92-Year-Old Groundskeeper Has Worked Every Super Bowl In History

For the past 55 years, there has been one constant at the Super Bowl, George Toma. The 92-year-old groundskeeper has been helping keep the Super Bowl field in perfect condition at every Super Bowl in history.

Toma, who is known by several nicknames, including "The Sodfather," "The God of Sod," and "The Sulton of Sod," spoke to Craig Melvin on TODAY about what it's like to prepare the field for the biggest sporting event of the year.

He explained that the sod used on the field is grown for 18 months, and it takes his team six weeks to get the field ready for the Super Bowl. In addition to laying the sod, the logos and yard lines must be painted and repainted on the grass.

"Actually, as far as the grass, with the grass that is already grown, you put it down, you play on it the same day," Toma said. "But the thing is, you have to put the logos in, the Super Bowl logos, painting it, and the end zones, the sidelines. We painted already three times."

Toma said it isn't just about making the field look picture-perfect, it's about ensuring the field is safe for the players.

"The cheapest insurance for an athlete, from the little kid sitting in that kindergarten chair, all the way up to the Kelces and the Mahomes and the Bradys, is the safe playing field," Toma explained.

This year, Toma has a vested interest in the game as a lifelong Chiefs fan. He started his career as a groundskeeper in Kansas City, working for the Cheifs and the Royals. While he doesn't want to openly play favorites, he hinted he is rooting for the Chiefs to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

"I can't say," he said. "They're both good teams. But people here say in your heart there's a Chiefs logo, so you know what I mean."

Photo: Getty Images


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