Players, coaches and fans have superstitions that they swear by – crazy, silly and sometimes weird routines that must be completed or the team will surely lose.
Athletes are known for having pre-game superstitions. Some have to eat the same snack or meal on game day. Marshwn Lynch is well known for eating Skittles candies before his games. His ritual goes back to being a young boy. His mom would give him a handful of Skittles before a game, telling him the candies would make him run faster and play harder. What a great idea! Skittles carried Lynch all the way to the NFL! Other popular superstitions are to not shave (oh those beards!), wear the same underwear or socks, or to make a pre-game phone call to mom or dad.
Coaches also have their share of game day rituals or superstitions. From wearing the same winning tie to watching film in the exact same place every game day, once a coach experiences a string of wins, they are likely to keep up the same routine or risk losing. We all have seen coaches madly chewing their gum during the game; usually the same brand of gum through their entire coaching career!
Fans can be even more outrageous with their superstitions. Lucky apparel is worn over and over, sometimes never washed, year in and year out. Some fans we know watch the games standing up in front of the TV so as not to anger the football gods and make their team lose. Many fans have to watch the games in the same location with the same group of people – every single game.
Some people may laugh at superstitions. But for those who believe, skipping a lucky ritual is a very serious offense that will likely affect the outcome of the game. Nobody wants to be the person who blows the Super Bowl because they changed their underpants!