Horse Racing Connection of NFL Conference Championship Teams
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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, above, enjoying himself at the Preakness Stakes. (Photo by America's Best Racing)
This Sunday, most Americans will be tuned into the National Football League Conference Championship battles between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos (AFC) and Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers (NFC) to determine who will be playing in Super Bowl 50 on Sunday, Feb. 7 from Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
In case your rooting interest isn’t predetermined, we thought it would be fun to identify some horse interests associated with the big matchups.
1. New England Patriots: Nobody enjoys big games and big sports moments more than New England quarterback Tom Brady. In 13 seasons with the Patriots, Brady and the Patriots have appeared in six Super Bowls, winning four Lombardi trophies and three MVP Awards. Brady also enjoys attending some of the biggest race days in America, regularly making appearances at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, among other races. Who could forget Brady celebrating his big gambling win at the 2013 Kentucky Derby?
Or last year, when he arrived to Churchill Downs with an entourage of teammates, including Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman and friends:
BRADY'S DERBY ENTOURAGE
Also, Breeders’ Cup ambassador Steven Jackson is now playing running back for the New England Patriots. And, popular Thoroughbred owner Wes Welker, also a Breeders’ Cup ambassador, had the distinction of playing for both the Patriots and Broncos. Wonder who he’s pulling for this weekend?
2. Denver Broncos: Not to be outdone by his counterpart, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning attended the 131st running of the Kentucky Derby with his younger brother, Eli. The Manning brothers are two of the most iconic players currently in the NFL and, of course, the Broncos' mascot itself is reason for the equine enthusiast to pull for them on Sunday.
PEYTON MANNING WILL GUIDE THE BRONCOS
By Jeffrey Beall - Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36270047
3. Arizona Cardinals: They may be the darkhorse of the four remaining contenders seeking to be crowned Super Bowl 50 champions. Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer made news last November when he put his Del Mar mansion on the market for a cool asking price of nearly $25-million. A frequent guest to the surf and turf offerings at picturesque Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Palmer enjoys the action and thrills of a day at the races:
Embedded via Flickr
4. Carolina Panthers: Cornerback Josh Norman enjoyed an All-Pro season while leading the Panthers to a stellar 15-1 record. But did you know Josh is an avid horse aficionado? So much so that he conducted this interview with ESPN’s Hannah Storm from his barn as well as from the saddle: