National

Everything to know going into this year's Super Bowl

By The NPR Network

Published February 10, 2023 at 3:19 PM PST

This story was published more than 2 years ago.

Jalen Hurts (left) of the Philadelphia Eagles talks with Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LVII Opening Night at Footprint Center on Monday in Phoenix.

Updated February 12, 2023 at 4:49 PM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles face off Sunday, Feb. 12 in Phoenix in Super Bowl 57.

The official kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. local time on Sunday. And to help you prepare, we've gathered everything you need to know about the game, the prep and the aftermath with some help from our member stations KCUR in Kansas City and WHYY in Philadelphia.

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Plus, along with the big game in Arizona, Sunday will also be Puppy Bowl 2023. Once again, dozens of adorable pups face off, as Team Ruff tries to defeat the 2022 champs, Team Fluff.

The Firsts

Donna Kelce (C), mother of Philadelphia Eagles' Jason Kelce and Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce speaks on stage during Super Bowl LVII Opening Night on February 06, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona.

This game will be full of firsts, on and off the field.

It's the first Super Bowl to feature two Black quarterbacks.

Call it the ultimate sibling rivalry: This game will also be the first brother v. brother Super Bowl. Meet the Kelce brothers and their incredibly supportive mom, Donna.

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Here's five things to know about the Eagles' Autumn Lockwood, the first Black woman to coach in the Super Bowl.

The history

The Chiefs' use of Native American imagery and traditions has turned off some local fans who find the controversies surrounding the team, the sport and the NFL, too much to gloss over.

This is the Chiefs' third Super Bowl in four years.

Kansas City's most unique Super Bowl tradition began by accident: An annual organ concert

The more you know: The Chiefs' 1970 Super Bowl game helped bring down the Kansas City mob.

Philadelphia Betsy Ross impersonator Carol Spacht traded in her usual red, white and blue for Eagles green as she raised the Eagles flag to kick off Super Bowl week.

Members of the Philadelphia Eagles have linked up with some luminaries from Philly's music scene to bring to life a holiday album dubbed A Philly Special Christmas.

The game day prep

Shown here at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, George Toma has had a hand in Super Bowl playing surfaces since the very beginning — the 1967 championship between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers.

"The Sodfather": Kansas City's George Toma has tended the turf at every single Super Bowl

This Eagles mural in Philly has been updated just in time for this year's match up, featuring Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and coach Andy Reid.

For the second time in his five years as the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes has won the NFL's Most Valuable Player award.

Philly's crowd-surfing Jelloman is making 4,000 jello shots for the Super Bowl

This South Philly bar for Chiefs fans is opting out of this year's Super Bowl. But for those in Kansas City for the big game, here are some of your best options for where to cheer on the Chiefs.

And if you're planning on being in Philly on Super Bowl Sunday, keep an eye out for road closures and parking restrictions.

Billy Penn at WHYY breaks down all the high-profile Super Bowl bets between Philly and Kansas City — from mayors to senators, and from hospitals to zoos.

One of those bets is between WHYY and KCUR, who couldn't resist a friendly food-related wager:

Challenge accepted! What do you say we trade Joe's?

🏈 When the @Eagles win, @KCUR sends our newsroom @joeskc
🏈 Chiefs win (they won't), @WHYY will send @JoesSteaks

(don't forget the extra sauce)#FlyEaglesFly #SuperBowlLVII https://t.co/ugxZfypFkl pic.twitter.com/5pB46ruj1m
— WHYY News (@WHYYNews) February 7, 2023

The Food

Inflation is no joke, so here are menu twists to save money on your Super Bowl snacks

If you're in Philly, take this recommendation from Billy Penn: Jalen Hurts's signature cheesesteak at FoodChasers' Kitchen is, in fact, really good.

From pizza to conchas, here's how fill your week with Chiefs food if you're in Kansas City.

What to watch for during the game

As NPR's Becky Sullivan explains,

This year's matchup is a battle of heavyweights. Both teams finished the regular season atop the standings at 14-3. Both were the #1 seed in their conference. And now, both have won two playoff games to arrive here in the Super Bowl.

Here are five storylines to watch for a Super Bowl between heavyweights: the Chiefs and Eagles.

Plus: 'He Gets Us': A Kansas campaign spent $20 million on Super Bowl ads to rebrand Jesus Christ

The halftime show

Rihanna speaks during the Super Bowl LVII Pregame & Apple Music Halftime Show press conference at Phoenix Convention Center on February 09, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona.

This year's halftime headliner is the one and only Rihanna. Back in 2019, she turned down the gig in solidarity with former San Francisco 49er Colin Kaepernic k. Listen to It's Been A Minute's Brittany Luse and Code Switch's Gene Demby discuss if Rihanna's previous concerns were addressed and why she might need to step up to the mic.

And, in anticipation of the halftime show, check out WBEZ's Making Rihanna series, which looks at the Barbadian national hero's rise to stardom.

After the Game

Should the Eagles win:

Neighbors and sanitation workers are prepping for 'wall-to-wall' trash in Philadelphia

Fans will likely try to climb poles, which the city of Philadelphia is greasing ahead of the Super Bowl.

For Eagles fans who don't care about a little grease: Here's climbing advice from a former champion

Should the Chiefs win:

If the team's 2020 victory party is any indication,, it will be quite the celebration in KC should the Chiefs take home the Vince Lombardi Trophy this year. Check out highlights from the 2020 parade here.

Either way:

Don't bet on Kansas making much money from all that Super Bowl gambling.

Hundreds of thousands of football fans will head to Kansas City in April to witness the 2023 NFL Draft. The National Football League released its first renderings Friday of how Kansas City's iconic Union Station will transform.

NPR's Emily Alfin Johnson, Natalie Escobar and Kaitlyn Radde produced this piece, with help from KCUR's Gabe Rosenberg and WHYY's Maria Pulcinella. contributed to this story