Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Champions 2024: Mahomes wins 3rd championship
Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LVIII
Chiefs win Super Bowl LVIII in overtime thriller
The Chiefs have won Super Bowl LVIII, their third victory in five years and second consecutive. The game started off quite boring, to be honest. It was a slow, back-and-forth defensive game throughout the first half and into the third quarter. But once things picked up, they really picked up, and the game ended up coming down to the wire and being sent into overtime.
Niners’ struggles
The Niners struggled throughout both halves with penalties, getting several false start calls and a few holdings that set them back. They unfortunately lost two of their players to injury throughout the game, too. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw injured his lower leg when he slipped on the grass. Later, they wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a hamstring injury. Both losses were significant for the Niners, but at least Samuel was able to come back in, though clearly not fully well.
Field goal records
In the first half, Niners kicker Jake Moody made history with the longest field goal ever recorded in a Super Bowl, with 55 yards. He beat Buffalo Bills’ Steve Christie’s previous record of 54 yards from Super Bowl 28 in 1994 when they lost to the Dallas Cowboys. A record that hadn’t been broken in 30 years was broken again about an hour later, but this time by Chiefs kicker Harrison Butler, who made a 57-yard field goal in the third quarter.
Game Summary
The first half of the Super Bowl was a mostly defensive game, with turnovers on both sides of the ball, one sack on Niners’ quarterback Brock Purdy, and two sacks on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The Niners found a way to get into the end zone on a trick play with 4 minutes left in the first half. Purdy tossed the ball to Jauan Jennings, who then passed it to running back Christian McCaffrey, who ran it 21 yards into the end zone for the touchdown.
Things didn’t get better for the Chiefs in the second half right away. Mahomes threw an interception, picked off by Ji'Ayir Brown almost immediately after the return from the half. Luckily for them, their own defense was on top of things, stopping the Niners from getting any more of a lead. They finally got their big break after Niners cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. muffed the punt and Chiefs’ cornerback Jaylen Watson was able to recover it at the Niners 16. That set them up for their first touchdown score of the game. Mahomes sent a pass to Marques Valdes-Scantling for a 16-yard touchdown. The Chiefs took the lead for the first time in the game, 13-10.
The Niners took a risk in the 4th quarter when they were at 4th and 3 at the Kansas City 15. They could have just kicked a field goal. I mean, their kicker just broke a record, right? But instead, Kyle Shanahan decided to take a Super Bowl risk. It paid off. Tight end George Kittle made the 1st down by just barely getting his arms ahead of the pylon. It was enough to give them the momentum they needed and on the next play, Purdy tossed the ball to Jauan Jennings, who made the 10-yard touchdown. After that, however, Moody missed the point after touchdown. How? It’s a mystery. But because of that, the Niners were only up by 3.
The Chiefs should have had a touchdown after that. They made it all the way to the Niners’ 4 at 1st and goal, but were held to 4th and goal and unlike the Niners, they played it safe and tied up the game 16-16 with a 24-yard field goal by Butker.
With two minutes left in the game, the Niners got within field goal range at the Chiefs 35. At 4th and 4, Moody attempted a 53-yard field goal and it was good. The Niners took a 19-16 lead, but gave the Chiefs plenty of time to get down the field, at least into field goal range.
With 40 seconds left, they did just that. They could win the game with a touchdown and tie it and send it into overtime with a field goal. Mahomes made a 22-yard pass to Kelce to the 11 and he went out of bounds with 10 seconds left. On the next play, he passed incomplete to Kelce and with 3 seconds left, they went for the field goal and it was good. Butker’s 29-yard field goal put the score at 19-19 and sent the game into overtime.
Much like the start of the game, the Chiefs won the toss again and deferred again. The Niners got the ball first. In overtime, both teams get a chance at possession. Another false start set them back 5 yards and at 3rd and 13, when Purdy threw the ball away, the Chiefs were called for Holding, giving the Niners the first down. After that, they were able to make it down the field to make a 27-yard Moody field goal.
That left Mahomes and company the chance to win the game with a touchdown. With 7:22 left, the Chiefs were quite quickly held to 4th and 1, but of course, they went for it and of course, it was a run by Mahomes to make the 1st down for 8 yards. From there, it took them two minutes and 45 seconds for Mahomes to make the pass to Hardman, who ran it 3 yards into the end zone and win the game. The Chiefs dynasty has begun.
While the Chiefs and 49ers go off and celebrate/commiserate, others are already turning their attention to fresh faces, with the NFL Combine not far away.
Your three time Super Bowl MVP had a message for all the doubters and haters out there. The Chiefs are never underdogs. How could they be when they have what is quickly becoming one of the all time greats at his position. He is one of only three players in history to win three Super Bowl MVPs, joining Joe Montana and Tom Brady who has five.
If there is a more likable guy in the NFL, I haven't seen him. He's a players coach that is more than willing to straighten someone up if they get out of line like he did with Kelce in the first half. While he can occasionally crack the whip he's going to be the first one ready to celebrate once that Lombardi Trophy is lifted.
Taylor Swift flew a long way and went through a roller coaster of emotions for that well-deserved moment...
