The Brief: People are getting ready for the 2021 Super Bowl by sharing memes about the game, snacks, commercials, halftime show, and pandemic.

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As the 2021 Super Bowl (SB LV) approaches, anticipatory memes express the range of ways people will be watching the game and celebrating the informal American holiday. On Sunday, February 7th, the Kansas City Chiefs will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa Bay, Florida with limited in-person attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Super Bowl is an event known both for the game itself and the hype around it including snacks, parties, the halftime show, commercials, and meme-able moments. Though the circumstances are different during a pandemic, many elements of the game will remain the same, providing people with entertainment to enjoy from the safety and comfort of their couches.

Memes about the game itself often focus on the two teams’ quarterbacks: Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady.

This will be Brady’s tenth Super Bowl appearance, but his first without the Patriots.

For some people who aren’t attuned to the world of sports, the fact that there even is a Super Bowl this year is news to them.

 

A number of athletes, commentators, and other figures in football have posted memes about the importance of avoiding in-person gatherings during the pandemic, including on Super Bowl Sunday…

Super Bowl 2021 Memes SpongeBob

As some commercials premiere online before they’re shown on-air, they’ve already inspired some memes:

This year, The Weeknd will be performing at the halftime show, following in the footsteps of some of America’s biggest stars…

For bird lovers, “superb owls” are more exciting than the Super Bowl…