Taylor Swift, Usher, the Kelces, Tom Brady will leave stamp on Las Vegas Super Bowl

My favorite day (um, holiday?) of the year is finally here — Super Bowl Sunday. Every year, as I drive over to Jim and Blair's Super Bowl party, I feel like a kid in my footie pajamas early on Christmas morning.

As a loyal football fan, I put in the work to get to this point every year. Along the five-month journey, I eat my weight in chips and dip, put away hundreds of chicken wings, and wash it all down with gallons of beer. Countless bleary-eyed hours are spent glued to televisions.

Getting to this National Football League's championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs was no small feat for the teams or their fans. Here are a few expectations for the nation's biggest pop culture event of the year — one viewed by 110 million around the world.

Can Taylor Swift fly?

Has anything been more heavily publicized than Taylor Swift's planned Saturday night performance in Tokyo, Japan? Unless you live under a rock, you know that her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, is playing in the game with a kickoff time at 6:30 p.m. That's Eastern time, actually 3:30 p.m. Las Vegas time, where the game will be played.

We know it'll take her private jet about 12 hours. She'll make it in plenty of time. Sorry CBS, no drama or need for a Swiftie-cam. The pop star will relive Feb. 11 twice. The tradeoff? She'll lose a day when she flies west across the Pacific Ocean. Call it a "Blank Space." Sounds like an experience a certain talented songwriter can weave into a future Grammy-winning song.

Is there a Super Bowl gene?

Family ties in the NFL are nothing new. Brothers, fathers, sons and cousins have played and coached together and against one another. This year, 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey and head coach Kyle Shanahan are playing against parental legacies.

If they can win, they'll both still trail their dads in number of rings. Ed McCaffrey wears three rings from his 13 years with the Giants, 49ers and Broncos. Mike Shanahan won two rings as head coach of the Denver Broncos while Ed McCaffrey was there.

Will Usher "Burn" or have an "OMG" moment?

My opinion — which no one asked for — on Super Bowl halftime shows: Why do we do this every year? It's always a way too short lip-synched medley. It usually gets widely criticized.

Look up last year's Rihanna show or The Weeknd's Covid-year halftime on social media. If you want a concert, I'm just saying, don't try to squeeze it in during halftime of the biggest football game of the year. It does the performance and the game a disservice.

Now to Usher. Get ready for a 10 minute mashup of 20 of your favorite Usher hits you haven't listened to in 20 years. I like Usher, but I'll be watching for one reason — to see if a 45-year-old can jump over another person and land in a split like he did 12 years ago when he surprised fans by joining the Black Eyed Peas' halftime. Can Usher do it? "Yeah!"

What about Gronk, The GOAT and the national anthem?

Here is some betting advice:

• Pick former Patriots and Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski to make his 25-yard pre-game field goal.

• Take the under (90.5 seconds) during country music legend's Reba McEntire's version of the Star Spangled Banner

• Bet that Tom Brady will be in more ads (is that even possible?) than Peyton Manning. To be honest, I'm not even sure that's a bet.

By the way, one thought about Brady, unofficially called the NFL's "Greatest of All Time" (GOAT). He's a seven-time Super Bowl champ. I tell football novices all the time, his greatest achievement is that he LOST three others. How many quarterbacks wish they could play in just one, win or lose?

Is the Kelce family ready for their closeups?

This has been going on for over a year: The Kelce family's adoption by America. They're so lovable. Get ready for numerous cutaways by TV cameras as Travis makes a catch, a block, or throws a helmet while arguing with Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. Somebody warn the Mannings because the Kelces are coming for their TV royalty crowns.

Since former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce has retired, he's been chugging beers shirtless in Buffalo, snapping footballs in the Pro Bowl in Orlando and touring Disney World. At least mom, Donna, has a handful of TV ads herself and will be able to wear one son's jersey Sunday. As for a looming proposal on the field as the confetti falls? Don't bet on it.

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How does the football game end?

Your Super Bowl MVP will be none other than Chiefs ultra controversial, hands-of-stone wide receiver Kadarius Toney. He wins when a pass thrown by quarterback Patrick Mahomes careens off running back Isaiah Pacheco as he is tackled. Instead of an interception, the ball is tipped into the air and scooped up inches from the Allegiant Stadium turf by Toney.

No. 19 deftly weaves between would-be tacklers for 14 yards, plunging over the goal line for the go-ahead score. It's his seventh reception on the day and second touchdown. Chiefs win their third championship in five years 28-26 over the 49ers.

Ed Killer is an opinion columnist with TCPalm and USA Today Network Florida. This is his opinion. Emial him at ed.killer@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Taylor Swift, Usher, Tom Brady to leave stamp on Las Vegas Super Bowl