NFL Players Fight Distractions During Super Bowl

2/10/23

Claire Overton

The week leading up to the Super Bowl is called Super Bowl Media Week. Fans and media come from all over the country and world to see all of the festivities that happen this week. From concerts to the NFL Experience to Opening Night to team media availability, there are ongoing events and, therefore, distractions.

Players are focused on what is possibly the most important game of their lives but they need to overcome all of the distractions. From fans calling your name to cameras in your face, players experiencing this for the first time may feel overwhelmed.

Philadelphia Eagles long snapper, Rick Lovato, is at his second Super Bowl. He experienced all of the festivities and overcame the distractions during Super Bowl LII in February of 2018. He said he felt overwhelmed so he made sure to talk with the first-timers. He took them “step by step in what it is that we are doing each and every day and to focus on what’s important and that is winning the game on Sunday.”

When questioned about how the team is handling the distractions, Philadelphia Eagles head coach, Nick Sirianni, said they are sticking to their routine. Even though they are not at Lincoln Financial Field or their practice facility, the NovaCare Complex, Sirianni said “we just need to go about our business like we have been for the past 20 weeks.”

With media week coming to a close, the distractions of fans and media may be going away, but one distraction that is still very prominent is the Vince Lombardi Trophy.