Onehunga to NFL: George Holani debuts and walks out as a Super Bowl LX winner

The Super Bowl LX went down yesterday, and while some dubbed it Bad Bunny Bowl after a history-making halftime show, for others, the actual game meant everything - that was the case for some Kiwis with a close connection to home.

The 'Seattle Seahawks' claimed a 29 - 13 win over the 'New England Patriots', sealing Seattle's second Super Bowl title in the team's history.

Among the debutants of the day was a New Zealand-born Tongan who made history of his own.

Auckland-born George Holani made his Super Bowl debut on Monday and walked away as a champion with his Seattle Seahawks teammates.

George grew up in Onehunga before moving to the United States. Talking to RNZ, Holani's dad, Saia Holani, shared how proud he was of his son, after all the family's "hardship and struggle".

"It's unexplainable for me, I sort of think about it and all the sacrifice that I've been through, and you know, all the hardship and the struggle we've been through," he said.

"I looked at him, and I [was] really, really proud," he said. "[I] can't imagine for me to have a son to come and play here in this stage of football."

It was incredibly special to see Holani rep his culture, wearing his traditional ta'ovala and a shirt with flags representing the US, Tonga, and New Zealand, when he arrived at San Francisco's Levi's Stadium.

Before the game, George told NFL Australia & NZ about how grateful he felt to play in America's biggest football game.

“It’s exciting to just be a part of this and to be able to come out and play and also having family back in New Zealand still … cheering me on and supporting me as well,” he said.

"My big brother's out there with my grandma, all my cousins and family are out there, so it's a blessing," he added.

When asked about fans watching on from Australia and New Zealand, George summed it up with three powerful words: “Anything is possible."

From an Auckland kid to an NFL Super Bowl champion in his very first game, George Holani’s story is a reminder to dream big!