The football that sailed through the air at Lucas Oil Stadium on the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLVI is now a part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's permanent collection. The ball is the first of several mementos from the New York Giants’ 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots that the Hall of Fame expects to receive.
The Patriots won the Super Bowl XLVI coin toss, deferred receiving to the second half, and then kicker Stephen Gostkowski booted this football 63 yards to the Giants 2-yard-line to get the Super Bowl under way. The Giants Jerrel Jernigan fielded the ball and returned it 21 yards before being tackled by Antwaun Molden at the 23-yard-line.
League officials retrieved the football and then immediately handed the football off to a Pro Football Hall of Fame executive on the sideline.
