BROOKFIELD, Wis. — As Super Bowl LIX approaches, excitement is building for the Caliendo family.
Sue and Charlie will attend their third Super Bowl in a row to cheer on their son, Mike.
Mike played football at Brookfield East in High School. He went on to attend Western Michigan. The Brookfield native went undrafted until he was signed to the practice squad by the Kansas City Chiefs.
While each Super Bowl has been exciting for the family, this year will be a big one.
"Right now, the excitement level is high. The nervousness level is high," said Mike’s parents, Sue and Charlie Caliendo.
Mike is set to start on the offensive line—a role he embraced just before the playoffs this year.
Watch: Southeastern Wisconsin to be well represented in Super Bowl LIX
"This gives us a whole new level of anxiety, I guess you would say, about him going out there and doing his best. But we know he will," said Sue Caliendo, who plans to wear her lucky necklace featuring Mike’s jersey number, 66, during the game.
His first year, he was on the practice squad when KC won the Super Bowl. Last year, he played on special teams.
The Caliendo family's support for Mike over the past three seasons has brought them closer together. From watching games to celebrating Super Bowl victories, the Caliendo family will have memories for a lifetime.
"Everybody's in 100%," Sue Caliendo noted. "He set his mind to playing in the NFL, and all of us have helped him along the way, whether it’s driving him to practice or providing meals to fuel his journey."
In addition to Mike, Southeastern Wisconsin will also be represented in Super Bowl LIX by Zack Baun, a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles and a former standout at Brown Deer High School.
Baun, who excelled while playing for the Wisconsin Badgers, will be looking to make a significant impact on his team.
Regardless of the game’s outcome, both families can take pride in their sons’ achievements and journeys.
"All you have to do is do your best and then let whatever happens happen," Charlie Caliendo said about his son.
Super Bowl LIX is set for Sunday in New Orleans where the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will battle it out.
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