting attention for a special reason. For the first time, Black quarterbacks will lead both teams on the field. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is happy about that.

"I'm really excited for both quarterbacks, what they can represent to a ton of kids," Sirianni said at a media event this week. "They both play at the highest level," he added.

Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback of the Chiefs. He led the team to its most recent Super Bowl championship. The 27-year-old football player told reporters that this game was important for Black people.

"I think about it a lot," he said. "The quarterbacks that came before me — Shack⁴ Harris, Doug Williams — that laid the foundation⁵ for me to be in this position."

He is also looking to the future.

"How can we motivate kids who are younger, who want to follow their dreams to be a quarterback?" Mahomes asked.

His opponent⁶, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, also spoke⁷ to reporters this week about how special this Super Bowl is.

"So many African American quarterbacks have played this game, and for the first time for two to go head-to-head, that's uplifting for the next generations of quarterbacks," said the 24-year-old.

"Texas, Louisiana, wherever across the world, regardless of what someone might say or have an opinion about you, you can do it, too."

Words in This Story

quarterback –n. the player who leads an American football team when is trying to score and who starts every play

coach –n. a person who teaches, trains and directs a sports team

a ton –idiom (informal) a lot

foundation –n. preparation that provides support for an activity that will take place in the future

motivate –v. to get people interested in doing something

kid –n. a child

regardless –adv. without being stopped or troubled by something

1 yearly   

adj.每年的，一年一度的；adv.一年一次地

参考例句：

• The flower show is a yearly event in our town.我们镇上的花展一年举行一次。
• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。

2 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

3 loyal   

adj.忠诚的，忠心的

参考例句：

• He is a loyal friend.他是一位忠诚的朋友。
• I judge him to be loyal.我认为他很忠诚。

4 shack   

adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚

参考例句：

• He had to sit down five times before he reached his shack.在走到他的茅棚以前，他不得不坐在地上歇了五次。
• The boys made a shack out of the old boards in the backyard.男孩们在后院用旧木板盖起一间小木屋。

5 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

6 opponent   

n.对手，敌手，反对者；adj.敌对的，反对的

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• After a fierce struggle,he got a beat on his opponent.经过殊死的较量，他占了对手的上风。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。