Round Rock nurse and COVID-19 frontline worker Nhi Phan was among 7,500 vaccinated health care workers who watched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Chiefs in person on Sunday night.

Phan, a specialty triage nurse at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, attended the Super Bowl as part of a thank-you gift from the Dallas Cowboys for risking her life in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nhi Phan (LinkedIn)

Phan was one of four selected by the Cowboys in a drawing that saw over 700 applicants. Although she told KXAN she was rooting for the Chiefs, the game was still a win for Phan, who had never attended a live football game prior to Sunday night.

The drawing was part of an initiative by the NFL to gift tickets to over 7,500 vaccinated health care workers around the country. Workers were recognized for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic multiple times throughout the big game and were even thanked by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in an ad that aired before kickoff.

While all of the winning health care workers were vaccinated before the Super Bowl, social distancing practices such as wearing masks were still enforced to prevent COVID-19 transmission. Alongside the 7,500 health care workers, 14,500 others attended the game, bringing the total attendance to 22,000.