Students celebrating Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson as he scores a touchdown late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LX.
Where were you for the Super Bowl this year? The New England Patriots made their return to the biggest sporting event of the year after an eight-year absence. The game was a rematch against the Seattle Seahawks, whom they faced in Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, where Malcolm Butler intercepted Russel Wilson at the 1-yard line to seal the win for the Patriots.
As a result, students gathered at watch parties all over campus, including in the Lyons Den, with roughly 30 students in attendance, most rooting for their hometown Patriots, with a small, yet extremely vocal Seahawks fan presence. Plenty of pizza and wings, plenty of trash talk and banter to go around, everyone hyped for the game to unfold… At least, for a little while.
To put it simply, it wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the imagination. While the defense did their job to the best of their ability, they couldn’t contain Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, who ran for 135 yards on 27 carries. Drake Maye and the Patriots offense could not move the ball, at the hands of the number 1 scoring defense in the league of the Seahawks, dubbed “The Dark Side.” Maye was bullied by them all night, where he fumbled and threw two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown by Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, after cornerback Devon Witherspoon popped the ball out of Maye’s hands on a pass attempt. Additionally, Maye threw two late touchdown passes to wide receiver Mack Hollins, and running back Rhamondre Stevenson, despite the game already being out of reach. The Seahawks exacted their revenge for the loss twelve years ago by a score of 29-13.
Demani Howard ’29 (left) and Josie Richardson ’29 (right) at the Lyons Den, watching the second quarter of Super Bowl LX.
Upon asking around, morale in the room wasn’t fantastic. “2/10, not feeling great right now.” Darwin Karch ‘29, said partway through the 3rd quarter. At this point in the game, New England had failed to gain a single first down since partway through the first quarter. In stark contrast, Demani Howard, ‘29, a longtime Panthers fan who was pulling for the Seahawks, had a wonderful time. “I wish I put money on them tonight.” he insisted.
Yet it wasn’t completely doom and gloom for everyone. The Halftime Show lifted the spirits of a dull audience (aside from a few) that witnessed the horrors of the first half. This show headlined Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican artist who was coming off a Grammy win last week for Best Album. The set? Stunning. A live marriage on screen? Unprecedented, yet warming. Guest appearances by Lady Gaga and others prompted a small sing along to “Die With a Smile.” The halftime show’s symbolism of unity, and celebration of culture and diversity, was showcased through visuals, the message of love displayed on the jumbotron at the conclusion of the show, and the fact that Bad Bunny is the first half time performer to sing almost entirely in Spanish.
It is worth noting that Turning Point USA, an organization that promotes conservative politics and values, had an opposition to Bad Bunny in the form of an “All-American” halftime show. But this was not shown in the Lyons Den, and was, instead, heckled by students, to cheers and applause.
Drake Maye attempting to avoid a tackle during Super Bowl LX
Along with that, how could one forget the Super Bowl commercials? The Lyons Den provided students with a bingo sheet to keep track of what brands had aired ads during commercial breaks, as a fun way to keep track. Companies that need no introduction to ads for the big game, such as Pepsi, Dunkin’, and Budweiser. However, this year also saw the rise of ads promoting the use of Artificial Intelligence, such as Microsoft Copilot, and OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT. This was met to the dismay of those in the room, being expressed by loud “boos.”
Despite how the game ended, applause filled the Lyons Den. Perhaps for different reasons; Perhaps the halftime show put some smiles on people’s faces? Or maybe, it was in response to how unprecedented the success of the Patriots was and just satisfaction on a good season? Or perhaps it was for the party itself?
Juliana Cooper, ’27 (left) and Bailey Mulrenan, ’28 (right) as the watch party wrapped up.
One thing is for sure: Bailey Mulrenan, ‘28, the Event Assistant for the Lyons Den, noted just how exuberant people were over the course of the evening, and how it made the event more exciting. This reflected all the sights and sounds of the night; the big plays, the bad plays (which were way more prevalent), halftime show, and so much more. On February 8th, the Lyons Den was filled with enthusiasm, energy, and filled with people, who could have chosen to go elsewhere, but turned this event into something special.