Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank has a rooting interest in Super Bowl LIV, and he isn’t being shy about it.
When asked by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution if he was rooting for San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, Blank was direct with his answer.
“Yes, I am,” Blank said.
Blank is wishing for a better result for Shanahan after the Falcons famously squandered a 25-point lead to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI on Feb. 5, 2017. Shanahan was the team’s offensive coordinator in Atlanta’s 34-28 overtime loss before being hired by the 49ers the following day.
Blank later noted that he hopes for a competitive game.
“But mostly I’m rooting for a great game and Kansas City as well,” Blank said. “Lamar Hunt, when I first came into the league, was a great friend to me. He named it the Super Bowl. His wife has been to every game from the start. Coach (Andy) Reid is an outstanding coach with a great personal story as well. A very special human being as well. For America and both sets of fans, I want to see a real competitive game with some scoring, unlike last year.”