Super Bowl 60 was one of the most successful South Bay events of all time, bringing activity to all corners of San Jose and Santa Clara. However, on game day there was one experience that really stood out. I was lucky enough to attend the Players Tailgate. This exclusive pre-game gathering draws over 50 active NFL players, celebrities, and guests for a mix of food, drinks, and entertainment right before kickoff. Hosted by Nate Burleson with DJ Irie on the decks, the event turned game day into a full celebration, complete with open premium bars and all-you-can-eat gourmet dishes from celebrity chefs.
Attendees got to enjoy unique activations like the Delish Showdown, where top chefs compete in a high-energy cooking battle, and Solo Stove's Squash the Beef setup for smashing burgers over open flames to settle rivalries. The lineup featured chefs such as Aaron May, Marc Murphy, Kelsey Murphy, Aarón Sanchez, Tristen Epps, Shota Nakajima, Josh Capon, Adam Sobel, Catherine McCord, Leah Cohen, Chris Cosentino, and Damaris Phillips, alongside the 10/10 Burger team.
Pro athletes including Puka Nacua, Jahmyr Gibbs, Tyreek Hill, Rome Odunze, Najee Harris, Brian Robinson Jr., Trey McBride, Deebo Samuel, and many others. They were mostly just out and about enjoying the awesome food like everyone else.
Players Tailgate is sponsored by Ortega, Skinnygirl, Organic Valley, Molson Coors, Columbia, Verizon Visa Card, Ballers Champagne, XCLSV, Solo Stove, Desnuda, Worth Magazine, the NFL Alumni Association, Delish Showdown, Square, Food Recovery Network, Simplicity Cold Pressed Juice, and Meta. Guests can sample the debut of Nature Calls, a beverage made with Montana bear poop (no joke) in partnership with Columbia Sportswear and Battle Creek Coffee, focused on sustainability.
The sponsors had their own booths setup with food and surprises. As previously mentioned, they even had a limited edition beer called "Nature Calls" that is brewed with purified bear poop, something I wish I read before I drank it. Spoiler alert, it just tastes like beer.
After packing away several thousand calories and heading home for a pre-game nap, I realized that for a foodie this epic tailgate might be better than the actual Super Bowl. The next Players Tailgate takes place on Valentine's Day 2027 at SoFI Stadium in LA. It's pricey but you'll get an unforgettable experience.
