Baltimore fans don’t necessarily have a direct rooting interest for Super Bowl 50, but plenty of Ravens Nation will be among the hundreds of millions of people who tune into Sunday’s matchup between the Broncos and Panthers.
Both teams have connections to Baltimore, as former Ravens players and coaches will have their chance at the Lombardi Trophy. A pair of Panthers won a ring with the Ravens in 2012 – offensive lineman Michael Oher and tight end Ed Dickson – and now they have a chance to add a second ring to the collection.
Denver’s ties to the Ravens are the most recent, particularly with Head Coach Gary Kubiak. He spent 2014 as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator before getting the offer to coach the Broncos, and Kubiak had high praise for his experience under Head Coach John Harbaugh.
“I really want to thank Steve [Bisciotti], Ozzie [Newsome], John [Harbaugh], the players, the organization,” Kubiak said at his introductory press conference last year in Denver. “I was proud to be a part of them, and I appreciate the opportunity they gave me. It was a wonderful experience and I learned a great deal.”
Tight end Owen Daniels and safety Darian Stewart both followed Kubiak to Denver after a season in Baltimore.
In addition to pulling for Kubiak’s team, plenty of football fans will pull for Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning to get another championship late in his career. This could be Manning’s final year in the NFL. On the opposite side, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is an electrifying player who seems like a lock to be the NFL’s Most Valuable Player this year.
So who are you rooting for in this year’s Super Bowl?
