‘Chips and a parmi’: Aussie stars in Super Bowl rout
Murray Wenzel |
Michael Dickson is craving chips and a “parmi” after his booming boot helped Seattle to a 29-13 Super Bowl defeat of New England and put the Australian in rare NFL air.
The 30-year-old punter starred as the Seahawks turned the screws at San Francisco’s Levi’s Stadium and the Patriots failed to score until the final quarter.
The Sydney product – the Seahawks’ longest-serving player, in his eighth season – averaged 47.5 yards on seven punts and was faultless holding for Jason Myers’ five-of-five field goals.
“I have big dreams and I knew we were going to get there and we did,” Dickson said after becoming the second Australian to play in a Super Bowl win.
“I love my family, my friends, Australia. I can’t wait to get home and eat some chips with some chicken salt.
“I’m craving that, and a parmi, that’d be nice.”
Dickson, overlooked for an AFL contract more than a decade ago, had his well-directed, right-footed cannons to thank for regularly pinning the Pats deep in their own end.
He had commentators raving when a final-quarter, 55-yard bomb settled one yard from the goal line to snuff out any hopes of a New England comeback.
“It was a crazy game; our guys balled out,” Dickson said after denying the Patriots a record seventh title.
“It’s nice to know that I can play in these type of games.
“If you ever feel any nerves, you look at the guys next to you and everyone’s having fun.”
Sam Darnold threw for 202 yards and a touchdown while Kenneth Walker (135 yards) became the first running back to win the Super Bowl MVP award since Terrell Davis 28 years ago.
The Seahawks’ defence unit started the rot though, stifling the Pats and rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who was sacked six times.
It was 19-0 and the Patriots were eyeing unwanted history as the first scoreless Super Bowl team, before they finally found some offence with two late touch downs.
Two-time All-Pro Dickson joins Philadelphia’s Bankstown-born Jordan Mailata, who broke the drought last year, as the only Aussies to play in a Super Bowl triumph.
Fellow punters Ben Graham (Arizona, 2009), Mitch Wishnowsky (San Francisco, 2020) and Arryn Siposs (Philadelphia, 2023) all played in losses while Jesse Williams has a ring but was on the injury list when Seattle won their only other title 2014.
Part of the Swans’ AFL academy, Dickson trained with future star Isaac Heeney but was overlooked in the draft.
He moved to Melbourne and linked with Prokick Academy in a play that sent him to the University of Texas, where he became a Longhorns cult hero and was the first punter to claim the Texas Bowl MVP.
Drafted by Seattle in 2018, Dickson signed a $A23.25 million, four-year contract extension last year and was the only player on the field Sunday (Monday AEDT) with claims as the highest-paid in his position.
The league will stage a first regular-season match in Australia later this year, when the Los Angeles Rams face the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
AAP
