John Riordan: Coaches rise in anger as racial reckoning looms larger for NFL

Brian Flores’ allegations against owners of several American Football teams sent shockwaves ahead of next week’s Super Bowl

Brian Flores’ allegations against owners of several American Football teams sent shockwaves ahead of next week’s Super Bowl. Picture: Kathryn Riley/Getty Images

The Lunar New Year ushered in the Year of the Tiger on Tuesday, just over 24 hours after the Cincinnati Bengals shocked the Kansas City Chiefs - and the NFL as a whole - with a thrilling overtime victory in the AFC Championship.

As I explained to my parents during a Sunday FaceTime call which coincided with the first quarter and some of the second, the AFC Championship is sort of like an All-Ireland semi-final for the Super Bowl (except your winning owner gets a trophy for watching and paying his players to win) and the first and second quarter format pre-existed and will now outlast the GAA’s water break. And yes, it can also kill momentum. Or offer a chance to go grab a beer.