Super Bowl Domination

Chapter 850 Refusing to Admit Defeat
Houston struggled throughout the 2018 season, bouncing back and forth between good and bad, and even at its best, it was still sloppy and messy.

Levi has always known this.

But Houston never told Levi that he had considered retiring.

In the team, Berry's absence made Houston the only pillar among the senior players. Even though Levi grew up quickly and Kelce became more and more reliable, Houston was still the unshakable backbone.

Obviously, there are some things that Houston still carries alone.

Berry looked at Levi and asked with his eyes: Do you know?
Levi shook his head secretly.

Houston didn't notice it, he was immersed in his own thoughts, pouring out all kinds of ideas at once.

Because now I can finally say it.

"At that time, I really thought, damn, I've had enough of this kind of life. After the season, I will go home and lie on the sofa and eat and drink and wait for death. I don't want to train anymore and I don't want to endure so much suffering anymore."

"but."

"I played until the very end of the last game, and I was lying on the ground unable to move a finger. I just couldn't accept it, and I just felt aggrieved."

"I still want to keep running, I still want to chase Brady all over the field, I still want to fight those guys to the bitter end."

"Why is it that Brady is still jumping around, a despicable villain has become a hero of the league, as long as he has enough championship rings, he can do whatever he wants without having to bear the consequences, but I should just turn around and retire and enjoy my old age?"

"Pooh."

"I won't make it easy for him."

"So, retirement be damned, I'm just going to keep going, just like Anne Gallas, right?"

After he finished speaking, Houston glanced at Levi with a smile in his eyes, but without pausing, and then looked at Berry, and the two exchanged glances.

Compared to the darkness they have experienced, words seem too light, so light that they have no power at all; but after going through the wind and rain and the test, just like Kansas City welcoming the sunny day again, they also found their faith and courage again.

This is the only thing that matters.

Houston smiled and yelled.

"So, who's ready? We've got a Super Bowl coming up."

Berry raised his head slightly, looked at Levi, and also raised his voice high, "Rookie, the man who was so tired that he fell to the ground in the last game issued a challenge. How about it, are you interested in teaching him a lesson?"

Before Levi could answer, Houston protested, "Get lost, Eric, you can't do that, you can't do that, it's not okay for a man to talk so casually."

"Hey, I was just saying it casually. You're so sensitive, is it really not okay?"

"If you don't believe me, why don't you try it? Try it?"

Laughter hovered over the training ground.

When Reid arrived at the training ground, he did not hide his surprise.

Pressure, difficulties, and exhaustion, these problems all exist objectively. Not to mention the players, Reed himself couldn't sleep well all night.

The pressure of defending the title is far beyond imagination. The consumption brought by the long season and fierce confrontation continues to increase. After experiencing the ups and downs and thrilling escape from death in the last game, the team feels tired from top to bottom.

It was definitely more than just a cold winter rain game. The pressure of the last game of the entire season was extremely intense.

This year is different from last year. Last year they were the dark horse, that is, the role of the pursuer challenger. They just gave it a try without any baggage. That's why they teamed up with the Philadelphia Eagles to complete a wonderful game.

But this year, not only are they defending their title, they are also the league's No. 1 seed. As the so-called strong team, the Los Angeles Rams are able to lower their profile and launch a challenge, which also means that they have transformed into the role of the leader.

The situation is completely different. Just look at their performance in the first half of the Conference Finals. Maybe it's an exaggeration to say that it was out of character, but it was indeed seriously abnormal. The pressure they will face in the next Super Bowl will continue to increase, and the challenges will be even more severe.

It is for this reason that Reid hopes that the players can relax, combine work and rest, and there is no need to rush.

However, on the first day of recovery training, when Reid arrived at the training ground, the team was basically already there. It seemed that they had finished warming up and were conducting basic recovery training. Their enthusiasm was beyond imagination.

If that were all, it would be just a small surprise and not a big surprise. After all, in the past two years, thanks to a group of young people led by Levi and Mahomes, the atmosphere of the team has quietly changed.

Maybe it was Levi who motivated the locker room again?
But at the moment, it’s not just about arriving at the training ground early, one can clearly feel a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere in the air.

It was not the kind of feeling of laughter and joy. Everything seemed simple and light. The calm, orderly and peaceful scene allowed the tense nerves to relax gradually and silently.

A kind of peace.

It is not the calm before the storm, but the self-consistency that comes after full focus.

This state is truly rare, and it is also the dream scene before the final battle.

Reed had been thinking hard about how to help the team make adjustments. Facing such a game, the importance of psychological adjustment was even more important than the tactical layout. However, he never expected that things would be solved just like this...?

It's really hard to believe.

So, what's going on?

Standing on the sidelines, Reid observed quietly—

Houston and Berry.

These two locker room leaders both experienced their own moments in the Confederation Finals. One fought hard but refused to surrender, while the other finally won his own spotlight on the stage he had always dreamed of after going through long dark years. The faith they showed at this moment became the team's stabilizer.

This is a good thing.

However, with further observation, Houston and Berry both attached importance to Levi, and a tacit understanding gradually gathered towards Levi.

Reed was a little surprised, not because Levi lacked leadership charisma, but because of Levi's youth——

He has not experienced the troubles of age and injuries for the time being, especially since Levi switched careers and entered the world of rugby. In just three years, he has achieved glory that others cannot imagine in their entire careers. Such favored children are often more proud and confident, and have not experienced the test of thorns and the polishing of reality.

So how did Houston and Berry find resonance in Levi?

This is more than just a simple transfer of power among locker room leaders.

Then, a figure emerged in Reed's mind: Anne Gallas.

Quietly watching Levi who was concentrating on training, the soul images of Anne and Levi seemed to overlap unconsciously, tough and powerful.

Reid had a hunch that even though the NFL was a professional league and everything was ultimately a business, they couldn't invest too much emotion in the team; but the Kansas City Chiefs before him were gathering a force called "team spirit."

(End of this chapter)