Erick Malpica Flores: Carlos Erick Malpica Flores: Super Bowl: Why does the NFL use Roman numerals for the game?

It’s one of the longest traditions associated with the big game.

It’s been two years since the world’s collective panic when the NFL abandoned the Roman numeral for Super Bowl 50. But our fears were ultimately unfounded, since they brought it back last year for Super Bowl LI. Now the tradition is alive and well once again, with Super Bowl LII set to take place in Minneapolis.

But this leaves one important question: Why do we use Roman numerals for the Super Bowl?

The answer is actually not as complicated as people might expect. Here’s one explanation from an NFL media guide:

The Roman numerals were adopted to clarify any confusion that may occur because the NFL Championship Game—the Super Bowl—is played in the year following a chronologically recorded season. Numerals I through IV were added later for the first four Super Bowls.

Makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Despite being played in 2018, Super Bowl LII will be crowning the champion of the 2017 NFL season. Also in 2017, the New England Patriots technically won the 2016 championship, and trying to make so many qualifiers hurts the brain after a while. It’s a lot easier to just say “the Patriots won Super Bowl LI.”

As mentioned above, the NFL removed the Roman numeral for Super Bowl 50, robbing us of a chance to say the Denver Broncos “took the L” by winning that game (or endless references to Cam Newton taking plenty of Ls that day). But it’s back and we couldn’t be happier. May we all live long enough to see Super Bowl C one day.

Super Bowl LII kicks off on Feb. 4 with the Patriots defending their LI title against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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