(670 The Score) Ahead of the pregame Super Bowl ceremony to honor Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott as the Walter Payton Man of the Year on Sunday, there was anticipation of what could come from the Eagles fans packed into State Farm Stadium.
Former NFL offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, the 2021 winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year and one of the presenters, pulled aside Jarrett Payton and his sister Brittney and predicted there would be loud boos from the Philadelphia fans directed at the rival Dallas quarterback Prescott.
In an appearance on the Parkins & Spiegel Show on 670 The Score on Monday, Jarrett Payton shared his vantage point of that moment.
“'I don’t want to say ‘Cowboys’ with Dak because if I do, they’re going to boo him,'” Payton recalled Whitworth saying. “Brittney and I are like, ‘That’s awesome, we’re with you.’ He goes, ‘But I think they’re going to boo him anyway, so what do you think?’ I go, ‘I think they’re going to boo him anyway so stay away from the Cowboys stuff.' When that moment happened and I heard all of those Philly fans boo him, all I could do was shake his hand. I was on the side of him, so I don’t know if (Prescott) was mouthing anything or (saying) anything under his breath.
“It hurt me a little bit because even in that moment, you can be upset with all those guys, guys that are on the rival team that you play against, but still in that moment, it took me back a little bit. I was like, come on, man, for all the good this guy is doing in the community, just clap for him for a little bit. Maybe when he’s walking off the field and the stage, then you can boo him. But while he’s up there, show him his props.
“I didn’t take it personal, but the football gods were looking down on them when they did that. There’s a reason why Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs came out in that second half and laid it to them. It is what it is.”
The Chiefs overcame a 24-14 halftime deficit to earn a 38-35 win over the Eagles, who became just the second team in Super Bowl history to squander a double-digit halftime lead and lose.
Prescott’s Faith Fight Finish Foundation focuses on colon cancer research, mental health and suicide prevention, bridging the gap between law enforcement, youth and the communities they serve while offering assistance to those facing life-challenging hardships.
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