Super Bowl 51: Tom Brady, Roger Goodell Could Endure Awkward Moment
By David Mamola
For some fans, the best part of Super Bowl 51 could be if Roger Goodell presenting ‘the Lombardi Trophy to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
Usually, the best part of the Super Bowl is the actual game, right? Sure, the commercials are cool, and the halftime performance is always entertaining, but for the pure football fans, what happens during the game is the highlight of the night.
However, this year, a number of people will be waiting for the Lombardi Trophy presentation, and the possible awkward moment between New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady and NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell.
We all know the story, and there’s no need to rehash it for the one thousandth time. Let’s just state the facts: there is no love lost between Brady and Goodell. After all, it was Goodell who was bound and determined to give Brady his first career suspension and penalize the team with fines and loss of draft picks.
Now, both parties have been cordial about everything in the lead up to Super Bowl 51. Brady has said his sole focus has been on the game, while Goodell appeared on Fox Sports 1 and tried to put a blanket on the fire. When asked if it would be uncomfortable to hand the Lombardi Trophy to Brady, Goodell had this to say:
"Not for a second. This is one of the great opportunities. We have, two dominant teams playing in the Super Bowl. The Patriots and Falcons have both earned the opportunity to be there. They deserve it. And whoever wins that championship is going to have to earn it. These are great teams. So I am going to be thrilled."
When asked directly about Tom Brady, Goodell replied:
"Tom Brady is one of the all-time greats. He has been for several years. He’s on the precipice of at least potentially winning his fifth Super Bowl. He’s an extraordinary player, great performer and surefire Hall of Famer. So it would be an honor."
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While it’s great for Goodell to say this, you know these are just empty words. Of course it’s going to be awkward if it happens. The Patriots have not forgotten any of the details, and last week, Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft said in a New York Times article essentially that nobody is perfect, but that the league made a mistake with the entire situation.
Goodell has been trying to avoid the Patriots for months. There’s a reason why he attended the NFC Championship game in Atlanta last weekend and not the AFC Championship game in Foxborough. In fact, Goodell, who attends NFL games regularly, has not been to a Patriots game anywhere since the “Deflategate” incident.
When asked about it, Goodell did his best to sidestep the question:
"We had two great games. I was in Boston two years ago for the divisional and the championship games. I try to get to as many stadiums as I can. We have two great games and you’ve got to choose. And frankly, the focus should be on the players, the coaches and the great game. That’s the way it was this weekend, and the way it should be."
While we all agree that the focus should be on the players and coaches, you know it won’t be. How many times do you think the FOX Super Bowl broadcast will pan to a shot of Goodell sitting in his luxury box? Maybe five? My money’s on the over.
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The Patriots are not slam-dunk favorites in this Super Bowl, and the Atlanta Falcons have a great shot at winning. But if the Patriots win, everyone is going to be waiting to see what happens up on that stage. For some of the viewers, that will be the real super show.