It was six nights before the 2019 Super Bowl, one of the largest sporting events of the year, and the host city of Atlanta was amped up and ready to go. On Jan. 28, the newly renovated and rowdy State Farm Arena served as the venue for Super Bowl Opening Night, a massive annual media event which precedes the main attraction, set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The 53rd Super Bowl will pit the New England Patriots against the Los Angeles Rams, and each team’s biggest fans and stars rallied at the opening event.
The Wheel interviewed several players and coaches from both teams at the event.
This transcript has been edited for clarity and length.
Jesse Weiner, The Emory Wheel: How have you seen the Rams change in the two seasons you’ve been on the team?
Robert Woods, Rams Wide Receiver: Seeing the Rams come to Los Angeles, [coming] off a 4-12 [record in 2016], then just going through a full circle with [Head Coach Sean] McVay coming over really turned this whole program around. He brought myself over and [offensive lineman Andrew] Whitworth, then added [wide receiver Brandin] Cooks, [cornerback] Marcus Peters and [cornerback Aqib] Talib. You just see this huge change in transition of football with the coaches and players, and that’s the reason we’re here today.
TEW: How has the vibe of the team changed over the course of this season?
Ndamukong Suh, Rams Defensive Tackle: The vibe of the team has been very consistent: loose and fun. We all enjoy each other [and] we like to spend time with each other outside of the field as well as on the field and in the locker room. We’ve had a lot of fun and enjoyed this ride, and we want to cap it off the right way and always be tied together by Super Bowl 53.
TEW: You’re used to dealing with rowdy guys in their 20s. Do you have any advice for Emory professors who also face this problem?
Sean McVay, Rams Head Coach: Like anything else, everything starts with building and developing a relationship. My dad said that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. If you demonstrate that you care about people and you can help them in whatever area it is, whether it [be] a doctor or football player, then that’s where you can get that buy-in. Investing in people is what it’s all about.
TEW: If you had advice for your college self, what would it be?
Brandin Cooks, Rams Wide Receiver: Continue to stay focused. Know where you want to go and don’t let anything distract you from that. Enjoy it, but at the end of the day know there’s something bigger after, so don’t do anything that’s going to cost your future.
TEW: If you had to choose a superhero that best reflects you, who would it be and why?
Aaron Donald, Rams Defensive Tackle: The Hulk, because he’s big and strong, and I’m strong and big.
TEW: What do you miss most about your college days at the University of Arizona?
Rob Gronkowski, Patriots Tight End: The house we had. We lived in a house, my brother and two other friends, and it was just always mayhem. It was awesome.
TEW: What is it like representing the Jewish community in the Super Bowl and in the NFL in general?
Julian Edelman, Patriots Wide Receiver: There’s a lot of representation here, a lot more than people think. It’s an honor; we’re kind of like the underdog people. I appreciate that, and the support that we get from that community is unbelievable and I like being a part of it.
TEW: Do you feel like you can be less strict with your players since you’ve been in the Super Bowl a few times before, and they know what they’re doing on this stage?
Bill Belichick, Patriots Head Coach: Every year is different; every team is different; every situation is different. What we do this year is different from what we did against other teams at other times.
TEW: You were a force for my fantasy football team this season. Do you play fantasy football?
James White, Patriots Running Back: I don’t play, but I know a lot of my friends and family play. It keeps the fans engaged, which is pretty cool.
