KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tom Patterson and Steve Tazumi were 16 years old when they found out about each other's existence.
They were 40 when they first met, which is strange for twins.
The two men were born in Japan in 1958. Different parents adopted them from an orphanage before bringing the two babies to the United States.
Patterson settled in Liberal, Kansas, where he became a Kansas City Chiefs fan. Tazumi ended up in Belmar, New Jersey, where he roots for the Philadelphia Eagles.
The two teams will play one another Feb. 12 in Super Bowl LVII.
“It’s been 24 years since we've been together, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime deal,” Patterson said.
While the twins will root for opposite teams, they have a lot in common: they both love football, they both named their firstborn child with a Japanese name and their second born with a traditionally American name, and they both owned bodybuilding gyms.
Tazumi said it was twin sisters he was training at the gym which encouraged him to track down his long-lost twin brother.
Finding each other before the internet meant Patterson faxed a picture of himself to Tazumi and the helpful twins.
“They were on the other line and they were screaming, ‘It's Steve, it's Steve with the mustache.’ That's how it came about,” Patterson said.
When the two men met each other at the airport, news cameras and reporters were there to document the moment.
“There were so many people there,” Tazumi said. “All the major TV stations were there because we're based out of Philadelphia and it's like seeing a mirror — it was beautiful.”
Despite cheering on different teams, football has helped the two create a bond.
In the past, Tazumi has visited GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for games between the Chiefs and Eagles.
“The sad part about it is every time he’s been to Arrowhead, the Eagles have won,” Patterson said.
“That’s a good thing,” Tazumi fired back with a laugh.
“This Super Bowl win will make it all up,” Patterson rebutted.
The brothers plan to talk plenty of trash leading up to the game.
As of now, neither will attend the Super Bowl, but they joke about making a last-minute trip.
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