Super Bowl LVIII coverage
Sunday, February 11
Ahead of kickoff between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, Yuma born player Alex Barrett with San Francisco was upgraded from the practice squad.
Saturday, February 10
State 48 to the 49ers. Arizona has five players on the San Francisco roster with Arizona ties. Brock Purdy was born in Queen Creek and played for Perry High School. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles went to Mountain View High School in Tucson, also played college football for the University of Arizona. Alex Barrett was born in Yuma, attended Desert Ridge High School and played collegiately at San Diego State. Brandon Aiyuk attened Arizona State University and Randy Gregory attended Arizona Western College.
From Perry High school to the Super Bowl, Arizona's Brock Purdy is set to become the first native born Arizonan to start a Super Bowl game at quarterback. KYMA Sports caught up with his high school head coach Preston Jones who shares some insight on the San Francisco signal caller.
Friday, February 9
LAS VEGAS (KYMA, KECY) - As we inch closer toward Super Bowl LVIII, both teams will rely on their stars to get them a championship.
However, two of those stars, Brock Purdy and Isiah Pacheco, came from a place where not many contributors come from: Late round picks during the NFL Draft.
"Its sort of into like a story of my life, you know, sort of being overlooked, you know, throughout high school and other high recruiting and then all I needed at the time was John and opportunity and coach Campbell baby that I would say and then sure enough, it's like my sort of repeated itself. I got drafted last once the Niners got an opportunity. So yeah."
Brock Purdy, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers
"You know, understanding where I've come from unsatisfied on seventh round pick up is great filling in at the bottom...There are definitely a lot for me to get picked up from such as infusion and now I'm home and that's why I leave it out there every day I get it all I got. You never know when it's just gonna be over. I got to do it all you got every single moment over."
Isiah Pacheco, running back for the Kansas City Chiefs
The two teams are very happy with their late round selections.
Our Sports team, Luis Lopez and Chas Messman, hosted a livestream from Radio Row and talked about Super Bowl LVIII.
Thursday, February 8
LAS VEGAS (KYMA, KECY) - The 49ers may come to Vegas from San Francisco but the Arizona ties run deep within the 49ers.
Starting Quarterback Brock Purdy is one of a few who made their way from state 48 to the 49ers.
"The community I hade out in Arizona, like everyone, helps each other out. Everyone was so supportive in what you did, whether it was sports or license school. I'm very fortunate to have the community that I had and Queen Creek and Gilbert and Chandler. So many good people in my life and the same time at the same time by everyone worked on what they got, you know, it wasn't nothing was given to anybody," stated Brock Purdy, 49ers Quarterback.
Purdy has spent a lot of time giving back to the Arizona community including working with a non-profit called Team Emery.
"If you're given blessings in life I think it is just huge to give back and love on people that may be less fortunate. And whatever that looks like. So I love the high school youth in our platform to be able to help out kids and then get other athletes to come in and give back as best as we could and team every day. Great job with that in high school and going around in hospitals and giving kids a smile and joy by giving them a stuffed animal and the bear-like those kinds of things," continued Purdy.
Before rocking the field for the 49ers, Brandon Aiyuk starred for the Arizona State Sun Devils where he grew into a first-round pick. And Edge rusher Randy Gregory cut his teeth at Arizona Western College before making the jump to the University of Nebraska.
"I was a young man at that time and I felt like I grew in lot and took steps into growing into the man I am today by stopping in Tempe, Arizona. I think my favorite memory at Arizona State was beating in Oregon in Tempe," said Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers Wide Receiver.
"It was the bridge from high school or college a lot of experiences out there good and bad. And a great community at the end of the day. I mean, it taught me to keep my head down and get the work to get my work done," said Randy Gregory, 49ers Edge rusher.
The state of Arizona has produced players who are performing on the highest stage, but the Grand Canyon state is often overlooked as a football powerhouse.
