The Atlanta Falcons may have new allies in helping stop the New England Patriot's edge-rushing talent for the Super Bowl this weekend.
A new offensive line with a combined weight of 18,000 pounds could do it.
This week, Kia's manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, announced it will build sequential runs of the 2017 Kia Optima in red, black, and silver, then red, black, and white, to honor the Falcons' success. Those are the Atlanta Falcons' colors, and a total of 51 cars will be built to honor the Falcons' participation in Super Bowl LI (51).
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Corinne Hodges, a spokeswoman for the factory, said the 51 Optimas will make their way down to the assembly line Friday, and workers clad in Falcons jerseys will finish them before they head to dealers across the U.S.
Hodges said she was unsure if the Optimas would bear any other markings beyond the exterior color to mark their position in the Super Bowl line, but she said Kia was talking with the Falcons to explore opportunities for a little something special. (Editor's note: Throw on some sticky white walls, a sweet headband and call it the "Julio Jones Edition," Kia. You're welcome.)
Automobile manufacturing left Massachusetts in the early 1980s, but tiremaker Goodyear said it would consider a special run of Eagle performance tires to commemorate the Patriots' success this year. Those tires will leave the manufacturing plant 10 psi below recommended running pressure.
(That last part may be made up.)
