Glendale (United States) (AFP) - The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles arrived at State Farm Stadium ahead of their Super Bowl clash on Sunday with all eyes on their young quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts.
Fans of both teams enjoyed pre-game festivities outside the venue in the sunshine with the comfortable 76 degrees fahrenheit weather adding to the carnival atmosphere.
With Rihanna set to perform live for the first time in seven years, during the traditional half-time show, and hospitality areas bustling, it could be easy to forget there is the matter of the NFL's championship title to decide.
But when the players, many of them in suits, walked into the arena after their bus journeys from the hotels where they have been based for a week, it was a reminder of the serious business at hand.
The booming legal gambling market shifted slightly as kick-off neared with the Eagles still marginal favorites but many late bets going on the Chiefs, further narrowing the odds.
On paper, there is very little to choose between the teams, who have identical 16-3 records this season and remarkably have even scored the exact same number of points -- 546.
Despite sky-high prices for tickets and hotel rooms, the bars and restaurants in the Phoenix area were filled supporters of both teams -- joined by plenty in the jerseys of other franchises.
Sunday's game features the two top-seeded teams in this season's NFL playoffs and the two top-ranked quarterbacks -- the youngest pairing ever in a Super Bowl and the first time two Black quarterbacks have faced each other in the title game.
Injuries clear up
Both teams came into the week with some players still carrying knocks and injuries from their playoff clashes.
All but one of the Eagles' fitness worries had cleared up but punt return specialist and wide receiver Britain Covey was listed as questionable with a hamstring injury.
However, both quarterbacks have played through pain in their playoff games with Mahomes having struggled with an ankle injury and Hurts troubled by a long-standing shoulder problem.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said he had a full roster available for the game with those players who had some question marks over injuries given the all-clear.
"I'm happy for the guys," Reid said."We'll make it work with whatever we got but I'm happy for the guys to have this chance.
"It's special.To play in the Super Bowl.It's a great opportunity that doesn't come around very often."
Reid added that Saturday's relatively light session was called a "Mock Game" practice, which involved "all the situational stuff."
The Eagles' walk through practice on Saturday had a similar focus with an emphasis on game-opening plays and situations including two-minute drills, punts and fourth downs.
After the session, the Eagles senior players who make up their dozen-strong leadership council stayed on the field to talk for a while with coach Nick Sirianni.
"Sometimes good coaching is just reminding them of things they already know," Sirianni said of the conversation.
"So just reminding (them to) stay in routine, stay in the moment.Don't let distractions happen," he added.
Mahomes will cement his status as the finest NFL quarterback of this post-Tom Brady generation if he can add a second Super Bowl ring to his two Most Valuable Player awards.
The Chiefs quarterback is playing in his third Super Bowl, having won in 2020, while his 24-year-old opposite number Hurts is making his debut in the game and has played only three post-season games in his career.
The Chiefs can count on Mahomes's strong partnership with tight end Travis Kelce, but the Eagles have a strong defense and Hurts has the ability to run with the ball, providing a dangerous dual threat.
But for many Americans Sunday is simply about gathering with friends, drinks and snacks at a Super Bowl party.
More than 100 million Americans are expected to watch the game, which has claimed 30 of the 32 most-watched broadcasts in American television history.
