Super Bowl, Winter Olympics, and a Whole Lot of Idaho: A Triple-Header Weekend to Remember
For the first time ever, the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies and the Super Bowl are landing on the same weekend. It’s a rare collision of global sport and American spectacle - and if you’re watching from Idaho, there’s even more reason to tune in. From Milan-Cortina to Santa Clara, the Gem State has its fingerprints all over the action.
George Holani’s Unexpected Rise to the Super Bowl Stage
Let’s start with George Holani. You remember the name - Boise State’s reliable, do-it-all back who, despite a productive college career, didn’t hear his name called on draft day in 2024. A late-season injury his senior year didn’t help his stock, and Boise State’s 14-year NFL Draft streak came to an end that spring.
But here we are, less than two years later, and Holani’s suiting up for the Super Bowl.
Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Holani has carved out a role the hard way. His career numbers aren’t flashy - just 25 carries for 83 yards and a single rushing touchdown - but he’s made his presence felt in other ways. His special teams awareness led to one of the smartest plays of the season, and now, his hands are starting to do the talking.
In the NFC Championship Game against the Rams, Holani hauled in three catches for 27 yards, each one moving the chains. Before the playoffs, he had just three career receptions for 14 yards. That kind of growth, on this kind of stage, is what the Super Bowl is all about - unlikely names stepping into the spotlight and making it count.
DeMarcus Lawrence: The Long Road Finally Pays Off
On the opposite end of the journey is DeMarcus Lawrence - or as fans know him, “Tank.” After 11 seasons of high-level production in Dallas, Lawrence finally made the tough decision to chase a ring elsewhere. He brought his 61.5 career sacks to Seattle this season, and it’s safe to say the move has paid off for both sides.
At 33, Lawrence has been a force. He’s missed just one game all year, and his stat line is packed: 58 tackles, eight sacks, five forced fumbles, and two fumble recovery touchdowns - both coming in the same half of the same game, a first in NFL history.
That’s not just veteran savvy. That’s impact.
Lawrence made it clear last year that while Dallas was home, he didn’t believe a Super Bowl was in the cards there. Now, he’s one win away from proving himself right.
Christian Elliss Joins Rare Vandal Company
Christian Elliss is about to join an elite club - just the third former Idaho Vandal to play in two Super Bowls. The other two?
Hall of Famer Jerry Kramer and three-time champion Mark Schlereth. That’s some serious company.
Elliss’s path hasn’t been straightforward. Undrafted in 2021, he made his first Super Bowl appearance with the Eagles three years ago, playing exclusively on special teams. This time, he’s a starting linebacker for the New England Patriots, and he’s been a key piece of their defense all season.
He’s recorded 94 tackles and a forced fumble, but his biggest moment came in the AFC Championship Game against Denver, when he stripped the ball to set up New England’s only touchdown. The emotional postgame embrace between Christian and his brother Jonah - a Broncos edge rusher - became one of the defining images of these playoffs. Brotherhood, heartbreak, and triumph, all wrapped into one frame.
Idaho Athletes Shine on the Olympic Stage
While the Super Bowl takes center stage in the U.S., the Winter Olympics are underway in Milan-Cortina - and Idaho is once again well-represented.
Sammy Smith: From NCAA Soccer to Olympic Snow
Sammy Smith’s story is almost hard to believe. Just a few weeks ago, she was on the pitch playing in the NCAA Women’s Soccer National Championship with Stanford.
Now? She’s skiing on the world’s biggest stage.
Smith’s athletic résumé is stacked: Gatorade Idaho Athlete of the Year in soccer (twice), cross country, and track and field while at Boise High. Earlier this year, she took gold at the U.S.
Cross Country Ski Championships. Her Olympic debut is the next chapter in a career that’s already defined by versatility and elite performance.
Hilary Knight: Chasing Gold in Her Fifth Olympics
Then there’s Hilary Knight - the pride of Sun Valley and the heartbeat of Team USA women’s hockey. At 36, she’s competing in her record fifth Olympics, and she’s not just along for the ride.
Knight opened the tournament with a statement goal in the Americans’ 5-1 win over the Czech Republic. It was vintage Knight - a powerful, unassisted drive that ended with a top-shelf finish. That goal was her 13th in Olympic play, putting her just one shy of the all-time U.S. record held by Katie King and Natalie Darwitz.
And yes, all signs are pointing toward another classic showdown with Canada.
A Look Back at Idaho’s Winter Olympic Gold
Knight’s 2018 team gold isn’t Idaho’s only golden moment on the snow and ice. The state has a proud history of Winter Olympic success:
- Gretchen Fraser won slalom gold in 1948, just 12 years after Sun Valley opened its doors.
- Bill Johnson, a Bogus Basin product, shocked the world with downhill gold in Sarajevo in 1984.
- Picabo Street, arguably the most iconic Idaho Olympian, took Super-G gold in Nagano in 1998.
- And in Sochi 2014, Sage Kotsenburg (men’s slopestyle) and Kaitlyn Farrington (women’s halfpipe) both struck gold in snowboarding.
That’s a legacy worth celebrating - and maybe even adding to in Milan-Cortina.
Boise State Basketball Eyes a Big One in Albuquerque
Back home, Boise State hoops has a chance to make some noise of its own. The Broncos head to Albuquerque for a Saturday showdown with New Mexico - a game that could go a long way in shaping the Mountain West standings.
Boise State already beat the Lobos once, back on December 30, but that was a different UNM team. The Lobos had a shot at first place earlier this week before Utah State ran them out of The Pit in the second half.
Sound familiar? The Aggies did the same thing to Boise State in ExtraMile Arena last month.
So now the question is: Can the Broncos handle one of the toughest road environments in the conference? A win would give them a sweep over a top-six team - and a serious boost in the standings.
This Day in Sports - February 6, 1990
A quick dip into the archives: On this day in 1990, Brett Hull scored his 50th goal of the season on a breakaway against Toronto, becoming the first son of a former 50-goal scorer to hit that milestone. His father, Bobby Hull - the legendary “Golden Jet” - had done it five times with the Black Hawks. Brett would go on to join his father in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the first father-son duo to do so.
And in a fun local twist, Brett’s brother Bart was gearing up for his junior season as a Boise State football player at the time.
From the Super Bowl to the slopes, from Milan to New Mexico, this weekend is a full-court press of sports drama - and Idaho is right in the thick of it.