The Kansas City Chiefs, steered brilliamtly at the end by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, downed the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime to secure their second consecutive Super Bowl title.
The victory cements the Chiefs’ status as the NFL’s latest dynasty and Mahomes declared “we’re not done” after the team won their third Super Bowl in five years and became the NFL’s first repeat champions since the New England Patriots in February 2005.
A thrilling season climax saw just the second overtime finale in Super Bowl history, and the first played under new overtime rules under which both teams got the ball.
Mahomes masterminded a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in overtime following the 49ers’ field goal to go ahead, culminating in a three-yard pass to receiver Mecole Hardman to claim the victory.
:Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks to pass in the fourth quarter against Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Pop star Taylor Swift was among the captivated crowd watching as her boyfriend Travis Kelce was a member of the winning side.
Swift chugged beers and embraced celebrity friends as the match was decided. Soon after Kelce fired up the Chiefs fans leading them in a chorus of Elvis Presley classic Viva, Las Vegas and the Beastie Boys’ Fight for Your Right (to Party) and the TV cameras lingered on his famous girlfriend.
The Chiefs trailed 22-19 after Jake Moody kicked a 27-yard field goal on the first possession of overtime, but Mahomes rallied the Chiefs, completing another impressive comeback in a rematch of a Super Bowl four years ago.
After he connected with a wide-open Hardman, the Chiefs ran on the field as red-and-yellow confetti fell onto the turf.
The most excitement in the first half came when a frustrated Kelce bumped Andy Reid on the sideline, knocking the Chiefs’ 65-year-old coach a few steps back after teammate Isiah Pacheco fumbled inside the red zone during the second quarter.
The action picked up after a crucial blunder by San Francisco’s special teams set up Mahomes’ 16-yard TD pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 13-10 lead.
Brock Purdy and the 49ers answered but they couldn’t make enough plays, denying Mr. Irrelevant an opportunity to go from last pick in the 2022 NFL draft to Super Bowl champion.
Mahomes and Reid are now halfway to Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, who won six championships in 20 years together with the New England Patriots and were the most recent team to go back-to-back following the 2003-04 seasons.
The 28-year-old Mahomes becomes the fourth starting QB to win three Super Bowls — joining Brady, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Troy Aikman — and second-youngest.
Niners wide receiver Jauan Jennings threw a TD pass and caught one, joining Eagles quarterback Nick Foles six years ago as the only players to do both in the Super Bowl.
After Moody’s 53-yard field goal gave the 49ers a 19-16 lead with 1:53 remaining, Mahomes and Kelce went to work. Mahomes connected with Kelce for a 22-yard gain to set up Butker’s tying kick, a 29-yarder with 3 seconds left.
A holding call on Kansas City’s Trent McDuffie extended San Francisco’s opening drive of overtime and Purdy made key throws to drive the 49ers to the Chiefs 9. But San Francisco settled for a field goal.
“Really the whole game was like our season,” said Mahomes. “It was the defence just keeping us in there and the offence making plays when it counted. I’m proud of the guys, they kept believing.”
The Chiefs entered their last three games as the betting underdogs but showed their class and sent a message.
“Just know that the Kansas City Chiefs are never the underdogs,” Mahomes said.
(With The Associated Press)
Davico
Roar Pro
I said they were up for debate! Do you think Mahomes is bad at winning drives and performance under pressure, all evidence to the contrary?! Depending on how long he plays, Mahomes is on a trajectory as per first 7 years: Tom Brady Stat Patrick Mahomes 96 Games 96 21,564 Passing Yards 28,424 147 Passing TDs 219 78 Interceptions 63 61.9% Completion Percentage 66.5% 70 QB wins 74 7.0 Yards per Attempt 7.9 224.6 Yards per Game 296.1 88.4 Rating 103.5 239 Rush Attempts 374 435 Rush Yards 1,936 3 Rush TDs 12 Through 7 years! I would say he would be a big chance at catching most of Brady's marks. The hardest will be Rings, but then it is a TEAM sport and all.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Yep ! Mahomes was throwing to "butter fingers" receivers all year ! They registered more dropped ball than any team in the NFL. Yet, he still managed to drag them through as underdogs in the last three post season games !
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
I hate to be the one to inform you, but winning drives & performance under pressure are two very critical aspects when rating a quarterback. When rating the greatest players in any sport, longevity is a huge factor. In the long history of NFL, Tom Brady ranks number 1 in each of the following categories. Wins: 251, Pro Bowls: 15, Super Bowl MVP Awards: 5 Completions: 7,753 Attempts: 12,050, Passing Yards: 89,214 & Passing Touchdowns: 649. How confident are you that Mahomes will be taking the majority of those records from him?