There is no question about it. The Chiefs are the new dynasty taking the torch from Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The kiss seen round the world. I have to say, props to Taylor. While some other of the players girlfriends and wives went up to the stage, she let her man have her moment with his teammate. She didn't want to overshadow what Travis, Patrick and the rest of the Chiefs have done. I didn't dislike her before tonight, but after seeing that she has one more fan on the Swiftie bandwagon.
I don't know if coach Reid is getting used to these Gatorade baths or what, but he didn't even move when the ice bath came.
Butker woudl tie the game up at 16-16 on the possession following the Jennings' TD before Moody hit a go ahead FG from 53 yards with under 2:00 to go in the game shortly after missing the PAT. That left Mahomes plenty of time to drive down the field and he even had a chance to hit Kelce in the endzone for what would have been a dream ending for KC, Kelce and Swiftie. But the game went to OT after Butker's short field goal.
The Niners got the ball first and Purdy drove the Niners inside the 10 yard line, but they had to settle for a field goal. That meant its was Mahomes' time to shine and he set up a 13 play, seven minutes drive that was capped by this two yard pass to Mecole Hardman to seal back to back Lombardi Trophies for the Chiefs. It's the first time in 20 years a team have gone back to back. Ladies and gentleman, if there wasn't already a new dynasty in NFL, there is now.
Mahomes is the man
Kansas City Chiefs enjoying their quarterback, who now has three rings after just seven seasons. That's a 42% ring rate (and he wasn't a starter in 2017 so you could kind of say that doesn't count).
Two plays later, it was Purdy hitting Jauan Jennings on a 10 yard TD pass off the slant pattern and the Niners were back on the board and back in the lead early in the 4th quarter. Purdy went 23/38 for 255 yards and this TD, but the missed PAT by Moody was a pivotal mistake that allowed the Chiefs to settle for a field goal on their next possesion instead of having to go for a TD.
What many had been waiting for... what color was Andy Reid's Gatorade shower for his latest Super Bowl triumph...
With the game on the line and the offense at a stand still, Shanahan decided to go for it on 4th and 3 and Kittle came up with a huge catch to keep the drive alive.
On the play after the muffed punt, Mahomes hit Marques Valdes-Scantling on a 16 yard TD to five the Chiefs their first lead of the game.
This game really came down to who could avoid the mistakes in the biggest moments of the game, and the Niners made just enough blunders to allow the Chiefs to take control. Darrell Luter Jr. just grazed the football while trying to block for Ray-Ray McClound and it led to a mistake which Mahomes wasted no time punished the Niners for.
About an hour and a half after Moody set the record for longest field goal in Super Bowl history, Harrison Butker drills a 57 yarder to take possession of the newly set record.
Andy Murray congratulates the Chiefs' Swift
Scottish tennis legend Andy Murray had some congratulations for Taylor Swift, who lifted her first Super Bowl in her first season.
When the Chiefs needed it most, Patrick Mahomes put his team on his shoulders and carried his teammates to the finish line. He did it with his arm, he did it with his legs, he did it with his brain but most of all he did it with his heart.
The Chiefs had to wait more than 29 minutes to get on the board, and finally got their first points with a short Harrison Butker kick right before the halftime break.
The Niners had to go into the trick book to get into the end zone. Jennings hit McCaffery on a pass back and he followed his blockers into the endzone for a 21 yard TD.
Chiefs celebrating
Clark Hunt, Chiefs CEO: "I want to congratulate Andy on this incredible run. What an incredible performance"
Coach Andy Reid comes up to lift the Vince Lombardi trophy.
This game had a little bit of all. Including Taylor Swift chugging a beer in her 2 million dollar suite.
Mahomes after the win
Mahomes: “The guys never faltered. I got to give God the glory. He challenged us to make us better, and I’m proud of my guys. This is awesome. It’s legendary.”
Isiah Pacheco has been the work horse for the Chiefs all season long, but he gave the ball back just when it looked like the Chiefs had momentum on their side.
The Niners defense kept Mahomes and the Chiefs in check for the first quarter, but you can't keep the No. 15 down too long. He hit Melcore Hardman on a 52 yard dime to set up 1st and Goal from the 9.
Rookie kicker Jake Moody had a Super Bowl filled with peaks and valleys. He hit a 55 yard field goal to set a Super Bowl record, but would miss a PAT that ended up being detrimental to the Niners.
The Niners came out of the gate swinging, but McCaffery had a rare fumble to end the drive at the 25 as the Chiefs defense came up with big plays all night.
The Chiefs never looked like the best team in the league at any point in the league, but in the end it's Mahomes carrying the Chiefs to another Super Bowl title. It's their fourth in franchise history, and third in the last half decade.
Tom Brady, look out. Mahomes looks unstoppable. If he won it this year, he can win it any year.
Give a lot of credit to this KC defense who kept the Niners as quiet as they could. They got the stop on the first drive of the OT session which gave Mahomes the green light to go win the game.
THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS ARE THE NFL'S NEWEST DYNASTY!!!
TOUCHDOWN CHIEFS!!!
