For the first time in 19 years, there is a back to back champion in the NFL. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in an overtime thriller 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII, the second Super Bowl to ever go to overtime. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes won his third Super Bowl MVP, becoming the fifth quarterback to do so in NFL history.
The game started off with two stellar defenses holding both offenses scoreless in the first quarter, with both offenses fumbling once. Niners kicker Jake Moody would go on to set the (then) record for the longest field goal in Super Bowl history with a 55 yarder to break the 0-0 tie. Neither team would score a touchdown until 4:23 left in the second quarter, with wide receiver Jauan Jennings throwing across the field on a trick play to Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffery who took it 21 yards downfield for the score, putting the Niners up 10-0. Kansas City would respond by going on a 13 play, 65 yard drive resulting in a Harrison Butker Field goal.
The Chiefs would start off the second half with a quick interception, which San Francisco couldn’t capitalize off of. The two teams would trade punts on their next two possessions before Butker would break the previously set field goal record with a 57 yard field goal. Both teams would once again quickly go three and out in their next two possessions, but the Chiefs would benefit off a Darrel Luter Jr. muffed punt and get an immediate redzone opportunity. Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling would catch a 16 yard touchdown from Mahomes on the first play after the turnover to put the Chiefs up three.
The Niners would respond with a 12 play 75 yard drive that resulted in Brock Purdy hitting Jennings on a ten yard score to put the Niners up 16-13 after a Moody missed point after attempt. Jennings became the second ever play to both throw and catch a touchdown in the Super Bowl, the other being former Eagles quarterback Nick Foles. Kansas City would go down and tie the game with another Butker field goal to knot it up 16 all.
The Niners now had a chance to drive down the field and win their first Super Bowl since 1994. The drive would start off promising, with Purdy and Jennings connecting on a 24 yard pass followed by a nine yard run by McCaffery. However, the drive would stall, as Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo drew up a blitz that gave corner Trent McDuffie a free lane at Purdy, resulting in an incompletion on 3rd down. Moody however would put the Niners up 19-16 with a 53 yard field goal, however, they gave the Chiefs 1 minute and 53 seconds to work with.
Mahomes and the Chiefs went on a well executed 64 yard drive in 11 plays that gave Butker another field goal, and sent the game to overtime. The Niners would start with the ball, going on a 66 yard drive that resulted in another Moody field goal. All Kansas City had to do is score a touchdown, and they would win. After 12 plays, 72 yards, two third down conversions, and a fourth down conversion, the Chiefs found themselves at their own three yard line. First and goal, Mahomes in the shotgun, rolls left, hits Mecole Hardman in the endzone. Ballgame. The Chiefs scored on their same “hotdog” play (as coined by head coach Andy Reid) they used the previous Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Niners would questionably take possession of the ball first despite both teams getting possession of the ball with the new playoff overtime rules. This would put the 49ers at a disadvantage, as the Chiefs would know exactly what they need after the Niners drive. If the Niners kick a field goal, KC could tie it, or score a touchdown and win. If the Niners scored a touchdown, Patrick Mahomes told SportsCenter they had planned to go for two and the win if the Chiefs went down and scored. Some Niners players said that they did not know the new overtime rules, further making their decision look worse.
According to sportswriter Neil Paine, “there have been at least 125 drives in the NFL postseason where it was at least the fourth quarter, there was a minute left to play, and the team on offense trailed, by seven points or fewer to start.” Mahomes has had 7 of these 125 drives, and is 7/7 on them. According to Paine, 40 percent of these drives actually saw a team tie or take the lead. In all 58 Super Bowls, there have been seven double-digit comebacks, Mahomes and the Chiefs are responsible for three of them, being down 10 in each of the three Super Bowls they have won.
Patrick Mahomes would go 34/46 for 333 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, becoming the youngest quarterback to win three Super Bowl MVPs. Superstar tight end Travis Kelce pulled in nine receptions for 93 yards. Purdy finished with 255 yards and a touchdown on 23 completions with 38 attempts. McCaffery racked in 160 total yards (80 rushing, 80 receiving) and a touchdown.
Kelce, Mahomes, and Reid, are now eying three in a row, which has never happened in NFL history. “The goal is to always get three (in a row),” said Kelce postgame, as well as his now routine “You gotta fight, for your right, to party,” chant at the podium after a Super Bowl. Kelce and Taylor Swift also shared a sweet post game moment with each other, which featured no marriage proposal from Kelce, or brainwashing indoctrination from Swift.
Once again, Mahomes and the Chiefs won an incredible back and forth game, with seven total lead changes, a thrilling overtime, and another ten point comeback. A dynasty has been born in Kansas City, Missouri.
