The weekend of fun and thrills surrounding Super Bowl XLVIII began with Madden Bowl XX.

Super Bowl weekend got off to a thrilling start as athletes and celebrities gathered for Madden Bowl XX in New York City. Taking place at The Bud Light Hotel near the USS Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, the weekend’s hottest event saw the likes of Cam Newton, A.J. Green, Eddie Lacy, and more battle for the right to be named the best Madden NFL 25 player in the NFL.

Eight of the NFL’s best gamers squared-off in a single-elimination tournament of Madden NFL 25 on the Xbox One for the ultimate bragging rights. In the end, it came down to Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy vs. Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton for the big prize. Ultimately McCoy was able to show his Madden NFL prowess and outlast Newton, taking home the victory.

After the tournament, the capacity crowd was treated to an incredible performance as The Roots, Run DMC, Busta Rhymes and special guests De La Soul, Naughty by Nature, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Slick Rick and more took the stage for a special performance. The show, written by The Roots’ own Questlove, celebrated the history of New York hip-hop, with each of the artists performing some of their biggest hits. The night also marked the first time Run DMC performed in New York since they were reunited.

As Thursday night turned into Friday morning, hungry partygoers were given a special treat as hundreds of boxes of Papa John’s new Double Cheeseburger pizza were passed around the crowd. Energized by the late-night pizza infusion, the crowd kept the party going until the wee hours of the morning.