Mahomes on the roll out to the right side and and he found Hardman wide open in the end zone for the Super Bowl sealing touchdown!!!!
CHIEFS WIN BACK TO BACK SUPER BOWLS AND THEIR THIRD IN FIVE YEARS
Screen pass up the middle for Kelce and he follows his blockers for a gain of 7 yards.
1st and Goal from the 3.
Pacheco gets the handoff up the middle for a gain of 3 yards.
2nd and 7 from the SF 10.
Mahomes tucks it and runs up the middle for a 19 yard scramble!!!!
1st and 10 from the SF 13.
Screen pass over the middle for Pacheco who gets almost enough for a first down.
3rd and inches from the 30.
Timeout SF with 2:49 to go in the OT.
Mahomes thought about going deep but checked down to Pacheco instead who picked up 4 yards.
2nd and 6 from the SF 37.
Mahomes on the crossing route to Rice and he turns up the right sideline for a gain of 13 yards and a first down!
1st and 10 form the SF 41.
Mahomes with a quick pass to Valdes-Scantling and he takes it 7 yards on the pitch and catch.
3rd and 6 from the KC 46.
Mahomes finds Valdes-Scantling who gets spun back into the backfield for a loss of 4 instead of a gain of 5.
2nd and 14 from the KC 38.
Mahomes with the play action out of the shotgun and he keeps it on the run pass option for an 8 yard gain.
1st and 10 from the KC 42.
Timeout KC with 6:05 to go in the OT session.
Pacheco up the middle but he is stuffed by Hargrave at the line of scrimmage!
4th and 1 coming up and KC have to go for it!
Short pass to Rice on the left side and he is taken down a yard short of the marker.
3rd and 1 coming up.
Pacheco with a three yard carry up the middle to start the drive.
2nd and 8 from the KC 28.
Two time Super Bowl MVP and champion Patrick Mahomes takes over from the 25 needing a TD to win.
FIELD GOAL!!!
Moody with another big FG, this one from 27 yards and he's making his case for the MVP in this game.
SF take the 22-19 lead with 7:22 in the OT.
Purdy tried to loop one in the end zone for Jennings but they weren't on the same page and the Niners are going to have to settle for a field goal.
4th and 4 from the KC 9.
McCaffery is stopped for a short gain on 2nd down.
3rd and 4 from the KC 9.
McCaffery with a 6 yard carry to the right side on first down.
2nd and 4 from the KC 9.
Purdy rolls to the right side and finds Juszczyk along the sideline for a 13 yard pick up.
1st and 10 form the KC 15.
Mitchell sprints to the edge and gets the first down but a holding call on Willis is going to bring that play back.
2nd and 12 from the KC 28.
McCaffery with an 8 yards run to the left side to set up 2nd and short.
2nd and 2 from the KC 18.
McCaffery slipped out of the backfield and Purdy lobbed it to him on a short pass to the left which he taks 24 yards down the left sideline.
1st and 10 from the KC 26.
McCaffery on the run to the left side and he gets 4 yards on the first down run.
2nd and 6 from the 50.
Aiyuk over the middle and he makes another huge 3rd down conversion after a 11 yard pick up.
1st and 10 from the SF 46.
McCaffery gets the handoff up the middle and he takes it 5 yards to set up 3rd and short.
3rd and 2 from the SF 35.
McCaffery gets the pitch on the left side and he gets 3 yards on first down.
2nd and 7 from the SF 30.
Purdy had time and his pass was batted at the line, but a holding on McDuffie is going to give the Niners a free first down!
1st and 10 from the SF 27.
After a false start on Aiyuk, Purdy faked the pass to the flat and under hand tossed it to McCaffery who picks up 2 yards.
3rd and 13 from the SF 22.
Purdy looking over the middle for Deebo and that hit off his hands and almost into the hands of Bolton!
2nd and 10 from the SF 25.
Purdy and the Niners offense start overtime from the 25.
Coin toss
The Chiefs win the toss and they are going to give the ball to the Niners to start the OT session so they know what they have to do once they get the ball back.
Remember, in the playoffs each team gets a possession no matter if the team that gets the ball first scores a TD.
Purdy kneels it down and we are headed to extra football from Las Vegas.
FIELD GOAL!!!
Butker with ice in his veins drills the 29 yard field goal to tie this game up.
We are headed to overtime from Sin City!
Mahomes goes for Kelce on the sideline right at the goal line but the back shoulder pass falls incomplete.
2nd and 10 from the 11.
Mahomes finds Kelce on the crossing route and he races down the left side for a gain of 22 yards and a first down with 10 seconds to go!
1st and 10 from the KC 11
Mahomes throws the second down pass out of bounds.
3rd and 7 from the SF 33.
Mahomes tries to tuck it and run up the middle but picks up three yards and lets the clock continue to run.
2nd and 7 from the SF 33.
Beautiful play call set up on 3rd and 2 as Mahomes finds McKinnon for 7 yards and a first down!
1st and 10 from the SF 36 with 40 to go.
Mahomes' pass to Watson on the left side falls incomplete.
3rd and 2 from the KC 43.
Mahomes finds Watson for a gain of 8 over the middle.
