The Super Bowl is always a game fuelled by hyperbole, noise and colour. But scratch beneath the surface and you will quickly be reminded of the human aspect behind the event.
Among the incredible stories this year is that of San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams, who will be contesting in a Super Bowl for the first time in his Hall-of-Fame-worthy career.
It’s not a stretch to say that Williams is fortunate not to just be at the Super Bowl, but even on an NFL field at all. Five years ago Williams underwent surgery to remove a cancerous growth in his scalp that doctors at his previous team in Washington had initially misdiagnosed.
After recovering from the potentially life-threatening condition, Williams returned to the game, signing for the 49ers after their 2020 Super Bowl defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.
After making three All-Pro teams in his four seasons with the Niners, the 35-year-old is now eyeing what he believes would be a ‘fairy tale’ victory in the sport’s biggest game.
"It would be like one of those fairy tales," Williams told reporters in Las Vegas, as per ESPN. "It's like something you can only dream about. It's hard to even describe what that feeling would be like because I've never felt that feeling before. But I imagine it would be a memory that we would remember for life."
Williams has been key to the 49ers offensive success this season and the 14-year veteran’s CV is only missing a Super Bowl ring as he prepares for his first taste of the big game.
"I've definitely taken it in," Williams added. "I'm continuing to take it in. I'm just thanking God every day because this is what you dream of, it's what you pray for, it's what you grind for. A lot of countless hours spent in the lab trying to perfect my craft and get better just to get an opportunity to get to this stage. So I'm very grateful being here, and I'm taking in every second."
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