This week, Touchdown Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Pro Football Hall of Famer and former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis.
In his interview with Easton Jr., Willis—on behalf of Verizon—discussed the first-ever Super Bowl FanFest, which will bring a Super Bowl LIX experience to 30 NFL cities across the country. He also reflected on his experience playing Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans.
“I am super excited to be a part of the Super Bowl FanFest,” Willis explained. “It’s the first one. It’s the first of its kind ever, so I’m just looking forward to it. Verizon has always been anyone anytime I’ve been a part of anything they’ve done. So, just looking forward to celebrating with the fans and having a great time.”
Verizon Super Bowl FanFest is coming to 30 cities. FREE tickets. #VerizonFanFest https://t.co/gbBOQlwUzi pic.twitter.com/JByOvqKxay
— Verizon (@Verizon) January 3, 2025
“They say it’s hard to understand and appreciate the ups unless you’ve been through the downs and the tough times,” Willis continued. “When I came in in 2007, it was a little chaotic. You see, it’s going through a rebuilding stage. I remember what that felt like. I was blessed to be able to come to a fan base such as the 49ers, the ‘Faithful.’ I like to call them. They shouted it loud, even when we were not winning on the scoreboard, and they still were true.
“They still were faithful, and it was amazing when we were able to get over that hump in 2011 and go to NFC Championship and then follow it up with the Super Bowl appearance that we weren’t able to get the win, and then to go back to another NFC Championship following the Super Bowl. So we’ve had some great times together, and again, I’m just looking forward to this time when I’m not a player and can deeply relax and enjoy hanging out with them.”
Super Bowl XLVII was Willis’ lone appearance in the game as the 49ers faced off against the Baltimore Ravens. He finished the game with ten tackles, but San Francisco came up short in the most recent New Orleans Super Bowl before this February’s big game.
“The 49ers have a rich tradition when it comes to Super Bowls. At that time, we had a slogan called ‘Quest for Six,’ it was huge because it wasn’t just any Super Bowl; it was the Harbaugh brother Super Bowl; it was a lot going on,” said Willis. “Then I was also playing against a linebacker I admired to the utmost, a guy in my area, and a guy I could play with in Ray Lewis. So it was, it was a great time. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to win, but it was a great time. A lot happened that week. A lot happened on the day of the game, during the game. So it was just a great experience. All in all.”
The game notably featured a long delay due to a power outage at the stadium.
“People still talk about it to this day,” Willis said of the blackout. “It was an awkward moment but a great time.”
Visit VerizonFanFest.com for a full list of events and locations and access to free tickets on a first-come, first-served basis. FanFests across the country will take place on Sunday, February 9, beginning at 4pm ET / 1pm PT.
