The NFL and its players have been a source of heated debate over the past year. Through the league’s lack of effort to prevent and inform about the dangers of brain injury experienced by players, its inability to properly condemn and punish cases of domestic violence and quell the outrage over Colin Kaepernick’s political protest, the NFL has constantly been in the news cycle lately.

The integrity of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots created another spectacle. In 2016, both faced punishments after altering footballs to give themselves advantages. Tom Brady also publicly supported Donald Trump in this past election. With the past year in mind, NYU students approach next weekend’s Super Bowl Sunday and this year’s Patriots versus Falcons matchup with mixed feelings, ranging from the couldn’t-care-less to the skeptic to the passionate fan. Here are some of their thoughts.

I know that it’d be healthier, wiser and more fulfilling to go to the gym and move [my] own body, and maybe eat a piece of fruit afterwards, than to sit in front of the television stuffing [my face with] all the crap advertised in the commercials. If people are missing out, I’m sure Trump will be tweeting out his boy, Tom Brady’s, actions. Also, there are too many concussions in the NFL [for me] to be ethically willing to watch it and boost the ratings all day. — Daniel Simon, first-year Graduate student

Did the Super Bowl happen yet? — Isabelle Turner, LS freshman

I hope that all the teams get holes-in-ones. — Alex Cattan, Tisch sophomore

As a Boston native, I feel like I’m obligated to root for the Patriots, as they’re my home team. And everyone else on the East Coast should root for the Patriots because they’re the East Coast team in the Super Bowl. — Natalia Maverakis, CAS Junior

I don’t care about sports. I think it’s the opiate of the masses. I think it’s not about the sport, it’s about the commercialization of the sport and selling products. — Tyler Postiglione, Gallatin Junior

Here’s the situation. I think that the Patriots, while they’re a good team, cheated and it was publicly proven that they cheated. So I think we should root for the underdogs this game. — Ana Lopez, CAS junior

It would be cool to see Brady be the first to a fifth ring and retire as the best to play the game, but Ryan’s MVP season will definitely make the game worth the watch. —Ty Wilson, CAS freshman

Who is in the Super Bowl? — Julia Caine, Tisch sophomore

Well, I think that simply because the Falcons are the underdog does not mean that we should be rooting for them. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t been in the Super Bowl for a while. And the Patriots rock. I like their outfits, too. — Nicholas Safier, Tisch junior

I hate Tom Brady with a passion. Deflate Gate was a total disaster. Go Falcons. — Olivia Braender-Carr, Tandon junior

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Jan. 30 print edition. Email Maddie Howard at [email protected].