After a long two weeks, Super Bowl Sunday finally arrived. Two teams that finished at the top of their conference played for the Lombardi trophy, and the amount of storylines in regards to the Chiefs and Eagles facing off were plentiful.
For the first time, two brothers faced each other on the field in a Super Bowl. Future Hall of Famers Travis Kelce of the Chiefs and Jason Kelce of the Eagles were both aiming to win a second championship, but only one came out on top.
On the sidelines, Kansas City coach Andy Reid faced the team he coached for 14 years in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, in the presence of former Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts made history as this is the first Super Bowl with two Black starting quarterbacks.
Mahomes, 27, was hoping to avenge the disappointing finishes of the last two seasons and become the 13th quarterback to win multiple Super Bowls. But he had to try and do so with a high-ankle sprain that limited his mobility. Meanwhile, Hurts, 24, tried to overcome his injured shoulder.
Back-to-back first down catches by Dallas Goedert and DeVonta Smith were huge for the Eagles on their opening drive, as they wore down the Chiefs defense. In fact, Mahomes was on the field for less than 9 minutes in the entire first half. Between their top-ranked rushing attack and their stifling defense, Philadelphia kept the Chiefs in check for the majority of the half.
A Nick Bolton strip-sack returned for a touchdown kept the Chiefs in it early, but Philly entered the half up 24-14.
Mahomes also ended the first half re-injured, as Chad Henne warmed up on the sideline, and as Chiefs fans everywhere panicked.
But it’s the Super Bowl, and Mahomes wasn’t going down that easy.
The Chiefs headed out with a fire under them in the second half, and Mahomes, taped up and all, drove them down the field. And the Eagles didn’t know what hit them. A touchdown by Pacheco made it a 24-21 game, and following an Eagles field goal, the Chiefs scored yet another touchdown, this time by Kadarius Toney, a player who has all but revitalized himself in Kansas City.
Toney followed that a drive later with the longest punt return in Super Bowl history. In turn, that led to a Skyy Moore touchdown to make it 35-27 Chiefs.
But the roller coaster ride continued. Philadelphia tied it at 35-35 on Hurts’ third rushing touchdown of the game, this one set up by a 45-yard completion to a wide-open Smith down the left sideline. Hurts struck again on the two-point conversion with a run to the left side.
On the following drive, Mahomes and the Chiefs almost had to kick a field goal with 1:40 to go. However, a holding penalty on James Bradberry, one that fans, analysts, and everyone in between will be talking about for a while, gave the Chiefs a fresh set of downs.
Two kneel downs later, Harrison Butker came out, and, just like he did in the AFC Championship Game, kicked the go-ahead field goal. And following a failed Hail Mary pass attempt by Philadelphia, the Chiefs emerged victorious in the Super Bowl for the second time in four years.