Panthers-Broncos preview: 50 things to know about Super Bowl 50
The Super Bowl is perhaps the most glorified spectacle in American sports, and this year marks its golden anniversary. So to celebrate Super Bowl 50 -- an awesome matchup between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos -- here are 50 facts (not stats) to know. After reading, you'll have plenty of ammunition to impress everyone between refrigerator runs and bathroom breaks during your Super Bowl party.
1. Cam Newton will hit the trifecta if the Panthers win Super Bowl 50.
Newton could become the first quarterback ever to have won a national championship (FBS) in college, the Heisman Trophy and a Super Bowl. Newton also won a junior college national title with Blinn College in 2009. Yeah, he'd be the first quarterback do all that, too.
12. The Broncos will either lengthen their lead in a bad category or move into some good company.
As an organization, the Broncos already have the most Super Bowl losses (five) in NFL history. If they win Super Bowl 50, they'll be the ninth franchise with at least three Super Bowl titles.
13. If the Panthers win Super Bowl 50, Ron Rivera will become the fourth guy to have earned a Super Bowl ring as a player and a coach.
Mike Ditka, Tom Flores, and Tony Dungy are the others.
14. The chance to stand alone in history is on the line for John Elway, too.
If the Broncos win Super Bowl 50, John Elway will be the first GM with a Super Bowl ring as a player and general manager. Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy won a Lombardi when he played for the Redskins.
23. Hurney's major impact.
Fired after the 2012 season, former Panthers GM Marty Hurney had a major impact on the 2015 Panthers. He acquired eight of the 10 Panthers who made the Pro Bowl this season. The only guys he didn't add who made the Pro Bowl were Trai Turner and Kawann Short.
24. One of the latest Super Bowls.
Super Bowl 50 being played on Feb. 7 ties it for the latest starting date in Super Bowl history. Super Bowl XLIV was also on Feb. 7. Officially, that kickoff happened at 6:32 p.m. ET. So if this Super Bowl is just three minutes late, it'll technically be the "latest start" in Super Bowl history.
25. The Broncos have a big edge in Super Bowl experience.
Denver has 18 players who were on a Super Bowl roster, while Carolina has seven players. Of those players, 16 current Broncos have actually played in a Super Bowl, and five current Panthers have played in a Super Bowl.
26. Everybody in the Super Bowl wins ... financially.
Players on the winning team can receive up to a $97,000 bonus. While the players on the losing team receive a bonus of $49,000.
27. Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has an awesome and unique story.
He used the bonus money he received from playing in the 1959 NFL Championship as a wide receiver on the Baltimore Colts to co-found the Hardee's restaurant chain. He's gone on to make millions elsewhere, but that's how he built his fortune.
28. There isn't much familiarity between these two teams.
Cam Newton has faced a Wade Phillips-run defense one time. It came when the quarterback was a rookie. His Panthers beat the Texans 23-13 in November of 2011 when Phillips was Houston's defensive coordinator.
39. Broncos backup center is James Ferentz, the son of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz.
James went to Iowa and entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2014 with the Houston Texans.
40. Beyonce is making history.
She's performing at halftime of Super Bowl 50, making her the first female to repeat as a Super Bowl halftime performer.
45. This matchup was a long shot.
49. Peyton Manning only has two career Super Bowl touchdowns.
Which isn't even in the Top 10 all-time. If he throws two touchdowns against the Panthers, he'd move into a tie for ninth place with Russell Wilson, Doug Williams and Jim Plunkett
50. The Panthers are traveling a long way for Super Bowl 50.
The trip is 2,680.6 miles from their headquarters in Charlotte, N.C.
The Patriots, coming from Foxborough, Mass., to Glendale, Ariz.,for Super Bowl XLIV in 2008 and last year's Super Bowl amount to the furthest trips in Super Bowl history at 2,980.4 miles.
