Super Bowl LVI – Sixteen players and coaches reveal tales of Super Bowl nerves

In preparing for his first Super Bowl in February 2014, Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner didn’t really stress about facing Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos’ record-setting offense.

Wagner’s nervousness surfaced at the opening kickoff.

“I was more nervous about that moment when all the flashes happen,” Wagner told ESPN Seahawks reporter Brady Henderson. “It was weird. I always watched it on TV, and I always wondered if I’d pay more attention to that than the actual game. The kickoff, you dream of being in the game and that moment and all the flashes. I was kind of paying attention to that too long, then I snapped back.”

Once the glare from the flashes had faded, Wagner was an intimidating force from sideline to sideline, recording 10 tackles in the Seahawks’ 43-8 triumph in Super Bowl XLVIII. Smartphones have made the explosion of camera flashes obsolete, but pregame jitters remain as much of a fixture at the Super Bowl as the Lombardi Trophy.

Players and coaches all have memories of dealing with nerves before the Super Bowl, which is one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Broadcast in more than 170 countries, the Super Bowl is watched by an average of 100 million people.

For some, the nerves can be severe. The Philadelphia Eagles’ Brandon Brooks and Lane Johnson raised awareness about anxiety by sharing their stories. It became so intense that it caused them to miss games, and vomiting became a regular part of their pregame routine. Brooks retired in January.

For others, the feelings seem to act as a gauge, indicating they’re about to participate in something momentous.

Coping mechanisms can range from creating a distraction to just waiting for that first hit. Andre Rison, who played for the Green Bay Packers in…