By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist

As fans huddle up for the biggest football weekend of the year, one tradition will never go out of style—chicken wings will be the star of the menu.

The National Chicken Council (NCC) released its annual Chicken Wing Report, estimating Americans will consume 1.47 billion chicken wings while watching the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles battle for the win.

NCC expects about 20 million more wings to be consumed this year compared to last year, proving that football and wings are an unstoppable team.

“Matthew McConaughey was right: Football is for food,” NCC spokesperson Tom Super said. “Sure, there will be pizza, guacamole, chips and dips, but when it comes to the Super Bowl, chicken wings rule the roost. Although, we do anticipate an uptick in chicken cheesesteaks this year.”

NCC explains how those wings stack up:

  • If every single player in the NFL ate 50 wings a day (and was immortal), it would take them collectively 720 years to eat 1.47 billion.
  • 47 billion wings laid end-to-end would stretch to and from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. about 63 times.
  • Enough to give more than four wings each to every man, woman and child in the United States.
  • Laid end-to-end, 1.47 billion wings would circle the Earth more than 3 times.

Supermarkets in Philadelphia and Kansas City have seen significant increases during the football playoffs this year, according to NCC. Kansas City wing sales saw a 21.9% increase, while Philadelphia wing market sales increased 19%.

Wing sales across the U.S. during the playoffs is up 12%, according to NCC.

No matter if you are cheering on the guy from the Chiefs, rooting for the Eagles to take home the trophy or just watching for the commercials and halftime show, one thing is for sure—most of those game day meals will include a plate full of chicken wings.