2nd and 2 from the KC 43.
Mahomes finds Gray on the left side for a gain of 12 yards and another first down.
1st and 10 from the KC 49.
Mahomes tucks it and runs to the sideline for a 12 yard gain and a first down.
1st and 10 from the KC 47.
Mahomes hits Kelce on a short pass for 10 yards and a first down.
1st and 10 from the KC 35.
Here comes Mahomes and the Chiefs, taking over from the 25 with 1:53 to go.
FIELD GOAL!!!
Moody, with a gutsy kick, with the game on the line and he drills the 53 yard kick to take the lead! The rookie might have just kicked the game winner!
SF lead 19-16 with 1:53 to go in the 4th .
The Chiefs brought the rush and McDuffie was in the face of Purdy when he released the pass which falls incomplete.
4th and 4 from the SF 32.
We are headed to the Two Minute Warning from Las Vegas!
Biggest play of the game coming up after the break!
3rd and 4 from the SF 32.
Purdy finds Kittle off the bootleg but he is dragged down on the right side after a gain of a yard.
3rd and 4 from the SF 32.
McCaffery gets the pitch and he picks up 5 yards on the left side.
2nd and 5 from the SF 33.
McCaffery up the middle and he picks up the first down on a three yard run up the middle.
1st and 10 from the SF 38.
Deebo on the end around and he sprints down the right sideline for a gain of 9 yards!
2nd and 1 from the SF 41.
Here comes Purdy and the Niners from the 25 and he hits Jennings down the seam for a 23 yard pick up on first down!
1st and 10 from the SF 48.
FIELD GOAL!!!!
After the missed PAT, the Chiefs tie up the game with a field goal with Butker's 24 yard kick.
We are all square at 16-16 with 5:46 to go in the 4th quarter.
Oh yeah. This game could go on forever. Get comfy, just in case.
Mahomes tried rolling right, and looked to tuck it and run but he was taken down by Hargrave for a loss of 3 yards and the FG unit is going to come on!
4th and and Goal from the SF 6.
Mahomes had all kinds of time and broke free to the right side after he skipped around Bosa, but his pass to the end zone was incomplete.
3rd and Goal from the 4.
Pacheco with another run up the middle and he is taken down at the line of scrimmage.
2nd and Goal from the 4.
Pacheco up the middle and he jets through the middle for a gain of 8 yards.
1st and Goal from the 4.
Pitch to Pacheco out of the shot gun and he takes it 9 yards on the left side to bring up 2nd and short.
2nd and 1 from the SF 12.
Watson broke open on the left sideline and he drags in the catch for 25 yards and a first down!
1st and 10 from the SF 21.
Mahomes fumbled the snap out of the shotgun and tried to force one over the middle which was almost picked off!
2nd and 10 from the SF 46.
Niners risk-taking pays off
The 49ers were at 4th and 3 on the Chiefs 15. They could easily have just tied up the game with a field goal but they decided to go for it. Though it’s a call not many of us would have made, it did pay off.
Purdy passed it to Kittle and he just barely made it over the line for the 1st down. But he made it. And just after, Jennings caught the pass in the end zone for the touchdown, putting them up 16-13. The point after touchdown, however, was no good as it was blocked by Chenal. Now the Niners are up, yes, but just by 3. So the risk paid off, but…was it worth it? That will likely depend on what the Chiefs do here next.
Mahomes stands in the pocket and lobs one over the middle for Kelce who makes the catch and picks up 13 yards for a first down!
1st and 10 from the SF 46.
Short pass to Rice on the left side and he couldn't makes the diving catch.
3rd and 10 from the KC 41.
Pacheco gets hog tied at the line of scrimmage by Armstead.
2nd and 10 from the KC 41.
KC get the ball back at the 25, down 3 and Mahomes finds Kelce on the out route for a gain of 16 yards.
1st and 10 from the KC 41.
The Niners took a gamble and it paid off. The Lions took a couple risks in the NFC Championship which cost them the game. That's one of those plays if you don't get it then everyone questions you after the game. Luckily for Shanahan Purdy delivered on 4th down and on the 2nd down pass to Jennings.
TOUCHDOWN!!!
Jennings on the short slant and he makes the catch, breaks a tackle and skips into the end zone!
SF take the lead back, but miss the PAT, so the lead is 16-13 with 11:22 to go in the 4th quarter.
McCaffery gets the handoff up the middle and he picks up a yard.
2nd and 9 from the KC 10.
The offense stays on the field and Purdy finds Kittle on the out route to the right side and he stretches for the first down before getting pushed out of bounds.
1st and 10 from the KC 11.
Run to the right side from McCaffery and the KC line pushes through and drops him a yard behind the line of scrimmage.
4th and 3 from the KC 15.
McCaffery gets the pitch to the left side and he picks up 8 yards.
3rd and 2 from the KC 14.
Purdy had Deebo in the endzone off the play action but that pass was overthrown after some pressure affected the pass.
2nd and 10 from the KC 22.
Purdy over the middle and he finds Aiyuk for 20 yards on the first play of the fourth quarter!
1st and 10 from the KC 22.
