Super Bowl 2012: Key Players to Watch During Big Game

The 2012 Super Bowl kicks off on Sunday, February 5 at 6:29 p.m. EST and can be seen on NBC.

It’s going to be an exciting game between the New England Patriots and New York Giants—two teams that met in the big game just four short years ago.

Both sides possess a ton of talent on both sides of the football, but here are a few truly elite players to keep your eye on come Sunday.

Tom Brady

Brady is competing in his fifth Super Bowl and looking to win his fourth, which would tie him for the most in NFL history.

He may go down as the greatest quarterback to ever live by the time his career is over, and he already holds or ties a number of prestigious records.

The 34-year-old still has a few years left to play at the top of his game and is looking to further his legacy and get revenge against the Giants. 

Eli Manning

With all of the speculation on his brother Peyton’s future this week, people are forgetting that Eli has the same number of Super Bowl rings and could surpass him this week.

Manning won it all back in 2008 and led a gutsy comeback that included finding David Tyree for the insane helmet catch and Plaxico Burress for the go-ahead score in the final seconds.

Keep your eyes peeled to see if he has that magic in him this year.

Rob Gronkowski

The Gronk is a young, affable tight end that found the end zone a ridiculous 18 times this season.

He’s big, strong, fast and athletic, which makes him a perfect target in New England’s offense for Brady. He’s made headlines for his touchdowns and off-the-field antics with adult actress Bibi Jones.

Gronk is getting a lot of attention this week because of a high-ankle sprain he suffered against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. Make sure to keep an eye out on it during the game; it could make a huge difference.

Victor Cruz

The Giants WR really came on this season after struggling to find a place on the roster in 2010.

He filled up the stat sheets and hauled in 82 receptions for 1536 yards and nine touchdowns. Those numbers led all Giants receivers and helped Manning to a 4933-yard season.

The Patriots are known for having a weak secondary, and Cruz is a huge threat to break a big play against them.