Texas High School Coach Attends Super Bowl LI After Winning Surprise Trip

ABCNews.com(HOUSTON) — Phillip Rhodes, the inspirational coach who was surprised with a trip to Super Bowl LI, had the time of his life yesterday thanks to the students and athletes whose lives he’s changed.

“I appreciate everything they did for me,” Rhodes said on Good Morning America Monday. “It wouldn’t have been possible without them. I did a lot of things for them and they’re doing it for me so it works hand in hand.”

Rhodes, who has been teaching for 33 years, is also a junior varsity head football coach, assistant varsity football coach and head boy’s track coach at Childress High School in Childress, Texas.

The world geography teacher was chosen for GMA’s Super Coach Surprise on Feb. 1 after responses poured in from Rhodes’ students. Rhodes learned about his surprise trip inside the school’s gymnasium surrounded by students and colleagues.

On Feb. 5, Rhodes walked around the field at NRG Stadium in Houston and participated in meet-and-greets with football stars Marcus Allen, Jerry Rice and his favorite player, Deion Sanders.

“Oh man, we were talking about ball, we were talking about life,” Rhodes said of his chat with Sanders. “He’s [an] awesome guy. He’s real humble and everything. He’s not what you see on TV. He’s a real good guy, big heart.”

As for the Patriots’ comeback against the Atlanta Falcons, Rhodes said he wasn’t surprised.

“They started coming back and they couldn’t stop the Patriots,” he said. “I said, ‘I told you. You got to play the whole ball game. No matter how bad things are going, you got to hang in there.'”

Rhodes was also on the field for the post-game celebration. His ticket gave him VIP access to parties featuring performances by Lady Antebellum and Bruno Mars, thanks to NFL On Location Experiences.

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