February 06, 2025
Joe Lamberti/Courier Post
After the Eagles won the 2018 Super Bowl, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital saw a short spike in celebration-related traumas and injuries, say Dr. Alan Cherney, who now leads its emergency department. Above, Eagles fans climb a gate outside City Hall on the night the Birds won the 2018 Super Bowl.
Dr. Alan Cherney said he "vividly" remembers working overnight at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital's emergency department when the Eagles upset the New England Patriots in the 2018 Super Bowl.
"It was pretty intense," said Cherney, who is now the medical director of Jefferson's emergency department. "There was definitely, in the couple hours after the game, a significant uptick in trauma patients and injuries related to the celebration."
Cherney's experience aligns with research that shows football fans are at higher risk of adverse health events – even death – on Super Bowl Sunday, raising questions about what Philadelphia fans may fall prey to when the Eagles play the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday.
A 2020 study found people are more likely to drop, kick or punch televisions and accidentally cut themselves in the kitchen on Super Bowl Sunday than on any day of the year. Other research shows deaths from car crashes due to alcohol, inattention or fatigue are as much as 41% higher on Super Bowl Sunday than the preceding and following Sundays.
Several studies have linked the results of Super Bowls with cardiovascular events. Cardiovascular death rates go up among fans of teams that lose the Super Bowl, and fall for fans whose teams win it, a 2013 study found. Similarly, a 2021 study found the outcome of high-stakes games correlates with angina, acute coronary syndromes and sudden cardiac death for die-hard football and other sports fans of losing teams.
Jefferson is increasing staff this Sunday to a weekday level, anticipating the emergency department will be busier than typical weekends, Cherney said. If there is a surge in cases after the Super Bowl, Jefferson can enact the "mass casualty plan" the hospital uses when a certain threshold of patients enter as a result of the same incident, he said.
The Super Bowl doesn't "really cause us a lot of stress or consternation, because we can at least prepare for it," Cherney said. "It's the stuff that isn't planned, that happens unexpectedly, that becomes much more challenging, because you're responding in the moment."
In 2018, Cherney said, the increase in ambulances bringing patients to Jefferson dipped back down about two hours after the Super Bowl ended, when the "celebrations were sort of broken up."
"Obviously it's a great thing to be in the Super Bowl again … and we definitely have a great chance to win," Cherney said. "And I don't mean to sound like a TV commercial, but I just encourage people to celebrate responsibly, not go overboard too much."
Temple Health is "not anticipating anything out of the ordinary" in regard to Super Bowl-related emergencies, a spokesperson said. "However, if there would be an uptick, Temple Health remains ready to treat any patients that need care in our emergency departments."
Penn Medicine did not respond to request for comment on its Super Bowl preparations.
The American Heart Association recommends fans take the following steps to reduce their risk of an adverse cardiovascular event tied to the Super Bowl.
• If you have hypertension, don't forget to take your medicine in the morning.
• If you're hosting a Super Bowl party, remember to limit the number of salty foods on the table and put out healthier options, including fruits and vegetables. Excess sodium can increase blood pressure.
• Get up from your seat and get some exercise, like taking a walk at halftime.
• Listening to a postgame call-in show or podcast can be a good outlet by hearing fellow fans express their disappointment.
• Cutting down on alcohol intake, limiting time on social media and avoiding placing bets on the game can also help reduce stress.
