Michiganders all know that Super Bowl LVI has morphed into a love letter to our beautiful state. Sure, the Lions *technically* won’t take the field that day, but L.A. Lion Matthew Stafford definitely has a plus-one with everyone’s name on it – even if just in our mitten-shaped hearts.
Whether Super Sunday takes you to SoFi Stadium (OK, Money Bags), Mom’s house, Jason’s annual (now-COVID-safe party), the bar or the living room couch, PlayMichigan has compiled a simple drinking game with 56 (and a bonus) prompts to help fuel spirits.
You’ll just need a TV, observation skills and a favorite beverage to play. A simple reminder: Most of these are directing you to take a drink, as in: A sip. Don’t down the entire IPA, unless directed to do so.
Plus, this is just for fun, so if you do use this game as a guide, please drink responsibly, tap out when you’ve had enough and absolutely do not drive. Mix in some water for your drink of choice at times too.
And if you’re planning on using our guide, you might make plans to sleep in Monday morning (how isn’t this a holiday yet??).
As for the ultimate question of when the Detroit Lions will actually play in the big game? That’s easy: Next year, baby!!!
How to watch Super Bowl LVI
- Who: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Los Angeles Rams
- When: 6:30 p.m., Feb. 13, 2022
- Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.
- TV: NBC, Telemundo
- Stream: Peacock
- Announcers: Al Michaels, play-by-play; Cris Collinsworth, analysis; Michele Tafoya, sideline reporter; Kathryn Tappen, sideline reporter; Terry McAuly, rules analyst
OK, early birds, take a drink for each item below
- When Mickey Guyton sings the National Anthem
- During the coin toss
- Any mention of the late, legendary John Madden
- When Al Michaels (10) or Cris Collinsworth (4) mention how many Super Bowls they’ve called
- Anytime a media person uses a “Maddenism”
- When kickoff commences
- Drink twice if kickoff does not happen by 6:30 p.m.
- Drink thrice if the opening kick gets returned for a touchdown
Age is just a number, so drink once every time the following is mentioned
- Rams head coach Sean McVay, 36, and Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, 38, and their ages
- McVay and Taylor being the youngest head coaches to coach in the Super Bowl
- The age difference when McVay and then-QB Jared Goff faced Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the Patriots in Super Bowl LIII
- Brady’s age at any point in his life or career
- Mike Tomlin’s youthful (almost-37) Super Bowl XLIII win
- Ages/playing year of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Evan McPherson
- Stafford’s age
- The “next generation” of youthful quarterbacks, such as Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, etc, and how the game is changing. Drink twice if Collinsworth says it lovingly.
Strings attached? Drink every time any of the following get a mention
- Bengals RB Chris Evans, Michigan
- Bengals CB Trae Waynes, Michigan State
- Bengals LB Joe Bachie, Michigan State (IR)
- Bengals CB Darius Phillips, Western Michigan (IR)
- Rams OL Brian Allen, Michigan State
- Rams CB David Long Jr., Michigan
- Former Lions: A’Shawn Robinson, Rams; Brandon Powell, Rams; Riley Rieff, (Bengals IR)
- Stafford kicking Ndamukong Suh in the NFC championship game
Take a drink when the following happens during the Super Bowl halftime show
- Any elder speaker on TV tries to make a cool observation about halftime performers Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Eminem
- One of your friends will not return after halftime
- You dance/sway to any song during halftime
- Someone you’re with or on TV mentions the new J Dilla book by Dan Charnas
- Have one drink per Detroit-area friends saying/posting jokes about Lions being in Super Bowl
- Drink twice for any Detroit Rams or L.A. Lions jokes
- Drink twice for every argument from people you know about Stafford, including if the Lions failed him or he failed them
Continue to drink twice in the second half if you hear or see
- The opening second-half kick is returned for a touchdown
- The winning team has more than a one-score lead
- An announcer jinxes a kicker, etc.
- Stafford’s time in Detroit gets woefully mentioned, debated by media
- Papa Bear Burrow and Papa Bear Chase smoking cigars
- Any word at all spelled with the suffix “eaux”
- The Bengals playoff drought/Cinderella story mentioned
- Drink again if it is immediately followed by a comment about Lions playoff woes
Ghosts of championships past … Drink twice when you hear or see:
- The 40-year anniversary of Super Bowl XVI in Pontiac recalled
- Super Bowl XL in Detroit fondly remembered
- Collinsworth’s time with the Bengals in Super Bowls
- Any mention of Brady and his rings
- Any time Collinsworth calls Brady “the greatest to ever do it”
- Any mention of Brady’s retirement and ensuing stats share, etc.
- Anytime an announcer shares a favorite memory from any Super Bowl
- Finish your drink if they specify when the Lions last won a championship
Victory formation … Drink as much as you’d like anytime you hear or see
- Absolutely any Burrow nickname, including Joe Shiesty, Joey Brr, etc.
- Every time they talk about McPherson’s swagger
- Any on-field bromance mentions, such as Burrow to Chase or Stafford to Cooper Kupp
- Any frail males commenting on women in sports, online or in real life
- Kelly Stafford is shown in the stands, in her luxury box, or on the field celebrating with her hubby; for a bonus, add another if Anna Kupp is seen with her
- Any mention of past Lions associations, including: Bobby Layne, Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson, Herman Moore, Doak Walker, Highland Park High School in Texas, the Ford family
- If you won a bet or square
- Finish drink if you lost a bet or did not hit a square
Overtime! Slam your drink and grab another if
- The 56th Super Bowl champion is decided by a coin toss in overtime.
