GENERAL NEWS

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant honored at Super Bowl

Feb 2, 2020, 5:30 PM | Updated: 9:25 pm

Players stand during a tribute to Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant and other victims in the helicopter...

Players stand during a tribute to Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant and other victims in the helicopter crash before the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

The sports world continues to honor basketball legend Kobe Bryant a week after he and eight others – including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna – died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif.

The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs paid tribute to Bryant and the other victims prior to kickoff of the Super Bowl on Sunday.

The Chiefs and 49ers lined up at their respective 24-yard lines after warm-ups, representing one of Bryant’s jersey numbers.

Bryant wore No. 24 in his final 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and No. 8 in his first 10 seasons.

Individual players also honored the five-time NBA champion.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders tweeted pictures of custom cleats Saturday with one having a depiction of Bryant in a crown and the other having his jersey numbers.

On the other side, one shoe has Bryant’s signature and the other reads the message “Rest in Peace.”

Teammate Dante Pettis also had custom cleats, sporting purple-and-gold ones with the words “Mamba Out”.

Bryant said these two words to end his retirement speech in 2016.

Kansas City’s Demarcus Robinson’s cleats, meanwhile, had images of Bryant and his number 24.

49ers cornerback Richard Sherman arrived in a Bryant jersey on Sunday and read a poem called “Dear Football” on Fox’s pregame show.

Bryant wrote a similar poem called “Dear Basketball” in 2015 to announce that he was playing his final season.

Longtime Minnesota Vikings star and Pro Football Hall of Famer Chris Doleman, who died last week, was also honored prior to the Super Bowl kicking off.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

General News

Yassine Gharram #24 of the Yale Bulldogs reacts after a 78-76 victory against the Auburn Tigers in ...

Associated Press

March Madness: Another year without a perfect NCAA Tournament bracket

It's another year without a perfect NCAA Tournament bracket. Surprising wins by Yale, Oakland and Duquesne busted many of the brackets

5 days ago

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 21: Aaron Bradshaw #2 of the Kentucky Wildcats and Trey Townsend #...

Associated Press

Oakland delivers first true shock of March Madness, upsets Kentucky

Jack Gohlke made 10 3-pointers and 14th-seeded Oakland delivered the first true shock of this year’s March Madness, beating third-seeded Kentucky 80-76 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

7 days ago

Runners take off after the starting gun at Pat's Run in Tempe. The race, will be run on April 13 th...

Character Counts

The 20th annual Pat’s Run set take place in Tempe on April 13

The 20th iteration of Pat's Run is set to take place in Tempe on April 13 to honor the life and legacy of Pat Tillman.

12 days ago

Follow @AZSports...

Arizona Sports

CBS and TNT announce who is calling 2024 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, Final Four

Ian Eagle will call his first Final Four. Who else is calling the 2024 NCAA men's basketball tournament that ends in the Phoenix area?

16 days ago

Christopher Bell...

Associated Press

Christopher Bell pulls away for NASCAR Cup Series win at Phoenix Raceway

Christopher Bell surged into the lead when Martin Truex Jr. was forced to pit and pulled away for a NASCAR Cup Series win at Phoenix Raceway.

18 days ago

Rayshon Harrison...

Arizona Sports

WAC Tournament schedule: When does GCU basketball play in Las Vegas?

Grand Canyon University men's basketball has the top seed in the 2024 WAC Basketball Tournament, which opens Wednesday.

18 days ago

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant honored at Super Bowl