Juszczyk moves the chains with a two yard pick up on the final play of the third quarter.
1st and 10 from the KC 42 with 15:00 to go in Super Bowl LVIII
WR screen to the left side and Samuel follows his blockers for a gain of 9 yards on a bad hammy.
2nd and 1 from the KC 44.
Jennings on the out route to the right side and he makes the catch, shakes a defender and picks up 17 yards to keep the drive alive.
1st and 10 from the SF 47.
Things finally turning around for the Chiefs
The Chiefs kept looking like they’d get momentum, but just never did. Thankfully for them, they got lucky to recover a fumbled punt at the 16-yard line, setting them up perfectly for what came next. Mahomes chucked it to Valdes-Scantling for a 16-yard touchdown. This game is all over the place.
Timeout SF with 1:42 on the clock as the game clock was winding down.
McCaffery gets the handoff up the middle and he picks up 5 yards to bring up third and medium.
3rd and 5 from the SF 30.
SF take over from the 25 and Purdy's pass to Aiyuk was tipped at the line and falls incomplete.
2nd and 10 from the SF 25.
TOUCHDOWN!!!
On the play after the fumble, Mahomes drills Valdes-Scantling who was wide open in the end zone and the Chiefs take their first lead of the game!
KC lead 13-10 after the fumble recovery. We've got 2:30 to go in the third quarter.
FUMBLE!!!
Luter touched it trying to throw a block SF tried to recover it, but it was recovered by Watson at the 16 and KC get the big break they were looking for!
KC take over from the SF 16!
Bosa holds contain on Mahomes and forces the QB to throw the ball into the dirt.
4th and 2 from the KC 35.
Mahomes steps up in the pocket and shovel passes it to Kelce for a gain of 5 yards.
3rd and 2 from the KC 35.
KC get the ball back from their 27 and Pacheco gets three yards up the middle on first down.
2nd and 7 from the KC 30.
Purdy going over the middle looking for Samuel but that pass was forced into traffic and broken up by McDuffie.
4th and 10 from the SF 25.
Long pass to Aiyuk on the out route and that pass falls incomplete after great coverage by Edwards.
3rd and 10 from the SF 25.
SF get the ball back from the 25 and McCaffery is stopped at the line of scrimmage for no gain. Deebo is back in the game after suffering a hamstring injury last series.
2nd and 10 from the SF 25.
FIELD GOAL!!!
Butker drills the 57 yarder with a low line drive kick that breaks the Super Bowl record set earlier in the game by Moody when he hit it from 55 yards.
KC chip into the lead, but can't get into the end zone. San Fran lead 10-6 with 5:01 to go in the third quarter.
Butker beats Jake Moody's FG record
Just today, the 49ers kicker Jake Moody set a record that hadn't been broken in three decades, for longest field goal made in the Super Bowl with 55 yards. Now, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker outdid him, breaking the record he held for only about an hour, making a 57-yard field goal.
Mahomes checks down for Hardman who is swallowed up by Lenoir.
4th and 6 from the SF 39.
Mahomes was rushed out of the pocket and had to throw it away with no one open down field.
3rd and 8 from the SF 41.
Pacheco gets the handoff to the right side and he picks up a couple yards on first down.
2nd and 8 from the SF 41.
Mahomes with another designed run and he takes it for another first down on a 22 yard run down the right hash!
1st and 10 from the SF 43.
Mahomes rolls left, and tucks it for a 4 yard pick up and a first down!
1st and 10 from the KC 35.
Pacheco gets the handoff to the left side and he backs his way up for a 4 yard gain.
3rd and 4 from the KC 31.
Screen pass to Pacheco who gets wrapped up after a short gain of 2 up the middle.
2nd and 8 from the KC 27.
Mahomes with a short pass to the right side for Kelce who makes the catch and moves the chains for the first first down of the 2nd half.
1st and 10 from the KC 25.
Conley rips down James with one hand as soon as he made the catch!
1st and 10 from the KC 14.
Conley rips down James with one hand as soon as he made the catch!
1st and 10 from the KC 14.
Purdy looking down the left sideline for Kittle but the TE had no idea where the ball was and that will bring up 4th down.
On the other side of the field, Samuel pulled up and went to ground grabbing his hamstring.
That's doubly painful for the NIners who punt the ball away with 9:15 on the clock and may be without one of their top players on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.
McCafffery makes the catch out of the backfield and he slides for a 7 yard gain on the left side.
3rd and 10 from the SF 35.
Purdy shakes a couple of tackles to avoids a sack and checks down to Jennings but he is dropped by Chenal for a loss of 8 yards.
2nd and 18 from the SF 28.
Reid decides to punt it and a fair catch is called by McCloud at the SF 36 with 10:45 to go in the third quarter.
Pacheco gets stuffed at the line of scrimmage and that's going to bring up 4th and short!
What do the Chiefs do here deep in their own territory?
Mahomes with a pass on the flat route to Kelce on the right side and he picks up 9 yards to bring up 3rd and short.
3rd and 1 from the KC 11.
Mahomes going to the air and goes deep down the left sideline for Valdes-Scantling but that pass was too far overthrown.
