Is it possible the most touching part of the Super Bowl came after the game? Seeing Roger Staubach walk through the throng of Green Bay Packers with the Vince Lombardi Trophy cradled in his arms, as cheeseheads leaned in to give it a big ol' smackeroo, I saw a man on top of the world. It was just the scene the NFL needed.
The legendary quarterback had to be feeling more than a wee bit nostalgic. There Staubach was in Cowboys Stadium, in the midst of the world where he once led his Texas team to two Super Bowls. This time, he was the man carrying the trophy, but it's possible he played a role in getting the Packers to the end zone too.
Staubach was one of the most vocal fans saying Super Bowl XLV belonged to the Packers. Now an executive chairman at Jones Lang LaSalle, a company that touts itself as a "global real estate services firm specializing in commercial property management, leasing, and investment management," Staubach studied real estate trends vs. Super Bowl winners to come up with his prediction. Green Bay, he said, had more vacant office space in the city than Pittsburgh, so it was bound to win.
Makes sense, actually, when you consider many people saw the Saints' win last year as some sort of karmic reward for all that New Orleans had been through in recent years. A struggling city begets a winning Super Bowl team. But that's certainly no passing fan's determination. This took some serious study, and it's a nice reminder of the man Staubach has always been.
He made it to the Hall of Fame as a brilliant quarterback, not simply talented but intelligent and able to read the game. He maintained the best passer rating in the NFL at the time of his retirement for that very reason.
In an era when aging football players have been focus of major concern -- in no small part because of the concussion findings of the NFL and the new hitting rules put in place this season to minimize player injury -- it's nice to hear from Staubach, a player of the old school who is still atop his game in his old age (he turned 69 on Saturday). Highlighting the Hall of Famers carrying the trophy is a relatively recent addition to the Super Bowl, but it's one of the best decisions the NFL has made. Kudos to the Packers and Steelers for a great game, but Staubach put the icing on the cake.
Were you a Staubach fan?
Image via Getty Images/Elsa/Staff