Chiefs Super Again!
- Updated: February 12, 2024
Call it a dynasty: the Chiefs are the first team to win consecutive Super Bowls since 2003-04.
The Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl champions, again. Patrick Mahomes engineered a 75-yard touchdown drive to conclude overtime of Super Bowl LVIII, leading the Chiefs to their second consecutive NFL championship, this one a 25-22 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Kansas City became the first team since the 2003-04 New England Patriots to win back-to-back titles in what was just the second overtime game in Super Bowl history.
Mecole Hardman caught a 3-yard pass from Mahomes, one of only three players to win three or more Super Bowl MVPs, to end the 13-play walk-off scoring drive just one possession after the 49ers’ Jake Moody kicked a 27-yard field goal to conclude a 13-play, 66-yard drive that put San Francisco ahead of Kansas City to start the extra period.
The championship-winning drive, which included a fourth-and-1 scramble from Mahomes and a clutch 7-yard catch from tight end Travis Kelce, was a must-score for K.C. The NFL’s new playoff overtime rules — both teams are guaranteed at least one possession in the extra period — were in effect for the first time, and the Chiefs needed to answer the Niners’ field goal.
Scoring sparked late with 34 points posted after halftime as defense dominated the first 30 minutes. The Niners started with a 10-0 advantage as head coach Kyle Shanahan went into his bag of tricks with wide receiver Jauan Jennings throwing a touchdown to Christian McCaffrey in the second quarter. Jennings was dynamite for San Francisco, also grabbing a late go-ahead score, while McCaffrey fumbled on the game’s first possession but finished with 160 total yards.
The Chiefs avoided a first-half shutout with a late field goal from Harrison Butker, but it was a sluggish effort until the break with Kelce logging just one catch. The offensive malaise continued after Usher’s halftime performance with Mahomes throwing an interception to start the third quarter. It was clear Kansas City needed some sort of break to truly push San Francisco.
The Super Bowl turned on a dime later that period. Butker drilled a Super Bowl-record 57-yard field goal, and the Chiefs converted a fumbled punt — off the heel of Niners special teamer Darrell Luter Jr. — in the red zone into a touchdown. Mahomes found Marquez Valdes-Scantling across the goal line on the next play. Held out of the end zone until that point, Kansas City grabbed its first lead of the game at 13-10.Jennings’ touchdown receiving (followed by a missed extra point) concluded a 75-yard drive that put the Niners back on top, 16-13, as the wideout joined former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles as the only players to throw and catch a touchdown in a Super Bowl.The Chiefs drove down to the 3-yard line but settled for a 24-yard field goal from Butker to retie the game before Moody responded with a 53-yarder. However, Mahomes successfully executed a 2-minute drill as Butker added a 29-yard field goal with 3 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.Butker and Moody put together historic performances, combining to go 7 of 7 on field goals in the game. Moody previously set the Super Bowl record with a 55-yard field goal to start the second quarter before being bested by Butker.Mahomes was exceptional, completing 34 of 46 passes for 333 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while picking up 66 yards rushing on nine carries. He spread the ball around — eight pass-catchers had at least two receptions — slowly but surely overcoming a threatening 49ers defense that knocked him off his spot consistently in the first half.
Mahomes, with his third Super Bowl MVP, now sits alongside Tom Brady (five) and Joe Montana (three) atop the mountain while becoming just the third player to win the award back-to-back, joining Bart Starr (I-II) and Terry Bradshaw (XIII-XIV).
Kelce finished with 93 yards on nine receptions — doing much of his work in the second half and overtime — while Hardman and Valdes-Scantling caught Mahomes’ touchdowns.
Niners quarterback Brock Purdy completed 22 of 38 passes for 255 yards and a touchdown with star WR Deebo Samuel only gaining 41 total yards while battling through injury.
- The Chiefs are the first repeat champions since the 2003-04 Patriots, snapping the largest such drought in NFL history.
- Mahomes now has 15 playoff wins; only Brady and Montana have more in NFL history.
- All three of Mahomes’ Super Bowl wins have come after Kansas City trailed by 10+ points.
- This is the fourth Super Bowl championship in Chiefs history.
- The Chiefs are the fifth team to win three Super Bowls in a five-year span.
- Kelce is the third player in NFL history to lead three Super Bowl championship teams in yards receiving.
- Andy Reid is tied with Joe Gibbs and Bill Walsh for the third-most Super Bowl titles by a head coach in NFL history.
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