HOW TO THINK ABOUT IT

Boy wonder. Mahomes (pictured below) is already an NFL great after just two seasons as a starter. Bouncing back from an early-season knee injury, last year's MVP established himself as the fulcrum around which head coach Andy Reid’s “air raid” offense has swung. But he’s also wowed fans and analysts with his uncanny athleticism, such as zig-zagging his way 27 yards into the end zone to push the Chiefs over the Tennessee Titans in the conference title game. It’s the same kind of flair showcased by likely 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson, as well as soon-to-be-drafted college talent Jalen Hurts of Oklahoma and Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama.

Learning from the best. Then there’s “Jimmy G” — in many ways, the polar opposite of Mahomes. Rarely throwing deep and almost never rushing, he’s a quarterback’s QB: Staying cool behind the line of scrimmage, he watches and waits for receivers, a smart game manager whose accuracy and poise under pressure recalls a certain other quarterback lifted from obscurity by New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick. In fact, Tom Brady even texted Jimmy G., who served as a backup to the legendary QB, this week to wish him luck. At Super Bowl media night, Garoppolo said: “Your past is always part of you.”

Coach vs. coach. It’s not just two very different players going head-to-head this weekend. Having racked up 221 career wins, veteran yet innovative coach Reid is hoping for his first-ever victory in a title game he hasn’t attended in 15 years. On the other sideline will be third-season newbie Kyle Shanahan, whose father, Mike, led the Denver Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl victories in the late ‘90s. Reid’s an old dog who’s always learning new tricks, while 40-year-old Shanahan is the play-crafting prodigy who’s already cementing an impressive legacy.

Enjoy the show. Let’s not forget halftime, though: Jennifer Lopez and Shakira will both hit the stage — the first time a pair of Latinas have headlined the coveted event, with 100 million people watching. Both performers can draw on decades of hits, and they represent a nod to Miami’s large Latino population. In recent years, the half-time stage has become a controversial choice for some artists, considering how the league handled the Colin Kaepernick protests (among too many other controversies to count). But last year, the NFL signed a deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation label to improve its live events and “amplify the league’s social justice efforts.” Turns out, Shakira is managed by Roc Nation.

WHAT TO READ

Kansas City’s Sack-Master Is the Super Bowl X Factor, by Jeff Fedotin on OZY
“The pivotal task of taking on San Francisco’s bruising rushing attack falls to the Chiefs’ defense, with the 26-year-old [Frank] Clark as its beating, bombastic heart.”

Film Study: 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo Is Far More Than a Game Manager, by Ben Volin in The Boston Globe
“He was the only quarterback to finish in the top five in completion percentage, yards per attempt, and touchdown passes. When called upon, Garoppolo carried his team.”

WHAT TO WATCH