2nd and 10 from the KC 2.
Things not getting better offensively for Chiefs in second half
The Chiefs came into the second half looking for a turnaround, and instead they created a turnover, and not in their favor. Mahomes came out of the break and almost immediately threw an interception, with Niners safety Ji'Ayir Brown catching an interception intended for Marques Valdes-Scantling. The Niners didn’t do anything with that opportunity though. Their third false start penalty of the game set them back 5 yards and they got stuck at 4th and 11, punting it back to the Chiefs again. The Chiefs have to do something this go-round. They’re playing sloppy on offense.
Conley downs the ball at the one after a perfect high arching punt from Wishnowsky!
Purdy takes off and makes a sprint to the sideline but is wrapped up by Gay after a loss of 4 yards.
4th and 11 from the KC 45 and the Niners will punt after coming up with a pick to start the half.
After a false start on Banks, Purdy's pass to Samuel falls incomplete.
3rd and 15 from the KC 49.
Purdy was pressured on the roll out to the right side and he just had to throw that away.
2nd and 10 from the KC KC 44.
INTERCEPTION!!!
Mahomes steps up in the pocket, looking for Kelce on a pass on the run and Brown sneaks in and makes the pick! Mahomes throws a postseason pick for the first time in 218 pass attempts!
1st and 10 from the KC 44 for the Niners.
Mahomes looking over the middle for Gray who picks up 10 yards.
3rd and 12 from the KC 23.
Mahomes and the Chiefs get the ball to start the half, starting their drive from the 25.
Mahomes pitched it to Pacheco who muffed it and is taken down for a loss of 12 after making the recovery.
2nd and 22 from the KC 13.
WE ARE BACK IN LAS VEGAS FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION IN SUPER BOWL LVIII!!!
Butker put the Chiefs on the board right before the halftime break and now KC is going to come out of the break with the ball and a chance to tie the score up on the opening drive of the third quarter.
This is the play that made the differnce in the first half. Shanahan goes to his trick book and comes up with a gem, that in all honestly could have and maybe should have been picked, but instead the Offensive POY took it for a 21 yard TD!
Pacheco has been the Chiefs work horse all year, but when they had a chance to take the lead early in the 2nd quarter he was stripped by Lenoir and the fumble was recovered by Hargrave.
Mahomes was kept in check for most of the first quarter, but had his moments in the second quarter. This 52 bomb to Hardman set up 1st and Goal from the 9.
Moody drilled the longest field goal in the history of the Super Bowl, nailing this one from 55 yards breaking Steve Christie's record from 54 yards.
Purdy was 10/15 for 123 yards, and not looking phased by the big stage at all. This game might come down to which quarterback, the second year Mr. Irrelevant or the two time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes?
The Niners marched down the field on the opening drive on the shoulders of McCaffery but he was stripped and the Chiefs recovered the ball to keep San Fran off the board in the first quarter.
Mahomes is 11/13 with 123 yards but really only had one impactful pass before the final drive of the first half. That was the 52 yard bomb to Hardman on the play before the Pacheco fumble.
KC looked better on their final drive, as Mahomes hit Pacheco on the ground and through the air. Pacheco has 27 yards rushing and 21 yards receiving. Kelce has one catch for one yard.
San Fran got off to a great start, marching down the field with McCaffery who got four of the first five touches. On his fourth touch, McCaffery fumbled it at the SF 25.
The most impressive part of the Niners game so far, it's the offensive and defensive line. They are dominating the line of scrimmage and that's making life difficult for Mahomes and company.
McCaffery would bounce back, totaling 77 yards and scoring a TD on a 21 yard pass back play. Purdy hasn't looked nervous in his first Super Bowl start going 10/15 for 123 yards.
We are headed to halftime!
McCaffery gets the handoff and picks up 6 yards and the Niners are going to let the clock run down as we hit halftime!
The Niners lead 10-3 after a couple of early fumbles from both teams. McCaffery gave it up on the first possession of day and Pacheco returned the favor inside the SF 10 later in the quarter. It's McCaffery's TD on the pass back from Jennings that separates us after 30 minutes from Las Vegas.
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All about the D in the first half
The first half has just been completely dominated by the 49ers and Chiefs defenses. Both sides gave it back to the other. The Niners started with a fumble, which the Chiefs recovered. Not long after, the Chiefs fumbled and the Niners recovered it. Mahomes was sacked once, Purdy was sacked once.
The Niners were the team to finally get some points on the board in the second quarter, but it was just a field goal, after McDuffie blocked a deep pass by Purdy to stop a potential touchdown. Jake Moody ended up setting a record for the longest-ever field goal made in a Super Bowl with a 55-yarder.
And it was the Niners who finally broke the cycle. On 2nd and 10, the Niners made a wild play that worked out well. Purdy tossed the ball over to Jennings, who passed it back to McCaffrey, who ran the ball 21 yards into the end zone to get the touchdown. The Offensive Player of the Year made up for his fumble earlier in the game. It must have given them some encouragement, but they’re going to have to be a lot less sloppy in the second half if they want to keep the momentum going. Holding calls, false starts, fumbles…that’s exactly how you lose games.
