The National Football League (NFL) has become the subject of a conspiracy theory following the release of an illustration posted by the league before the season began. The image, which has gone viral, appears to show quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Drake Maye at the front of a group of players staring at the Lombardi Trophy, awarded to the Super Bowl winner. Notably, Darnold and Maye play for the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, respectively, which are set to face off in Super Bowl LX on February 8.
The odds of correctly guessing the teams that would appear in the Super Bowl are approximately 0.39 percent, making the placement of these two players together a significant coincidence. While some fans are joking about the “script” meme, which suggests that the NFL is rigged, others appear to genuinely believe this is evidence of a conspiracy.
The NFL has previously addressed similar allegations, with Vice President of Communications Brian McCarthy responding to the current controversy by stating, “Re: the ‘controversy’ over this image – no.” The league has also poked fun at the “script” theories in the past, running an ad in 2023 where players performed a table read of the next season.
Despite the NFL’s efforts to dismiss these claims, the idea of a rigged league persists. In previous years, fans have developed theories based on the colors used in the Super Bowl logo and even the personal relationships of players. However, these claims are unfounded and lack credible evidence.
A closer examination of the image reveals that other players, such as Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield and New York’s Malik Nabers, are also prominent, while Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles is positioned furthest from the trophy. The fact that neither Tampa Bay nor the New York teams made the playoffs, and the Eagles did not repeat as champions, suggests that the image is simply a coincidence rather than evidence of a conspiracy.
The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world, and the NFL generates billions of dollars in revenue each year. The league has a strong incentive to maintain the integrity of the game and ensure that the outcome is determined fairly. As such, claims of a rigged league are unlikely to be taken seriously, and the image in question is likely to be seen as nothing more than a curious coincidence.
