Every year, I try to attend the Big Game with my good friends, Jane Heller and her husband, Steve Gerard. I love the excitement of the crowd and all the action on the field, from the varied entertainment to the battling NFL teams. I’m sure you’ve seen many photos from this year’s exciting Super Bowl LI between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons, but here are some of mine. Enjoy.
Here I am with three of the security guards at the NRG Stadium in Houston.
The NRG Stadium, which is pronounced “Energy Stadium”, is a multi-purpose facility in Houston with 71,795 seats and a total area of 1,900,000 square feet. This year’s game was the second at NRG Stadium – the first was Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.
The facility has four massive concourse levels for other special events during the year.
Outside the stadium was a team of more than four-thousand that secured a three-mile perimeter around the stadium. Here are members of Houston’s mounted patrol.
And a Houston police officer with his canine partner.
The stadium was surrounded by lots of entertainment and food.
Here is a view from one of the upper levels.
It was a very clear and balmy afternoon – temperatures hit the high-70s on game day.
The stadium itself has a 97,000 square foot playing surface. It is part of a larger group of facilities known as NRG Park, which includes the iconic Astrodome.
NRG Stadium is the first facility in the NFL to have a retractable roof.
The stadium was designed by the architectural firms of Hermes Reed Architects and Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam. The retractable roof has two large panels that split apart at the 50 yard line. It takes seven-minutes to fully open.
The players were able to warm up on the field before the game.
Owner of the New England Patriots, Robert Kraft, wished every single player good luck.
Cast members from the Broadway show, Hamilton: An American Musical – Jasmine Cephas Jones, Renee Elise Goldsberry, and Philliipa Soo – kicked off the game with “America the Beautiful”.
Then, the American Flag was displayed on the field as country music singer and songwriter, Luke Bryan, sang the national anthem.
Former President George H. W. Bush, and his wife, Barbara Bush, came out for the coin toss. President Bush is currently our oldest living president.
The game started at 6:30pm ET. The Patriots are in the white, Falcons in the red.
Here, crews are setting up for the famous “half time” show.
The entire half time show lasts 30-minutes. If you didn’t catch it, Lady Gaga put on a spectacular performance.
Lady Gaga’s electrifying show included songs “Poker Face”, “Born This Way”, “Telephone” and “Just Dance”.
Lady Gaga even played a keytar, a lightweight electronic keyboard that’s supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders.
She also performed her hit song, “Million Reasons”.
Lady Gaga hand picked all the performers for her show.
The show had lots of special effects, including 300-drones, which were used early in the show as part of the lighting formations.
The Patriots defeated the Falcons, 34–28, in the first Super Bowl ever to be played in an overtime period. It was a fun game!