The Welshman that formed part of a Super Bowl squad

When it comes to sports of the oval ball variety, Wales is very much a rugby-playing nation. There is a place for football within the public consciousness, with Gareth Bale and Co capturing the imagination with their run to the 2022 World Cup finals, but attention does not stray far from a circular piece of synthetic leather.

Occasionally, though, focus can be shifted by a select few towards a sport that appears slightly alien to many Welsh compatriots. The NFL may make little sense to some audience members, with a game that resembles rugby to a certain extent confusing matters when it comes to a complicated rule book, colourful helmets and armour-esque body protection.

Expansion

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American football has, however, extended its reach well beyond US borders, and British followers are buying into that expansion. Super Bowl betting odds, which are currently headed by the 9/4 Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals, attract as much attention as Premier League or World Cup varieties. NFL betting is now big business in every corner of the planet with markets across a range of areas, and the race is very much on in 2023 to be considered the best gridiron side in the business.

Welsh eyes aplenty will descend on what Americans like to refer to as ‘the greatest show on turf’ when the Super Bowl roadshow rides into Arizona on February 12. Many will tune in for the novelty value, a sense of occasion and what promises to be an epic half-time performance from R&B superstar Rihanna, but others will be interested in events that actually play out on the pitch.

There will be no Welsh connection to proceedings at State Farm Stadium, but there have been ties to the Super Bowl from that part of the world in the past. Only two men born in Wales have ever graced a competitive NFL field, with Jon Norris and Alan Watson forming part of a rather exclusive club.

Watson took in a brief spell with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1970, but it is Norris that can claim to have formed part of the most successful roster. He did spend the 1985-86 season on injured reserve at the New England Patriots but was part of a squad that made it all the way to the Super Bowl that year.

They eventually came unstuck against the Chicago Bears – a team Norris would go on to make three appearances for in 1987. He has since said of working under the legendary Mike Ditka: “I enjoyed playing for him. He was the type of coach you didn’t want to make the same mistake twice around. It was an enjoyable experience and there was an interesting cast of characters on the team.”

Interest

Neither the Bears nor the Patriots were able to put themselves in contention for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the latest season, as they fell short of making the playoffs, but Norris has likely retained a keen interest in how his former clubs have been getting on.

He may have bucked a serious trend there when it comes to Welsh interest in NFL matters, but that tide is slowly turning and – amid talk of a British-based franchise being in the pipeline – it may be that rugby and the more traditional form of football have to start sharing a slice of sporting interest pie in the not too distant future.