With Mitchell Schwartz and Ali Marpet, both teams have “offensive linemen” of Jewish origin in their ranks on Sunday. But Schwartz will probably have to sit out the match due to an injury.
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On Sunday, the Superbowl LV will take place at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium. This is already an exception: Generally, this highlight of the football season is played in a predetermined arena and this has never been that of a final team. Due to Covid-19, only 22,000 fans will be able to be in the stadium. And for this reason, many Americans across the country are likely to forego the usual feasts with friends and relatives with guacamole or chicken wings.
In addition, it is out of the ordinary that the Buccaneers and their opponents, the Kansas City Chiefs, have Jewish offensive players on their team. Ali Marpet has been active for the hosts for six years and is considered one of the pillars of the team. The 27-year-old comes from a New York suburb in Westchester County, is proud of his Jewish origins and visited Israel as part of a “birthright” tour. The mother is a musician, the father makes videos for the fashion industry. Marpet weighs almost 140 kilos and, in addition to his strength, is known for perseverance and discipline. The Buccaneers are owned by the Glazer family. Malcolm Glazer, who died in 2014, acquired the team in 1995 for the then record sum of 192 million dollars. Today it is valued at $ 2 billion.
To his chagrin and the Chiefs’ chagrin, Mitchell Schwartz will have to watch the match from the side. The 31-year-old sustained a back injury after a non-stop streak of 134 games in October. He comes from Southern California and, like Marpet, is considered an excellent athlete. His brother Geoff also ran as a striker for the National Football League (NFL). Both published the book “Eat My Schwartz: Our Story of NFL Football, Food, Family, and Faith” about their origins and sport in 2016 (Link).
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