Here we are again, another NFL season’s FINAL ACT. The Chiefs. The Eagles. The Super Bowl. Two years after their last clash, they’re back—same stakes, different setting. This time, it’s the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, a fitting battleground for two franchises chasing their own legacies. The Chiefs are on the brink of an unprecedented three-peat. The Eagles? They’ve been grinding for two years, looking to silence the ghosts of Super Bowl LVII. History is waiting, and one of them is about to take it.
A lot has changed since that night in Arizona. But some questions refuse to go away. Can Jalen Hurts outduel Patrick Mahomes? What tricks does Spags have up his sleeve for Saquon Barkley? Is this Travis Kelce’s last dance? And, of course, the question that never dies—why do we even use roman numerals for Super Bowls?
That last one? It’s been hanging around since Super Bowl V. The NFL started using Roman numerals to avoid confusion, since the Super Bowl is played the year after its season. This year’s game is in 2025, but it crowns the 2024 season champion. Makes sense, right?
All tied up.
Who’s breaking the tie in Super Bowl LIX? pic.twitter.com/mI7Nh2g5fF
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) February 6, 2025
But really, credit goes to Lamar Hunt, the Chiefs’ founder and the man who literally named the Super Bowl. He thought Roman numerals would add a little extra grandeur to the league’s biggest game. You know, make it feel that bit bigger. Safe to say, that idea stuck.
In fact, Super Bowl V was the first to officially use Roman numerals, though the first four games were later renamed as I, II, III, and IV. Before that, it was just the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. Yeah, that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Even when the Super Bowl name was adopted for Super Bowl III, they still tacked on “World Championship Game” just to make sure everyone knew it was a big deal.
And now, here we are at Super Bowl LIX. History, revenge, and a lot on the line. But what is the league getting out of the Roman numeral branding still in 2025?
NFL and Roger Goodell won’t change the ‘brand identity’ now!
Look, could the NFL drop Roman numerals from the Super Bowl? Sure. But will they? Not a chance. They’ve been using them since Super Bowl V, and at this point, it’s part of the league’s DNA. It’s not just a numbering system—it’s a statement. The Roman numerals give the game a larger-than-life feel, like it belongs in the history books alongside gladiators and empires.
Super Bowl LIX (yep, that’s 59 for those of us who didn’t major in Latin) isn’t just another championship game. It’s a legacy. And legacies don’t get rebranded.
The real reason the NFL sticks with it? Clarity. The league spans two calendar years—the season starts in one, the Super Bowl happens in the next. Roman numerals clear up any confusion. Plus, let’s be honest, it looks a lot cooler on merchandise. Imagine a Super Bowl 59 logo next to all the LIX gear. Doesn’t hit the same, right?
But beyond clarity, it’s about branding. The Super Bowl is a global event, pulling in over 100 million viewers every year. The Roman numerals? They’re everywhere—on jerseys, banners, the Lombardi Trophy itself. Changing them now would be like Nike ditching the swoosh or the Cowboys abandoning their star.
And let’s not forget the fans. Social media would erupt if the NFL suddenly switched to standard numbers. Sure, people joke about needing a cheat sheet to decode LIX, but take it away? There’d be chaos. It’s like complaining about your team’s outdated logo—you might roll your eyes at it, but if someone tried to change it, you’d fight tooth and nail to keep it.
Now, there was one time the NFL broke tradition. Super Bowl 50? That wasn’t Super Bowl L. You don’t really need an explanation for that… Understandably so, nobody wanted to be the losing team in Super Bowl L. They made an exception that year, then jumped right back into Roman numerals for Super Bowl LI. Crisis averted. Lesson learned. Some traditions are just too good to mess with.
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