The Super Bowl is not only the centrepiece of the NFL season, but one of the biggest events in the sporting calendar.
Radio Row is an iconic staple of the week-long buildup to the big game, with all the biggest podcasters, presenters and reporters descending into a single enormous room decked out with flashes to the Super Bowl’s illustrious history through posters from each previous contest. The Kansas City Chiefs’ clash with the Philadelphia Eagles will be the 57th Super Bowl - and there are plenty of eyes on the key figures set to decide the next destination of the Lombardi Trophy.
Naturally, this starts with the quarterbacks. Earlier on Monday, recently retired NFL legend Tom Brady declared he was excited to see Mahomes duel it out with Eagles star Jalen Hurts, but it remains to be seen if the Chiefs stat will be at full strength come Sunday. The Chiefs quarterback - who is the frontrunner to take home a second MVP award on Thursday night - has been the subject of much speculation after he suffered a high ankle sprain in the win over the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this postseason.
However, Mahomes played down the issue, insisting it was constantly improving although he added 'you never know until you get into the game'. The 27-year-old will continue to be assessed throughout the week but he is expected to start and play, much to the relief of Chiefs fans around the world.
The MVP frontrunner will get a returning weapon at the expense of another as Mecole Hardman has been ruled out of the Super Bowl while Clyde Edwards-Helaire will return to the fold. It remains to be seen how much of an impact that will have on the Chiefs offensive strategy, particularly with Jerrick McKinnon and Isaiah Pacheco in such good form.
Another key narrative coming into Super Bowl week is the Kelce brothers, who will make history as the first brothers to play against each other in the big game. They were the subject of plenty of media attention on day one in Arizona, with both men proving incredibly popular for fans and reporters alike while mother Donna shared the stage with them.
It will undoubtedly be a special day in the Kelce family on Sunday but amid all the narratives this contest has provided, the passionate fanbases are perhaps slipping under the radar. The crowd noise was ear-splitting at times as fans roared for their favourite players - namely Mahomes, Hurts and the Kelce brothers.
Philadelphia is a sports city known for its passionate fans and wild celebrations, and they have certainly flocked to Phoenix to support their team's pursuit of a second championship. However, the Chiefs in attendance certainly went toe-to-toe and perhaps even outnumbered their rivals ahead of Super Bowl LVII.
More fans from either side will head to Arizona as the week unfolds and it will be interesting to see who receives greater support in the University of Phoenix Stadium come Sunday.
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