“They replaced it after we left,” Spielman said of the Minnesota Gophers team that now inhabits the stadium.
Spielman was getting an up-close look at his adopted son, Nebraska receiver JD Spielman, during pregame warmups. The Spielmans' story has been well documented, and now JD was returning home to show Minnesota fans what they were missing.
The younger Spielman didn't give interviews leading up to the game. But it surely meant plenty to the family.
The elder Spielman, normally on those charter flights to Viking road games, had no problem staying behind and flying commercial later Saturday.