Our Sports team, Luis Lopez and Chas Messman, hosted a livestream and discussed the happenings going on in the preparation for Super Bowl LVIII.
Wednesday, February 7
LAS VEGAS (KYMA, KECY) - It wouldn't be a Super Bowl without a super meal and fans in attendance will be treated with a plethora of options.
At the Stadium and Food and Beverage Media Preview on Monday, they had wagyu steak, lobster, and some more homey favorites like chicken and waffles and baked potatoes.
"We had to up the ante. We're in Vegas after all, and we celebrate the city's incredible restaurants and nightlife, and to this value for all chan happens it that means there's room for both those while items and the 299 hotdogs," stated Julia Lombardi, Vice President of Hospitality Silver and Black.
Fans watching the game from the club level will have the ultimate dining experience.
"The inspiration for our clubs is the ultimate surf and turf. Vegas is known for its steak houses. We've got the best steaks. We've got the biggest lobster you know, we're carving monster baked potatoes so we kind of tried to look at what Vegas is known for and replicate it on another level," said Sean Kinoshita, Chef Silver and Black.
Our Sports team, Luis Lopez and Chas Messman, hosted a livestream giving an inside look at Radio Row.
Tuesday, February 6
Have you ever wondered how it would feel to be an NFL player? Fans who make the trip to Las Vegas this week will have the chance to capture some of those feelings at the NFL Experience at Mandalay Bay.
The NFL Experience puts you right into the shoes of an NFL player participating in skills challenges just like the pros.
Test the ice in your veins in the kicking challenge, run the 40 yard dash or throw up reps on the bench press. Take the steps onto the NFL draft podium then make your way into the locker room.
All 32 team jerseys and helmets are represented in the massive 700,000-square-foot venue.
Stars from the San Francisco 49'ers and the Kansas City Chiefs shared their excitement and preparations for Sunday's big game.
"To play the first Super Bowl in Las Vegas and make some history and be a part of it, for me as like a little kid, you know, you want to play in the biggest and sweetest environment," San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy said. "I think this is this is up there. So we played here last year for New Year's and now we get to play for the Super Bowl, so it's pretty sweet."
"I want this one more than I've ever wanted a Super Bowl in my life," Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce said. "And it's because the type of team we have, the people that we have in this thing, but also because that tier of teams that have done it twice have gone down in history as some of the greats."
Our Sports team, Luis Lopez and Chas Messman, hosted a livestream on their Super Bowl LVIII experience in Las Vegas.
Monday, February 5
LAS VEGAS (KYMA, KECY) - Super Bowl LVIII week kicked off with Opening Night Fueled By Gatorade Monday night at Allegiant Stadium.
Players from both the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers were on hand to answer questions from the media.
Over 20,000 fans showed up to this event.
There were performances from the Blue Man Group, and celebrities were scattered around the field.
The Kansas City Chiefs are in search of their third Super Bowl in their Patrick Mahomes era and second consecutive title.
While the San Francisco 49ers are looking to avenge a Super Bowl loss to Kansas City four years ago.
KYMA Sports spoke with Travis Kelce and Nick Bolton from the Kansas City Chiefs about this year's showdown.
"I'm driven by challenges in life. And I've no bigger one than coming up to Sunday guess this defense I got a lot of respect for the guys over there. I've been fortunate enough to know this team for a few years now. And you know, they're they're back in the Superbowl for reasons because the leaders that they have in the US the accountability they have and right now they're playing some damn good football, and it's gonna be our biggest challenge and I'm excited about that," expressed Travis Kelce, Tight End for the Kansas City Chiefs.
"Yeah, we're gonna try to keep our rush there when we can. We saw last week especially when he needed it. I was able to use his leg as a template and I'll just pick a few times first downfall so we're gonna have our D line class that man has ever watched his message in front of the quarterback. I tried to press a pocket that we can man and become so committed to Well, again, all this is easier said than done," said Nick Bolton, Linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs.
