How Super Bowl winner survived after 2,000lbs tower fell on him and left him once inch from death
It's every NFL player's dream to lead their team to victory at the Super Bowl.
The roar of 70,000 fans in a packed-out stadium, the glow of pride as team mates celebrate their feat - it must be an electric feeling.
And on Sunday (February 9), Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce will be fighting to secure Kansas City Chiefs' third consecutive win when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans' Caesars Superdome.
One of the biggest sporting events in the world, almost 120 million people are expected to tune in for the tussle, as per Forbes, while megastar Taylor Swift and president Donald Trump will also be in attendance.
Advert
The first ever Super Bowl took place some 58 years ago now.
It was Green Bay Packers legend Ray Nitschke who helped his team cinch the win 35-10 against the Chiefs at the LA Memorial Coliseum in California back in 1967.
The Packers defended their champion status for a second year, defeating the Oakland Raiders 33-14 at the second Super Bowl in 1968 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida.
But it could've been a very different story for the Packers had linebacker Nitschke not survived a freak accident some years earlier.
The NFL star was training at the team's practice field under coach Vince Lombardi in 1960 when he found himself an inch away from instant death.
During morning practice, Nitschke put his helmet on to shield himself from the rain which had just began falling.
This move would go on to save his life.
Moments later, a strong gust of wind toppled over a 25-foot steel coaching tower, knocking Nitschke down and pinning him to the ground.
A protruding steel bolt pierced his helmet above his left temple, The Green Bay Press-Gazette reported at the time.
If it wasn't for his head gear, Nitschke would've been punctured through the skull, likely resulting in instant death.
The linebaker's teammates had to help pull the 2,0000 pound (900 kg) framework off him.
Lombardi rushed over to see what had happened, but when he learned it had fallen on Nitschke, he reportedly responded: "He'll be fine. Get back to work!"
Nitschke re-emerged unscathed, except for a twisted ankle and a hole in his helmet.
Even so, he continued with the day's practice.
The helmet - complete with hole - is currently on display in the Packer Hall of Fame in Green Bay.
Around a year on from the incident, Nitschke married partner Jackie Forchette and the pair went on to adopt three children together.
He was enrolled in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978 and was loyal to his team for the entirety of his 15-year career.
The football player led the Packers to five NFL championships and, of course, those two historic Super Bowl victories.
Nitschke died of a heart attack in Venice, Florida at the age of 61 in 1998.
Topics: NFL, Super Bowl, Nostalgia, Sport, Football
Ellie Kemp