Super Bowl mom: Barb Ryan ready to cheer on Jon and the Seahawks
Regina's Jon Ryan is a punter for the Seattle Seahawks
No one in Saskatchewan is more excited for Super Bowl Sunday than Jon Ryan's No. 1 fan — his mom.
Jon Ryan is the punter for the Seattle Seahawks, who beat the Denver Broncos in last year's Super Bowl.
My butterflies could carry me to Phoenix today,- Barb Ryan
Many of his family members are already in Arizona taking in the festivities, while others are just on the way.
On Friday, Barb Ryan — Jon's mom — got all packed up and ready to go.
"My butterflies could carry me to Phoenix today," Barb Ryan said. "I'm so excited."
Ryan doesn't think she'll get a chance to see Jon before he plays, but has talked to him on the phone.
"He was saying he's less nervous this year," she said. "So that made me, as a mom, feel a little bit better to think he wasn't going crazy with nerves."
Ready to celebrate
One other difference this year is that it will be an easier time for Barb and the rest of the family to get onto the field if Jon wins another Super Bowl.
"My youngest son, Steve, said, 'I'm going down there no matter what. I'm going to go down and see Jon,' " she said. "But we looked down and there were elbow-to-elbow guards, so I feared he would go to jail, so he had to wait behind."
This year, Ryan said Jon is providing them with armbands so they can get straight onto the field. But Barb is hoping some things stay the same, like the outcome of the game.
When asked "Did you think you'd be back this year doing this again?" Barb Ryan said, "Oh, yeah," she said, laughing. "I'm really optimistic."