7 Super Bowl Programs We Can't Believe Exist


Ah, the Super Bowl. It's the biggest game of the year and deserves to have a program cover worthy of its sheer awesomeness, right? Uh, apparently not.

Check out 7 actual Super Bowl program covers that we can't believe exist. (Click images to enlarge)
Hey, let's hire that air-brush artist who painted my buddy's van.


Follow me here, we'll have this dude in armor and tights admiring this seashell. Then we'll surround him with birds and an alligator.

Super Bowl Paychecks: What the Players Earn (THEN & NOW)



Sure, it's football's biggest game of the year, but you won't believe just how much cash each player earns (not including their normal salary) for this one, 60-minute game.

Here it is: The winning players in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, Fla., on Feb. 7, 2010, will each receive a super-size paycheck to the tune of $83,000, while each member of the losing team will earn $42,000. How does that compare to Super Bowls of the past? Here's a look at the winners' and losers' share from every Super Bowl.

Super Bowl Date Winner (Share) Loser (Share)
XLIII
2-1-09 Pittsburgh ($78,000) Arizona ($40,000)
XLII 2-3-08 N.Y. Giants ($78,000) New England ($40,000)

This Is Not Going To End Well (PIC)


This seemed like a great idea...about 3 seconds earlier. Now? Not so much.

2009 Was The Year of the QB


NFL quarterbacks are having a banner year. Eight QBs have each passed for at least 4,000 yards, already the most 4,000-yard passers in a single season in NFL history (seven in 2007). With one week to play, three others are within 300 yards of 4,000 – BRETT FAVRE (3,886), ELI MANNING (3,880) and KURT WARNER (3,722).


Nine quarterbacks have passed for 25 or more touchdowns in 2009. That number may grow in Week 17 as TONY ROMO (24), JAY CUTLER (23) and BEN ROETHLISBERGER (23) are each in range of the 25-TD milestone. The NFL record for the most quarterbacks with at least 25 touchdowns in a season is 10, which also occurred in 2007.


Five quarterbacks currently sport a passer rating of 100.0 or better, which would also be the most in a season in NFL annals (four in 1998 and 2004). Two others – MATT SCHAUB (99.1) and Roethlisberger (98.9) – are within 2.0 rating points of the mark with one game to play.


The quarterbacks with 4,000+ yards, 25+ touchdowns or a 100.0+ passer rating in 2009:


CLICK TO ENLARGE

UNPREDICTABLE PLAYOFF PARTICIPANTS


For the 14th consecutive season, five or more teams will qualify for the playoffs that were not in the postseason the year before. Cincinnati, Dallas, Green Bay, New England and New Orleans did not make the playoffs in 2008 but have done so this season.

This Sunday, that number may grow to as many as seven. Of the seven teams in contention for the final two AFC Wild Card playoff spots, four did not qualify for the postseason in 2008: Denver, Houston, Jacksonville and the New York Jets. Those clubs are in competition with Pittsburgh (Super Bowl XLIII champion), Miami (2008 AFC East champion) and Baltimore (2008 Wild Card team) for the remaining AFC playoff berths.

The teams since 1996 to make the playoffs a season after failing to qualify:

SEASON

PLAYOFF TEAMS NOT IN PREVIOUS SEASON’S PLAYOFFS

1996

5 (Carolina, Denver, Jacksonville, Minnesota, New England)

1997

5 (Detroit, Kansas City, Miami, New York Giants, Tampa Bay)

1998

5 (Arizona, Atlanta, Buffalo, Dallas, New York Jets)

1999

7 (Detroit, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Tennessee, Washington)

2000

6 (Baltimore, Denver, New Orleans, New York Giants, Oakland, Philadelphia)

2001

6 (Chicago, Green Bay, New England, New York Jets, Pittsburgh, San Francisco)

2002

5 (Atlanta, Cleveland, Indianapolis, New York Giants, Tennessee)

2003

8 (Baltimore, Carolina, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, New England, St. Louis, Seattle)

2004

5 (Atlanta, Minnesota, New York Jets, Pittsburgh, San Diego)

2005

7 (Carolina, Chicago, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, New York Giants, Tampa Bay, Washington)

2006

7 (Baltimore, Dallas, Kansas City, New Orleans, New York Jets, Philadelphia, San Diego)

2007

6 (Green Bay, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Tennessee, Washington)

2008

7 (Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, Philadelphia)

2009

??? (Cincinnati, Dallas, Green Bay, New England, New Orleans)

* Of the seven teams in contention for the remaining two playoff spots in the AFC, four did not qualify for the postseason in 2008: Denver, Houston, Jacksonville and the N.Y. Jets.