If you witnessed Super Bowl LI in person at NRG Stadium in Houston on Sunday, those tickets were worth every penny that you paid for them. Even though you probably didn’t think so at halftime.
In a comeback unprecedented in Super Bowl history, the New England Patriots erased a 28-3 deficit with 31 straight points, beating the Atlanta Falcons 34-28. It was the first overtime game in Super Bowl history, and considering the thousands of dollars most people paid for tickets, that little bit of extra football made their significant investment that much more worth it.
Two men at the Super Bowl, however, had gotten into the game without spending a cent, thanks to Vice President Mike Pence — though they paid a higher price than just about anyone else in the stadium.
According to The Hill, the vice president stopped at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland before he flew to Houston to pick up his two guests of honor — two wounded servicemen who were fans of the teams playing.
Honored to welcome on Air Force 2, as our guests to the Super Bowl LI, two American heroes
who were injured in the global war on terror. pic.twitter.com/e75GlS9ctY
— Vice President Pence (@VP) February 5, 2017
who were injured in the global war on terror. Marine Staff Sgt. Anthony Mannino Jr., a New England partisan, was wounded in Iraq back in 2008. Army Staff Sgt. Frederick Manning, a Falcons backer, was wounded in Afghanistan in 2016.
“We’ve got Falcons fans. We’ve got Patriot fans,” Pence told reporters as he welcomed the men onto Air Force Two. “There’ll be a winner on this plane on the way back.”
Pence pointed out that he didn’t have a horse in this race — somewhat literally, as he’s a fan of his home state’s Indianapolis Colts.
En route to Houston for Super Bowl LI. Our traveling group includes a serviceman who supports the @AtlantaFalcons & one for the @Patriots. pic.twitter.com/yolh60jvSV
— Vice President Pence (@VP) February 5, 2017
Both wounded warriors brought one guest. For Mannino, it was his wife, Diane. Manning, on the other hand, brought Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Stanley — his nurse at Walter Reed Medical Center.
“We’re honored you’re with us,” Pence told the servicemen before takeoff, calling the trip a “small token of the gratitude of the people of this country.”
A small token, maybe, but a big gesture from a man who plans to do things differently than his predecessor.
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