Alabama Football: Crimson Tide fans are ready for a ‘Super’ Bowl

Even without an in-state NFL team, there are plenty of NFL fans in the state of Alabama. Many Alabama football fans root for the Titans because of proximity and especially because of Derrick Henry. This weekend Crimson Tide fans may be in unanimous agreement on their preference for the Philadelphia Eagles to win the Super Bowl.

The reason is of course that four former Alabama football players will be in Philadelphia’s kelly green on Sunday.

There has been a silly debate about whether Alabama football fans can claim Jalen Hurts – or should that be reserved for Oklahoma fans. Certainly, fans of both programs are entitled to think of Jalen as one of their own.

A couple of years ago, Jalen Hurts made it very clear how he feels about the University of Alabama. In an eloquent Players’ Tribune story, Jalen said,

"I have graduated from the University of Alabama with my bachelor’s degree in public relations — and I couldn’t be prouder. This accomplishment means so much to me.But the education that I received at Alabama goes beyond a degree. Coach Saban taught me the values and principles of business, as well as what it takes to be a great leader. My teammates taught me the importance of togetherness, brotherhood, and love. And this past season……. it taught me a lifetime’s worth of lessons about how to deal with adversity.Now, I’m an alumnus of the University of Alabama.Now I’m Bama for LIFE — and that right there will never change!"

Alabama football fans should not be alone in celebrating Jalen’s NFL success. Auburn fans should acknowledge it, even if they do so reluctantly. He is a fine young man as well as an outstanding football player.

So are his former Crimson Tide, and Eagles teammates. Crimson Tide fans are ready to root just as hard for DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson and Josh Jobe. The ‘Slim Reaper’ Smith is perhaps just a Super Bowl win away from becoming the Alabama Crimson Tide’s most accomplished player ever.

The Super Bowl is not too big Smitty, who recently said,

"I’m built for games like this. I’ve been playing in the biggest games since middle-school, high-school, college. I’ve been playing in these games my whole life, I’m built for it. To me, it’s just another game. I been doing this."

It could well be on Sunday that many Alabama football fans, who have not cared about a Super Bowl outcome in many years, will be locked in pulling for all the Eagles and especially the ones we consider ‘ours.’