The Chiefs offense also has to step up as they’ve done very little in the first half. The best play they had was a 52-yard pass from Mahomes to Hardman, and it was immediately followed by a fumble that was recovered by San Francisco. Towards the end of the first half, Watson dropped a pass that should have been an easy catch. Let’s not forget that the Chiefs had the most dropped passes of any team in the league during the regular season, and it’s still haunting them now in the biggest game of them all.
The Chiefs managed to not get completely shut out in the first half, with a 28-yard Butker field goal with 20 seconds left in the game to make it a 10-3 score heading into halftime. Just before the field goal, Mahomes tried to fake a pass and was sacked by Armstead. His usual tricks just aren't working on this Niners defense. The Chiefs will need to come up with a plan heading into the second half here.
San Fran will get the ball from the 20 with 20 on the clock. How risky do they want to be with no much time to go before halftime?
FIELD GOAL!!!
Butker puts the Chiefs on the board with a 28 yard field goal in the last minute of the first half. That was a good drive, but the Chiefs wanted 7 on that trip in the red zone. They do get the ball back after the halftime break.
SF lead 10-3 with 20 to go in the first half.
Mahomes felt the pocket collapsing and he stepped up, jumped like he was going to pass and was sacked by Armstead!
4th and 6 from the SF 10.
Rice gets the handoff on the end around and he is dropped after a gain of 2.
3rd and 5 from the SF 9 and SF is going to take a timeout with 31 seconds to go.
WR screen to the right side to Rice who gets three yards.
2nd and 7 from the SF 11.
Mahomes with a pass over the middle to Rice and that 11 yard reception moves the chains. Timeout KC with 1:09 to go in the half.
1st and 10 from the SF 14.
Mahomes hits Rice on a quick screen on the left side and he moves the chains with an 6 yard catch and run.
1st and 10 form the SF 25
Pass to the flat for Pacheco who lowers his head and gets 8 yards before getting out of bounds with 1:40 on the clock.
3rd and 2 from the SF 31.
Mahomes going back over the middle for Watson again, but he couldn't make the catch that was a bit behind him.
2nd and 10 from the SF 39.
Mahomes gets out of the pocket and finds Watson over the middle on a pass across his body for a gain of 21 yards and a first down! Huge conversion there from KC!
1st and 10 from the SF 39.
Hardman jumped offside after the Two Minute Warning and the Chiefs shoot themselves in the foot again!
3rd and 9 from the KC 40.
Edwards-Helaire gets the handoff to the left side and he is dropped at the line of scrimmage. That's going to take us to the Two Minute Warning in the first half here from Vegas.
3rd and 4 from the KC 45 coming up.
Sad, sad sight as Greenlaw injured himself coming onto the field.
Mahomes finds Pacheco out of the backfield and he gets 6 yards on the first down pitch and catch.
2nd and 4 from the KC 45.
Pacheco moves the chains with a six yard run up the middle.
1st and 10 from the KC 39.
KC get the ball back from the 25 with 4:23 to go, and Pachceo gets the carry to the left side for an 8 yard gain.
2nd and 2 from the KC 33.
TOUCHDOWN!!!!
Purdy with a pass out to Jennings in the flat and he tossed it all the way back to McCaffery on the other sideline and the Offensive Player of the Year had a gang of blockers that led him into the end zone for a 21 yard TD!
San Fran lead 10-0 with 4:23 to go in the first half.
Purdy on a short pass over the middle to Deebo but Bolton was blanketed all over the WR and knocked it down.
2nd and 10 from the KC 21.
Pitch to Mitchell on the right side and he picks up just a yard but Sneed was flagged for a late hit on Aiyuk.
1st and 10 from the KC 21.
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Here's the lowdown on that horse-collar tackle earlier on from Nick Bolton on Purdy, which led to a 15-yard penalty. That kind of tackle was banned after the 2004 season.
Mitchell gets his first handoff up the middle and picks up 7 yards after a nice cut behind the line of scrimmage.
2nd and 3 from the KC 37.
McCaffery gets the ball right back after that tough hit and he moves the chains with a 5 yard run.
1st and 10 from the KC 44.
Purdy finds McCaffery on the pass out of the backfield and he took a nasty hit but got right back up after a gain of 6.
2nd and 4 from the KC 49.
Purdy going back over the middle for Deebo on the crossing route and he makes the catch, dishes out some punishment and picks up the first down with a 12 yard gain.
1st and 10 from the SF 45.
SF take over from their 33 and Purdy's pass over the middle was a bit too low for Deebo who couldn't make the shoestring catch.
2nd and 10 from the KC 33.
There hasn't been much scoring in this game, but the only points on the board made Super Bowl history. Believe it or not, the rookie, Jake Moody just kicked the longest field goal in Super Bowl history! Our own Jeffery May has more.
The pocket collapsed on Mahomes and he tried to take off up the middle, but he was dropped by Armstead after a 3 yard gain.
4th and 13 from the KC 17.
Pacheco with the run up the middle and he picks up 4 yards to bring up 3rd and long.
