Are you ready for some football? New Yorkers will be bitterly mumbling along to the popular NFL theme song Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks tackle the Denver Broncos at MetLife stadium. With our dismal home teams out, let’s divert our attention to more pressing matters — the assorted hotties of the Super Bowl. Flipping a coin won’t matter, because we’re not choosing sides — instead, we’ll be cheering for the finest players on the field.
Andre Caldwell, 28
Hometown: Tampa, Fla.
Stats: 6’0”, 200 pounds
Marital status: Married
Hobbies: Designing clothes and playing video games
Andre Caldwell, or “Bubba,” as he is affectionately called, will certainly be one to watch, and not just for his boyish good looks. If Wes Welker happens to sustain another concussion, the 28-year-old Tampa native will be one making a play for the end zone. Standing tall at a chiseled 6 feet and 200 pounds, this receiver may catch a touchdown pass along with hearts right through the TV screen.
Eric Decker, 26
Hometown: Cold Spring, Minn.
Stats: 6’3”, 214 pounds
Marital status: Married
Hobbies: Reality TV and landing GQ Magazine spreads
With very little dispute, Eric Decker is the hottest guy in the league. The E! Network thought so, too, and awarded this hunk a reality TV show, aptly titled “Eric and Jesse.” When not catching record-breaking passes from Peyton Manning, the 26-year-old is preparing to be a first-time dad with his wife, Jesse James. The wide receiver is the perfect combination of good looks and brains, having earned a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing from Minnesota University. He was drafted by the Broncos in 2010.
Demaryius Thomas, 26
Hometown: Montrose, Ga.
Stats: 6’3”, 229 pounds
Marital status: Single
Fun fact: Demaryius Thomas was born on Christmas Day in 1987.
This all-pro endured difficult family issues and turmoil for most of his life. It has been widely reported that his mother and grandmother were incarcerated when he was 11, and his father was absent for most of his childhood due to military duties. Despite everything, his charming smile is one of the most recognizable. And why wouldn’t he have a great deal to smile about? The wide receiver had seven catches for 134 yards and even scored a touchdown in the AFC Championship game, sealing the Patriots’ fate.
Wes Welker, 32
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Okla.
Stats: 5’9’’, 185 pounds
Marital status: Married
Hobbies: Horse racing. He once bet on a 3-year-old racehorse named Undrafted in the Blue Grass Stakes, a nod to his rocky start playing football.
When Welker hits the field, his sure hands will be ready. Despite suffering a concussion toward the end of the season, the sexy, blue-eyed wide receiver has caught more passes than any wide receiver in the league the past few years. Even though he is going up against a great Seahawks secondary, he’ll have the Giants on his mind. His first two trips to the Super Bowl resulted in him losing to the NY team while a member of the Patriots.
Joel Dreessen, 31
Hometown: Ida Grove, Iowa
Stats: 6’4”, 243 pounds
Marital status:Married
Hobbies: He’s an avid hunter.
He probably won’t do much running down the field due to a knee injury, but even so, his Midwestern charm makes him a hottie. The 31-year-old tight end joined his team in New York for his first Super Bowl appearance.
Stewart Bradley, 30
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Stats: 6’4”, 258 pounds
Marital status: Married
Hobbies: Fashion. He once interned at Elle magazine.
Bradley is another player on Denver’s long injury reserve list. The team’s brawny, 6-foot-4 middle linebacker suffered a wrist injury in August. We still love him, though, and won’t forget the time he decided to follow his passion for fashion, landing a highly coveted internship at Elle magazine in 2009.
Russell Wilson, 25
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Stats: 5’11”, 206 pounds
Marital status: Married
Fun fact: The two-sport athlete will have a Texas Rangers baseball card in April.
There are many contributing factors to Wilson’s hotness. For starters, the Seahawk’s chance at victory lies in his hands — literally. The team’s QB will go head-to-head against NFL vet and miracle man Peyton Manning.
Doug Baldwin, 25
Hometown: Gulf Breeze, Fla.
Stats: 5’10”, 189 pounds
Marital status: Single
Hobbies: Has a YouTube series called “Fresh Files.”
Football players get a bad rap for their macho personas. Every now and then, though, one comes along who changes people’s perspective. Back in November, when Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines, Baldwin, whose grandmother is Filipino, was one of the first public figures to repeatedly bring attention to the tragedy. He drew praise from football fans when he carried the Filipino flag down the field in the Seahawks vs. Minnesota Vikings game in November.
Luke Willson, 24
Hometown: Ontario, Canada
Stats: 6’5”, 252 pounds
Marital status: Single
Fun fact: Played baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Willson is currently in the midst of his own perfect Cinderella story. The Canadian never thought he would play in the big game, much less the NFL. He received a scholarship to Rice University, a small Division 1 school, and went undrafted before being picked up by Seattle. This 6-foot-5, 252-pound, dark-haired hottie may take home his first championship.
Bobby Wagner, 23
Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Stats: 6’1”, 241 pounds
Marital status: Single
Fun fact: He is obsessed with the Ninja Turtles. He credits the Turtles for alleviating his high ankle sprain, and even walks around with a Ninja Turtles book bag.
Wagner is hoping to seal the deal for a sweet victory over the Denver Broncos. He’ll have to put all personal feelings aside when he goes up against his best friend since middle school, Omar Bolden. We’re sure the 6-foot-1, 241-pound bulldozer won’t face much difficulty completing the task.