He fulfilled his dream by winning a Super Bowl ring. Now Michael Dickson is keen on celebrating with a chicken parmigiana and some hot chips with chicken salt.
The star Australian punter revealed his pub-dinner wishlist after becoming only the second Australian to start and win a Super Bowl on Monday.
With an outstanding performance that had commentators labelling his kicking “absolute perfection”, Dickson played a crucial role in the Seattle Seahawks’ 29-13 win over the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Dickson, who grew up in Sydney and was a member of the Swans academy, joined Jordan Mailata as the only Australians to have played in and won a Super Bowl (others have won rings as wider squad members).
“It means everything. It’s what we do it for,” Dickson told ESPN post-game. “It’s a crazy game. Our guys pulled out, and I am still soaking it in.
“I have big dreams. So I knew we were going to get here, and I knew we were going to get it done. And we did. So I’m very, very lucky and very happy.”
Michael Dickson celebrates with Seattle teammate Jason Myers.Credit: Getty Images
Asked what message he had for people watching back in Australia, Dickson said he was looking forward to getting home and celebrating with some Aussie staples.
“I love my family. I love my friends. I love Australia,” he said. “I can’t wait to get home and get some chips with some chicken salt. I am craving that. And a parmi, that’d be nice.”
Like Mailata with the Philadelphia Eagles last year, Dickson was a key contributor to the Seahawks’ victory, which came via intense, suffocating pressure applied by the Seattle defence. Patriots rookie Drake Maye had a rough day, after being sacked five times and turning the ball over on three other occasions.
Dickson’s punting was a key tool for Seattle to keep New England pinned in their half. On three occasions, Dickson’s punts ended up within five yards of the Patriots’ line.
Another Australian former NFL punter Ben Graham said on radio it was one of the best punting performances in Super Bowl history.
“It was a crazy game; our guys balled out,” Dickson told ESPN after denying the Patriots a record seventh title.
“It’s nice to know that I can play in these type of games. If you ever feel any nerves, you look at the guys next to you and everyone’s having fun.”
Dickson is the highest-paid punter in NFL history after signing a four-year contract extension last year for $16.2 million ($23.1 million).
Seahawks star Derick Hall celebrates.Credit: Getty Images
He had commentators raving when a final-quarter, 55-yard bomb settled one yard from the goal line to snuff out any hopes of a New England comeback.
Running back Kenneth Walker starred as they built a 19-0 lead, the Seahawks’ defence stifling the Patriots and rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who was sacked six times.
Two-time All-Pro Dickson joins Philadelphia’s Bankstown-born Mailata, who broke the drought last year, as the only Aussies to play in a Super Bowl triumph.
Fellow punters Ben Graham (Arizona, 2009), Mitch Wishnowsky (San Francisco, 2020) and Arryn Siposs (Philadelphia, 2023) all played in losses while Jesse Williams has a ring but was on the injury list when Seattle won their only other title 2014.
Dickson’s old Kirrawee High School teacher, Matt Scott, remembered him as “a quiet, fluffy-haired kid who just wanted to do everything”.
The school put out a statement on Instagram ahead of the Super Bowl writing, “Michael’s achievement is a powerful reminder of what hard work, resilience and belief can lead us to achieve — from the classrooms of KHS to the biggest stage in world sport.”
Dickson trained with future star Isaac Heeney at the Swans academy, but was overlooked in the AFL draft.
He moved to Melbourne and linked with Prokick Academy in a move that sent him to the University of Texas, where he became a Longhorns cult hero and was the first punter to claim the Texas Bowl MVP.
Drafted by Seattle in 2018, Dickson signed a $23.25 million, four-year contract extension last year and was the only player on the field on Sunday with claims as the highest-paid in his position.
The league will stage a first regular-season match in Australia later this year, when the Los Angeles Rams face the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
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