Overview of "At the Super Bowl, It’s Nice Guy vs. Underdog" (The New York Times — The Sunday Daily)
This episode uses human stories to make Super Bowl 60 emotionally accessible to listeners who aren’t die‑hard football fans. Host Natalie Kitroeff (with guest Michael Barbaro) brings on two Athletic writers — Chad Graff (Patriots) and Michael Shandugar (Seahawks) — to tell compact character-driven narratives about the Patriots’ coach Mike Vrabel and the Seahawks’ quarterback Sam Darnold. The goal: explain why each team’s arc matters and give non‑fans a rooting interest going into the game.
The Patriots — Mike Vrabel: remaking a franchise’s personality
- Context: The Patriots spent ~25 years under Bill Belichick’s austere, win‑at‑all‑costs culture. That success bred national resentment: a dominant team led by a famously gruff coach who didn’t celebrate much beyond winning.
- Transition: After a failed post‑Belichick experiment (head coach Jerod Mayo, 4 wins), owner Robert Kraft hired Mike Vrabel.
- Who Vrabel is: Former Patriots player who won multiple Super Bowls under Belichick, but chose a different coaching path rather than simply copying Belichick.
- Vrabel’s approach:
- Emphasizes energy, joy and close player relationships — chest bumps, hugs, secret handshakes, visible celebrations.
- Still tactically sharp: praised league‑wide as a game‑management savant.
- Symbolic anecdote: Vrabel hugged a player so hard he split his lip — and celebrated it — highlighting how visceral and exuberant his style is.
- Cultural effect: Vrabel has softened the national perception of the Patriots, making this iteration feel more likable and “Ted Lasso”‑esque — a ragtag, under‑recognized group pushed by an upbeat leader.
The Seahawks — Sam Darnold: the perennial underdog’s unlikely rise
- Early career (USC → NFL):
- Highly drafted (to the Jets), but landed on a weak, highly visible franchise with little support; struggled with interceptions, public mistakes and the infamous “seeing ghosts” comment.
- Health issues (mono) and persistent poor team environments reinforced a negative public narrative.
- Journeyman phase:
- Moved from the Jets → Panthers → 49ers (backup role) → Vikings; perception hardened that he was a bust.
- Time as a backup (San Francisco) was crucial: removed the “savior” pressure and allowed him to reset.
- Seattle fit:
- Seahawks provided the three things quarterbacks need: reliable skill players, protection (O‑line), and a solid play‑caller/coaching setup.
- In that environment Darnold resembled the more effective version of himself (as he had briefly been in Minnesota), earning renewed belief from teammates, coaches and many fans.
- Narrative appeal: Darnold’s arc — public humiliation, repeated second chances, and a comeback to the Super Bowl — makes him the archetypal underdog people want to root for.
Themes & parallels
- Both protagonists left formative environments to become who they are now:
- Vrabel learned under Belichick but left to develop his own style.
- Darnold’s circuitous path out of New York and into supportive situations allowed him to revive his career.
- Common throughline: humility, risk, reinvention. The episode frames the Super Bowl as a clash not just of squads but of human journeys — “nice guy” (Vrabel) vs. “underdog” (Darnold).
- Emotional hook for casual fans: stories of redemption, joy, and personal transformation make the game compelling even if listeners don’t follow football closely.
Key takeaways
- Mike Vrabel has remade the Patriots’ public image: fun, emotional, but still technically very good.
- Sam Darnold’s presence in the Super Bowl is a longshot comeback story — a player widely written off who found the right circumstances and coaching to succeed.
- The episode argues that the human narratives (leadership style vs. comeback arc) are an effective way to care about the game without deep technical knowledge.
- Host Michael Barbaro ultimately admits being moved and leans toward rooting for Darnold because of the magnitude of his fall and redemption.
Notable quotes / soundbites
- On Belichick’s Patriots: “They were a machine… it didn't feel good when they won.”
- On Vrabel’s style: “I'm proud to be your coach, fellas. Let's have some fun.” (illustrative of the cultural shift)
- On Darnold’s Jets era: the “seeing ghosts” moment — shorthand for his struggles and public collapse.
- Framing line: “New England’s version of Ted Lasso” (captures the tonal pivot for the Patriots).
Recommendations / next steps
- If you’re watching the game with no prior investment: focus on Vrabel’s sideline demeanor (celebration rituals) and Darnold’s poise under pressure — those are the human moments the episode highlights.
- For more context: the hosts recommend an earlier Daily episode about the Super Bowl halftime show (Bad Bunny) for additional event coverage.
- If you want a quick refresher before kickoff: re-listen to the two story segments (Patriots/Vrabel and Seahawks/Darnold) — each is a concise narrative that adds emotional stakes to the game.
Produced and reported highlights: host Natalie Kitroeff, guest Michael Barbaro, with Chad Graff (Patriots) and Michael Shandugar (Seahawks) from The Athletic.