Rob9
Roar Guru
I think it’s too hard to hold Brady and Mahomes up to each other at this stage. One’s retired and ones probably not even at the midway point of his career. Brady’s achieved more in his career (for obvious reasons) and I think what put the exclamation mark on it was a Super Bowl win outside the Patriots system (which was aided by some excellent roster management to open up a small championship window). On that, I think Brady has benefited in comparison to Mahomes from playing in some incredibly talented teams. Of course there’s no shortage of talent in this Chiefs team (including one of the greatest TE’s of all time), but those stacked Patriots sides may have given Brady more help than Mahomes has had who has just gone back to back without having Tyreek down field. This is serious nit-picking but I feel like Mahomes can become slightly frazzled in decision-making and lose a few inches of accuracy in comparison to Brady. I know his receivers let him down quite a bit this year but they weren’t all dimes he was throwing out. If that’s a minor deficiency compared to Brady, he more than makes up for it with his running game which adds a whole dimension to his game that Brady never had. The one certainty for mine is that Mahomes is ahead of Brady at this stage of his career and his trajectory has him finishing at a higher point which is mind blowing.
Rob9
Roar Guru
Yea the Chiefs blitz lead by Jones was immense. While the 9’ers seemed to be in the box seat for much of the first half and the Chiefs were making some errors (not exactly uncharacteristic for them for much of this year), they still seemed to go with them when it counted. The one time I thought the Chiefs might drop off was at the start of the second half when Mahomes lateral to Pacheco went pear-shaped before he followed it up with a pick a few plays later. But the KC D hanging tough for those next few 9’ers drives were season defining.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Yep ! As they have done all post season, the Chiefs lifted late when the opposition was fading. The Niners missed their chances when they were fit and firing early, but come the 4th Q and OT the Chiefs were rolling well , led by Mahomes & Kelce.
Davico
Roar Pro
I can live with it don't get me wrong. He did it when it mattered. Gee the 49s should have put them away in that first half though. Chris Jones was also amazing. Not sure they will be able to keep him considering he is a free agent. Some team is going to throw QB money at him.
Davico
Roar Pro
Personally, I think it have been someone else, but I can understand the logic of giving it to him for the way he played in the 4th Qtr and OT but that is not the whole game. I do not support either team (or the Patriots) so I think I have been pretty objective and I just think that this could have been the year, esp in an OT game, to give it to a losing player in CMC
Davico
Roar Pro
Watched his whole career. Mahomes is better in every facet of QB and football play in general. The only thing that could be put up for debate is winning drives and performance under pressure and he has shown he can do that at 28! He may never catch TB12 in rings, but we are talking about a team game. Apart from the rings, do you honestly believe that TB12 is a better QB than Mahomes? Especially at this stage in their careers?
E-Meter
Roar Rookie
Great win by KC. Kept hanging in there all the way. 49ers had a golden chance in overtime. Full set of downs in the red zone and barely made a yard.
Ben Pobjie
Expert
I think it’s great that they include a football game as part of the Super Bowl nowadays.
Prez
Roar Rookie
He was definitely MVP. When the game was on the line he won it for the Chiefs,. Several runs to get first down when under the pump and a TD pass to win it. No one else had such an impact. Agree was tense but lots of skill errors and lots of missed opportunities meant it wasn't a great game.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
You have never seen Tom Brady??
Rob9
Roar Guru
There’s only been 1 MVP given to a player on a losing side (V). That said, I agree that CMC was the standout and if they were ever going to do it again, I think it could be justified for an OT Super Bowl. Given that reality (MVP’s are basically reserved for players on winning teams), I think it went to the right Chiefs player. While there was a bit of the clunkyness that plagued him and the Chiefs for a good chunk of the regular season, he was good when he needed to be (kinda sums up the Chiefs season). 333 passing yards and 66 rushing yards is a pretty solid shift.
Dingo
Roar Rookie
Well said Davico spot on. Purdy and McCaffery were excellent. Niners had their chances but couldn’t take them
Davico
Roar Pro
No way Mahomes was th MVP of that game. Don't get me wrong, the guy is the best QB I have seen, but in this game he did not deserve it. 49s special teams let them down massively and CMC was by far the best player on the field. People will have a crack at Purdy, but he played decent and he did not get the luxury of sitting behind an above average QB like PH did. Lots saying this is an all time great SB, was tense, but would not say it was great. Lots of mistakes by both teams and the Chiefs had the experience to take advantage. Congrats to them and they got it done. Nobody can take away what they have acheived and they are deserved champs. Plenty of teams would be thinking what if though in this year!
mrl
Roar Rookie
World Champions two years in a row.
Albo
Roar Rookie
I thought both the Chiefs kickers ( Butger & Townsend) kept their team in it with faultless goal kicking and long punting , when the team was really struggling !
Dingo
Roar Rookie
While Mahomes is around the Chiefs have a shot at a dynasty. Big drive at end of final quarter to get field goal to tie game. Then winning drive in overtime. The Chiefs were outplayed for most of this game but hung on to win thanks to Mahomes.