A memorable Super Bowl Preview Night in Belfast

After the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles secured their spots in the Super Bowl, Pro Football Ireland hosted a Super Bowl Preview night at the Deer’s Head pub in Belfast last Monday evening. The event featured high-profile guests and a lively crowd, creating a fantastic atmosphere and great entertainment.

Notable guests included New Orleans Saints kicker and Northern Ireland native Charlie Smyth, four-time All-Ireland winner with Kilkenny Eoin Murphy, former Buffalo Bills coach Phoebe Schecter, and Super Bowl XLV champion with the Green Bay Packers Greg Jennings. All the guests were informative and made the night a must-attend event for any NFL fan.

With the Super Bowl matchup finalised, I gathered opinions from some attendees about the upcoming game and their thoughts on their own teams' seasons. I spoke with Gary, a dedicated Washington Commanders fan, who described their season as “great” and a “way overachieved” effort. He mentioned that if you had asked him at the start of the season if he would take their performance, “I would have bitten your hand off.” Regarding the Super Bowl, Gary stated, “I can’t see a way the Eagles beat them” (the Chiefs). His prediction for the final score is 27-24 in favour of the Chiefs.

Next, I talked to Erik about the Detroit Lions. He expressed that this season was the “best individual season the Lions have had, getting the first seed in that competitive NFC North.” He has the same expectations for next season: a Super Bowl berth, although he noted that it hinges on how they replace the coaching staff. When we pivoted back to the Super Bowl, Erik stated, “The Eagles are the better team, and it comes down to how Saquon is handled. If he runs wild, like he did yesterday, then they could easily win it.” Erik's prediction is Eagles 27, Chiefs 21.

Lastly, I spoke with Michael, a Kansas City fan, and his wife, a Green Bay Packers fan. Michael shared that he enjoyed the Chiefs' season despite it being “weird” due to losing Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice. He emphasised that what the Chiefs do better than anyone else is adapt, adding, “Every time people said we weren’t going to three-peat, it added fuel to the fire.” As for his wife, she described her experience with the Packers as challenging, stating, “I’ve had to sit back and endure a difficult season. However, we’re in good shape for next year. Jordan (Love) is a good quarterback, and it’s great to have this youth potential, but we need some more experienced players.” Regarding the Super Bowl, both Michael and his wife believe the Chiefs will win. Michael predicts a final score of 27-24 in favour of the Chiefs, while his wife hopes for a Chiefs victory but secretly roots for Saquon.

Thank you to everyone who came out to our night in Belfast!