Besides tonight being a night that football fans around America wait for every year, the Falcons and the Patriots matchup has some things you must know!
- The Atlanta Falcons star wide receiver Taylor Gabriel was cut by the Cleveland Browns. In 2016, they were ranked as the worst team in football. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Browns in 2014 and cut before the 2016 season. He was picked up by the Falcons in September and has been a huge help for them as the season progressed.
- Falcon's quarterback Matt Ryan was from the Philadelphia area and grew up an Eagles fan. He went to William Penn Charter School in center city and commited to Boston College during his junior year of high school.
- Wide receiver Chris Hogan only played one year of college football at Monmouth University (and three years of college lacrosse) before entering the NFL. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 and has jumped around a few times before becoming a huge staple in the New England Patriots' offense.
- The Falcons had four starting rookies on the defensive line for Superbowl LI. Linebackers Deion Jones and De'Vondre Campbell, safety Keanu Neal, and cornerback Brian Poole, who all made a huge difference in the game against the Patriots. It is known that it is a stretch starting four rookies on any defensive line, but these four have proven themselves to be powerful.
- More people bet on the Cleveland Browns to win this Superbowl than they did the Falcons. Only the Tennessee Titans had less bets than the Falcons.
- The Cleveland Browns made another weird appearance tonight and they had five former players make an appearance at the Superbowl. Taylor Gabriel (wide receiver) and Alex Mack (center) appeared on the Falcons side while Barkevious Mingo (linebacker), Jabaal Sheard (defensive end), and Dion Lewis (running back) appeared on the Patriots side.
- Tom Brady has more experience in a Superbowl than the entire Falcons team combined. Brady has appeared in six Superbowls while the Falcons as a team and four other players have had made appearances. Those four players are Dwight Freeney (with the Indianapolis Colts in Superbowl XLI), Dashon Goldson (with the San Francisco 49ers in Superbowl XLVII), Courtney Upshaw (with the Baltimore Ravens in Superbowl XLVII), and Philip Wheeler (with the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV) and the Falcons as a team in Superbowl XXXIII.
- Matt Bryant, the Falcon's punter, was the oldest player in today's matchup at age 41. Tom Brady was a close second at age 39.
- And to top it off, Superbowl LI was the first Superbowl ever to reach overtime.
