The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in the final minutes of Super Bowl 56. The game was packed with excitement as both teams battled for the Lombardi Trophy at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The Rams made the first touchdown midway through the first quarter, but the Bengals got on the board by kicking a field goal with a minute left in the quarter.
Cincinnati scored their first touchdown near the end of the second quarter and followed up with an interception in the end zone to keep Los Angeles from scoring. Within the first ten seconds of the second half, the Bengals took the lead after quarterback Joe Burrow hit for a 75-yard touchdown pass. The two teams ground it out and tensions began to rise as the game wound down, but the Rams came out on top, scoring the final touchdown after a 15-play drive when Matthew Stafford threw to wide receiver Cooper Kupp in the end zone.
Kupp was named Super Bowl MVP and finished with eight receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns. He even ran the ball once for seven yards on the final drive to convert a fourth-and-1 from their own 30-yard line. Kupp is the eighth wide receiver to be named Super Bowl MVP and the first since New England wideout Julian Edleman three years ago in Super Bowl LIII.
Following the Lombardi Trophy and Super Bowl MVP presentation, Kupp shared a vision he says God revealed to him three years ago as he was walking off the field after the Rams lost Super Bowl LIII, which he was unable to play in due to a torn ACL.
“In 2019, we walked off the field that last time after losing to the Patriots; I wasn’t able to be a part of that thing,” he said. “But I don’t know what it was, there was just this vision God revealed to me that we were going to come back, we were going to be part of a Super Bowl, we were going to win it, and somehow I was going to walk off the field as the MVP of the game.
“I shared that with my wife because I couldn’t tell anyone else obviously what that was, but from the moment this postseason started, there was just a belief every game that it was written already. It was written already and I just got to play free knowing that I got to play from victory, not for victory. I got to play in a place where I was validated not from anything that happened on the field but because of my worth in God and my Father.”
After being named NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Kupp now joins Hall of Famer Joe Montana (1989) as the only players to win OPOY and Super Bowl MVP in the same season. Furthermore, Kupp’s eight catches gave him 33 for the postseason, setting a new record for most receptions in a single postseason and a single playoffs.
The stellar postseason comes after Kupp won the receiving triple crown by nearly rewriting the NFL record book with 145 catches, 1,947 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns in the regular season. All told, in 17 regular-season games and four playoff games, Kupp collected 178 catches, 2,425 receiving yards (the first receiver ever to go over 2,000 yards) and 22 touchdowns this season.
Earlier this week when speaking to the media, the 28-year-old had no problem identifying his major takeaway from an unforgettable year, and he pointed to his faith in Christ on multiple occasions.
“I think the thing that He has taught me is that you will find that you are most fulfilled, you will find the most joy, when you are rooted in your purpose, and specifically rooted in His purpose for you,” Kupp said. “That, to me, has been one of the best things about this year. My motivation coming in every single day is to run the race in such a way as to honor God and the passions and the talents that He’s given me. When I’m rooted in that, I am in a great place. I am able to play freely.”
One Kupp’s favorite Bible passages is 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, which says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
After winning the Super Bowl Kupp posted on social media, “Do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
Leading up to the event, numerous players for the Rams and Bengals shared about their faith in God’s purpose – regardless of the game results.
Bengals defensive back Michael Thomas had perhaps the most incredible overcomer story of all the players that hit the field on Super Bowl Sunday. Thomas didn’t have a team when the season started — and now, just months later, he played in the NFL’s most important game of the year. He came into the league undrafted back in 2012 and journeyed throughout the NFL as a special teams player. “I trusted in the Lord to direct my path to direct my steps like it says in Proverbs. If this was the end of the road, I’ll be okay with it because God’s plan is not one to argue with.” It’s truly a powerful faith story about trust and patience.
Rams star cornerback, Jalen Ramsey opened up about the importance of his faith in his personal and professional life. “Without my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I am nothing honestly. Without His grace and His mercy and dying for my sins, I mean, I’m nothing. I’m sinful by nature, and I’m not perfect, and that’s why I need the Lord so much. I’ve got to always lean on my faith, and I’ve got to give God the glory and let God really work through me and work through my heart and try to grow. That’s really how I try to grow and try to evolve as a person.” The two-time Pro Bowler is also famously known for drawing large black crosses under his eyes in eye black during games and sporting custom thigh pads with crosses on them.
Rams star defensive tackle Aaron Donald has been selected to eight Pro Bowls, received seven All-Pro selections, and was named the Defensive Player of the Year four times. After sealing Sunday’s victory with a critical fourth-down pressure on Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Donald can now add a Lombardi Trophy to his resume. Just moments after the game concluded, Donald gave credit to the Lord in an interview on the field. “God is great,” he said. “It’s a blessing.”
There were many other players on the field for both teams that gave glory to God after the game including: Bengals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither, kicker Evan McPherson, and Rams running back Sony Michel, defensive end Trey Hendricks, and punter Johnny Hekker.
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