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Sportshour at The Super Bowl: L.A

All the excitement and colour from LA ahead of the Super Bowl

All the excitement and colour from LA ahead of the most watched annual sporting event anywhere in the world. We look at what the Super Bowl means to America through the eyes of three former NFL players. One who only got to the game once he retired, one who lost on the day but won a bigger prize and one who ended up a champion but paid an incredibly high price for his success. And all three have gone on to have a great impact off the field.

Former San Francisco 49er George Visger tells us about the horrific cost of winning his Super Bowl ring. During the course of his career he suffered many concussions and now years later and after several brain surgeries, he has been left fighting not only for his memory but for his medical bills to be paid. He lost his house, his business and his family, but despite all of that and his severe medical condition George is a leading campaigner and advocate for the protection of athletes in sport.

Jeff Rohrer never made it to the Super Bowl as a player, but as one of TV鈥檚 most regarded advert commercial directors he has had almost as much impact on Super Bowls as any of those who won a ring! He鈥檚 behind some of the most iconic Super Bowl adverts of all time. Jeff also happens to be the first NFL player, past or present, to enter into a same sex marriage. He tells us about his life and how he hopes he is inspiring a new generation of players and change the reasons why so few men feel comfortable being out in professional sport. You can see Jeff and husband Josh on social media @joshuaandjeffrey

Garry Gilliam tasted defeat to Tom Brady鈥檚 Patriots in 2015 and gave up the game in his twenties. Having grown up in poverty Garry was sent away for schooling at the famous Milton Hershey school, just a few miles from where he was born in Pennsylvania. The experience of the school鈥檚 鈥渨hole child鈥 approach led him to dedicate his life to creating and empowering under represented communities. He explains his practical and achievable urban regeneration plans, aimed at lifting people out of poverty.

A view of SoFi Stadium as workers prepare for Super Bowl LVI on February 01, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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49 minutes

Broadcast

  • Sat 12 Feb 2022 10:06GMT

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