“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
No truer words have ever been uttered by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. For me, the quote resonates on a different level — it’s a mantra that I live my life by day in and day out.
From the moment I saw that Super Bowl LIX’s matchup would be the Kansas City Chiefs versus the Philadelphia Eagles, I could not have felt more excited: a rematch of the Super Bowl two years ago, including a team representing the city I go to college in and a Penn alumnus playing for the Chiefs.
It was there that the plan started to set in motion. After reaching out to a few members of Eagles communications, I was able to apply for an NFL media credential for the Super Bowl. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would get the opportunity to interview players at the biggest sporting event on the biggest stage. I knew opportunities like this don’t come often, so, like Gretzky said, I shot my shot.
After hearing back that my credential request was approved, I was overjoyed — on cloud nine you could say. I simply couldn’t believe that we had just given the opportunity of a lifetime to interview some of the most high-profile athletes in the world. Despite knowing that my fellow journalists and I have worked our entire lives to earn an opportunity like this, it was still surreal knowing that very few individuals are actually given that chance.
Once in New Orleans, I could immediately feel the buzz and excitement surrounding the Super Bowl. Everywhere you looked, there were Super Bowl themed logos and insignia. As the four of us descended into the Big Easy, we knew that the task at hand was not going to be anything but easy.
Seeing hundreds of top journalists from all over the world — let alone all the celebrities that came during media week — I felt honored to stand on the same field as those I idolize. Although one may feel the imposter syndrome associated with such an experience, we viewed the event as just another day on the job — a moment that we were destined for, even if the stakes were much higher.
Looking back on the experience, there were many things I expected. For one, the event was truly a spectacle, from the opening night to the media events and everything the city had to offer. I initially expected it to be somewhat difficult to ask questions to certain players, especially those sure to have a lot of journalists asking questions to them. That said, I knew that with the right time and opportunity during the media scrum, we could ask whatever questions we wanted and hear a response from an athlete.
On the flip side, there were several things I didn’t expect. I was surprised by how much flexibility the NFL gave reporters to speak to players. Since it was our first experience attending such a marquee media event, we didn’t know how many players we’d have the opportunity to interview. In the end, we were able to interview several players from both teams and ask insightful as well as fun questions. For example, I was able to go around and ask Eagles players how many Kendrick Lamar songs they could name in 20 seconds.
Additionally, I found it rewarding that, despite being college students, we weren’t treated any differently than other journalists. We stood shoulder to shoulder with people from Los Angeles Times, ESPN, and others in the same crowd trying to ask Patrick Mahomes questions. I felt as if we were given the same shot as everyone else.
For me, a highlight was certainly getting to interview Justin Watson, the Chiefs’ wide receiver and Grant Calcaterra, the Eagles’ tight end. Calcaterra specifically is an alumnus of my high school. Both Watson and Calcatera’s eyes immediately lit up when I mentioned Penn and my high school, respectively. Even under the brightest lights, these players remembered their roots.
As I reflect, I couldn’t be more thankful for my colleagues for experiencing this once-in-a-lifetime event. Although I tend to use that phrase a lot, I’m not sure anything beats the fact that you can say you covered the Super Bowl. Having then partaken in the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory celebration on Broad Street and the parade, there were many things I got to experience for the first time.
Bravery, resilience, and no regrets. In the pursuit of one’s dreams, one must be willing to take the biggest of chances — even if it is a Hail Mary. Send that email, reach out to people, and always shoot your shot. You never know where you might end up.
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