Imagine going into the playoffs on the cusp of your 39th birthday. You’re feeling pretty darn optimistic about your team’s chances as you prepare for your 11th postseason tournament.
It’s been a long time since you’ve gotten close to the Super Bowl, and even in that most-recent opportunity—a matchup against the juggernaut New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game four Januarys ago—your team felt like it was still miles away from getting back to the Promised Land.
But this year was going to be different. The time was ripe to capture that third ring, but more importantly, the seventh Lombardi trophy for your legendary organization.