Formerly known as Media Day, Super Bowl Opening Night may be just about the most entertaining day in sports journalism, where serious peak athleticism and preparation meets chaotic debauchery — and this year's prime time spectacle before Super Bowl LI did not disappoint.
As the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots prepare to face off this Sunday, both teams kicked off the week of events before the big game with Media Day — a large gathering where various players discussed everything from team and personal expectations to studying pages of their playbooks.
Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan carried his playbook with him throughout the day. Unfortunately for him, he didn't pay close enough attention to his bag and panicked when a San Francisco columnist mistook the bag for his own and strolled off. Luckily for the Falcons offense, the playbook was returned to its rightful owner.
While plays are highly anticipated and prepared for by players, coaches and analysts, it's the men behind the play call who really stole the show at night one.
"Fake Tom Brady" was spotted and photographed all around the event as part of a creative social experience by Bleacher Report. A guy dressed in a casual Patriots hoodie with a silicone look-alike mask and perfectly coiffed hair gave everyone, including Brady's teammates, a good laugh.
Tom Brady talked business as he addressed the things he worked to overcome this season. "Deflategate" plagued the start of his season, as he was forced to sit out the first four games, but that didn't stop the star QB from making it to the championship matchup.
A sentimental moment for Brady came when a young fan asked who was his hero.
"I think my dad is my hero because he is someone I look up to every day," Brady said, choked up. "My dad."
Brady is chasing his fifth ring, which would make him the most decorated quarterback of all time.
Falcons' QB Matt Ryan makes his debut Super Bowl appearance, but he said he won't let his nerves get the best of him on football's biggest stage.
"I feel like we have prepared ourselves for this moment, we have worked really, really hard and this is exactly where we want to be," he said.
The serious moments didn't last long. Kel Mitchell took the crowd by surprise by making an appearance as Ed from "Good Burger." He acknowledged Brady as the GOAT but took the term a too literally, joking that he never knew the QB had fur underneath his jersey. Mitchell then delivered some fuel in the form of a cheeseburger to Ryan.