The microphones at Super Bowl Opening Night—the event formerly known as media day—were cranked all the way up on February 6 at downtown Phoenix’s Footprint Center, but voices nevertheless became inaudible during one stretch of the festivities.

When the arena’s big screens showed Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes taking his first step up the stairs to come onto the stage, cheers erupted, drowning out everything else. The Philadelphia Eagles had already completed their hourlong appearance, and though their fan base isn’t typically known for being reserved, their reception felt muted compared to the one the leader of their Super Bowl 57 opponent received.

“Lots of Chiefs fans,” Mahomes said with a grin once he was handed a microphone.

For the third time in the past four years, Mahomes is the center of attention at the Super Bowl, but it feels elevated this time.

He was the young phenom in his first appearance, a 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in 2020. Then in 2021, he shared the spotlight with the quarterback he and most others call the greatest of all time, Tom Brady, ahead of a 31-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But now, Mahomes is unquestionably the best football player in the world—and the face of the NFL.

Every Super Bowl comes with its share of major storylines, but Mahomes’ presence is so large that he crosses over into several of them this year. Here are five of the top narratives heading into the big game, with thoughts from those involved and details from the always-colorful Opening Night event.

1. Injured Chiefs

Maybe the reaction to Mahomes was so raucous because he was showing no noticeable limp despite continuing to deal with a high-ankle sprain he suffered in a divisional-round win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Mahomes played through the injury in the AFC Championship Game, but it clearly affected him as the game went on, before the Chiefs escaped the Bengals with a 23-20 victory. And he wasn’t the only Kansas City player hobbled. Mahomes lost the majority of his wide receivers—JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman and Kadarius Toney—to injuries during that game, too.

Hardman was added to injured reserve, but the other two are expected to play. Toney said he would “definitely” play Sunday after suffering a knee injury in the first quarter against the Bengals that kept him out of the rest of the game.

Smith-Schuster hasn’t practiced since leaving with his own knee injury in the first half versus Cincinnati but looked to be moving fine on Opening Night. In his first five minutes at a podium, he came down to play pin the tail on the donkey at a reporter’s request, jumped off the riser to embrace UFC superstar Sean O’Malley and showed off his go-to TikTok dance.

Top cornerback L’Jarius Sneed—the other big Chiefs’ injury concern—also announced he had cleared concussion protocol. Mahomes, meanwhile, said his ankle had improved and he felt comfortable to “push it” in the Super Bowl.

2. A milestone moment

For the first time in NFL history, two Black quarterbacks will start in the Super Bowl—Mahomes and the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts. The moment wasn’t lost on either of them, with the pair posing together with the Lombardi Trophy.

“It’s a major foundation for what’s to come,” Hurts said. “So many kids out there [have been told] to change their positions at whatever age, but [staying at quarterback] can be done.”

Football has a troubled history of trying to move players like Hurts and Mahomes from quarterback to wide receiver or other positions, but the NFL has increased its diversity efforts over the last decade. Seeing two Black quarterbacks square off for the ultimate prize might soon be the norm.

“It’s a historic moment,” Mahomes said. “To be playing with a guy like Jalen, who I know is doing it the right way, [will] be a special moment that I hope lives on forever.”

3. Brother vs. brother

Super Bowl 57 will feature another first: Brothers going up against each other for a championship. And the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and Eagles’ Jason Kelce aren’t just any set of brothers; they’re one of the most decorated pairs in NFL history, both surefire future Hall of Famers.

Jason, a 35-year-old center, has five career All-Pro nods and a Super Bowl victory on his résumé. Travis, a 33-year-old tight end, has four All-Pro nods along with Super Bowl victory on his.

Their mother, Donna Kelce, was the star of Opening Night, making the rounds in a shirt sewed together from Travis’ No. 87 Chiefs’ jersey and back Jason’s No. 63 Eagles’ jersey. “I’m going to scream really loud any time someone has the ball,” she said, since both of her sons play on offensive side of the football.

Donna said Travis is more of a mama’s boy and has better style, while Jason ate more and won the brotherly fights growing up. The brothers separately both joked that Jason has recently surpassed Travis in Donna’s heart by giving her grandchildren.

4. An Andy Reid Reunion

Kansas City’s 64-year-old head coach will make his fourth career Super Bowl appearance—three with the Chiefs and one with the Eagles.

Reid long led lists of the best coaches without a title until he broke through with Kansas City in 2020. That was his first Super Bowl berth since 2005, when his Eagles narrowly fell, 24-21, to the New England Patriots.

Reid’s Eagles teams were near-perennial contenders, but he never got back to the Super Bowl with Philadelphia, and was fired in 2012. Several teams immediately courted him before he chose the Chiefs.

“I spent 14 years [in Philadelphia] and loved every minute of it,” Reid said. “I’ve spent 10 years in Kansas City, and I’ve loved every minute of that. I’m proud of some of these old guys with the Eagles, and I’m proud to be here with the Chiefs.”

Reid spent extra time at Opening Night embracing and talking to two players still on the Eagles from his tenure—Jason Kelce and linebacker Brandon Graham.

5. The elevation of the Eagles’ offense

Mahomes presence should always keep the Chiefs near the top of the list of Super Bowl contenders, but far fewer people expected the Eagles to get this far coming into the season.

Philadelphia hadn’t previously shown the same level of offensive ability as the Chiefs, but that changed this season. The Eagles and Chiefs have each scored an NFL-leading 546 points through 19 games.

One major force behind Philadelphia’s newfound success has Las Vegas ties—offensive coordinator Shane Steichen. The former UNLV quarterback took over play-calling duties from head coach Nick Sirianni this season and helped the Eagles reach a new level.

The modest Steichen passes on praise, however. He prefers to credit players, including the plethora of weapons around Hurts, including All-Pro receiver A.J. Brown, former Heisman Trophy-winning receiver DeVonta Smith and big-play running back Miles Sanders.

“It’s a special group of players,” Steichen said. “They’ve done everything to get us to this point.”

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