As the NFL prepares for its 60th Super Bowl, one of the league’s most extraordinary fan traditions is quietly approaching its twilight.
Don Crisman, an 89-year-old lifelong New England Patriots fan from Kennebunk, Maine, says this year’s Super Bowl will be the last he attends. Crisman has been present at every Super Bowl since the inaugural championship game in 1967 — a distinction shared by only two other living fans.
Together with Tom Henschel and Gregory Eaton, Crisman belongs to the ultra-exclusive “Never Miss a Super Bowl” club, a group of fans who committed themselves to attending every NFL championship game for nearly six decades.
“It was never about setting a record,” Crisman said. “I just kept going. One game turned into ten, then twenty, then before you knew it, it had become part of my life.”
At its peak, the club counted six members. Over time, age, health concerns, and death reduced its ranks. After this Sunday’s game, Crisman will step away, leaving only Henschel and Eaton to carry the tradition forward.
For Henschel, the streak has always been about discipline and persistence rather than fandom for any single team.
“You don’t miss one if you want to keep it alive,” Henschel said. “That meant planning years in advance, no matter where the game was or what else was going on in your life.”
Gregory Eaton echoed that sentiment, describing the group as bonded by commitment rather than convenience.
“People think it’s about football,” Eaton said. “But really, it’s about showing up. You go because you said you would. That’s what kept us going year after year.”
Over the decades, the trio watched the Super Bowl evolve from a modest championship matchup into a global spectacle. They witnessed league mergers, dynasty teams rise and fall, rule changes, and the transformation of the NFL into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise.
Crisman, a devoted Patriots fan, was present for all six of New England’s Super Bowl victories.
“I was lucky,” he said. “I got to see my team win more than I ever expected — and I saw a lot of great football along the way.”
The three men often reconnected in Super Bowl host cities, crossing paths at stadiums, hotels, and league events. In 2019, they were formally recognized at a welcome luncheon in Atlanta, where a photograph captured Crisman, Henschel, and Eaton together — a rare image of a tradition few fans even knew existed.
Now, at nearly 90, Crisman says it is time to step back.
“Travel gets harder,” he said. “And at some point, you have to know when to let the streak end.”
Henschel and Eaton say they respect his decision, even as the group grows smaller.
“It won’t feel the same without him,” Henschel said. “But we understand. We’ve all talked about that moment coming.”
Eaton agreed.
“You don’t replace someone like that,” he said. “You just appreciate that you were part of something special while it lasted.”
As Crisman prepares to attend his final Super Bowl, the story is no longer just about one man’s streak, but about a disappearing era of sports fandom — built on consistency, friendship, and an unwavering commitment to the game.
For nearly 60 years, three men bore witness to Super Bowl history from the stands.
On Sunday, one of them will do so for the last time.
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