3rd and 16 and from the KC 14.
KC get the ball from the 20 and Mahomes was in the grasp of Young, and he tried to chest pass it out of bounds, but a flag flies for intentional grounding!
2nd and 20 from the KC 10.
Greenlaw just got hurt running on to the field, and it looked awfully similar to Aaron Rodgers injury. He doesn't look like he's coming back in this game. That's a huge loss for San Fran.
The defensive battle continues
The Chiefs got a big chance after Mahomes made a deep pass to Hardman for 52 yards all the way to the Niners 9, only to give it right back to San Francisco again when Pacheco fumbled the ball and Niners’ Hargrave recovered it.
On the Niners’ next drive, at 3rd and 8, Purdy was sacked by Reid. Chiefs’ James actually muffed that pass, but recovered it, luckily for him. But now, with 9:16 left in the first half, the Chiefs have the ball back again. Let’s see if they can do anything with it this time.
James muffed the punt but he makes a miraculous recovery at the 20.
1st and 10 Chiefs after their defense gets a stop following the red zone turnover.
Purdy was forced out of the pocket and chased down by Reid who drops him for a 4 yard sack.
4th and 13 from the SF 29.
McCaffery with the carry to the left side and he is stopped for no gain.
3rd and 9 from the SF 33.
Samuel on the run up the middle and he gets a yard on first down.
2nd and 9 from the SF 33.
Purdy with the scramble on the left side and a late flag flies on Bolton for a horse collar tackle even though he didn't bring him down.
1st and 10 from the SF 32.
FUMBLE!!!
The Niners come up with their timely turnover, stripping Pacheco on a run to the left side! Lenoir knocked it out and Hargrave was there to make the recovery! Huge swing after the deep ball from Mahomes to Hardman on the previous play.
SF ball from their own 8 with 11:59 to go in the second quarter.
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Mahomes with all kinds of time and he takes a deep shot to Hardman who makes the catch after the San Fran saftey just gave up on the play!
1st and Goal from the 9!
Rice gets the end around and he gets just enough for the first down to keep the drive alive!
1st and 10 from the KC 36.
Moody makes Super Bowl history
Turns out that Jake Moody field goal of 55 yards was actually the longest-ever field goal made in a Super Bowl.
Before him it was Steve Christie in 1994 with a 54-yard field goal for the Buffalo Bills when they lost Super Bowl XXVIII to the Dallas Cowboys.
Pacecho gets the handoff up the middle and he fights for two yards.
3rd and 1 from the KC 34.
KC take over from their 25, trailing for the first time tonight. Mahomes goes tot he air and hits Pacheco out of the backfield for a catch and run of 7 yards.
2nd and 3 from the KC 33.
FIELD GOAL!!!
Moody drills a 55 yarder to put the first points on the board! He may be the shakiest part of the Niners team, but the rookie steps up and drills the long FG.
SF lead 3-0 with 14:48 to go in the second quarter.
Niners get first points on the board
After a defensive back-and-forth, the Niners were the first to finally get down into Chiefs territory again, making it to their 33-yard line. They were quickly brought to 3rd and long though with a big stop on McCaffrey from Anudike-Uzoma.
Purdy made a deep pass on that 3rd and long to the end zone, but McDuffie made a great block on Deebo Samuel to force them to try for a field goal. Moody's 55-yard try was good, so the Niners at least got some points on the board, but I think it’s safe to say we’ll need to see a little more effort on the offensive side if this game is gonna get going.
Purdy taking a shot to Deebo in the end zone on 3rd and long but that was knocked away by McDuffie at the last second! What a play by the DB to keep the Niners out of the end zone.
4th and 14 from the KC 37 and the Niners are going to try a long field goal.
McCaffery is swallowed up for a loss of four by Anudike-Uzomah on the final play of the first quarter.
It's been defensive battle so far. An early turnover from McCaffery keeps the Niners off the board on the first possession. KC have 126 total yards while the Chiefs have just 16 yards after the first 15 minutes.
3rd and 14 coming up from the KC 37 after the break.
Purdy faked the throw to the flat and took a shot to Aiyuk in the end zone and that pass was a little overthrown.
2nd and 10 from the KC 33.
Purdy finds McCloud with another strike down field for a gain of 18 yards!
1st and 10 form the KC 33.
Purdy going to the air on 3rd and long and he finds Conley on the fade route to the left side for a pick up of 18 yards to keep the drive alive.
1st and 10 from the SF 48.
Purdy had time to let the routes develop but his pass to Deebo on the left has was too far out in front of the WR.
3rd and 9 from the SF 30.
Pass out of the flat for McCaffery who is getting a heavy dose of touches and and he gets a yard on the left side.
2nd and 9 from the SF 30.
McCaffery finds a hole up the middle and he picks up the first down on a 4 yard run.
1st and 10 from the SF 29.
McCaffery gets another handoff to the left side and he picks up 3 yards on first down.
2nd and 2 from the SF 25.
SF start their drive from the 17 and McCaffery takes the handoff to the left side for a gain of 8 on first down but the Chiefs accept the penalty.
1st and 5 from the SF 22.
SF start their drive from the 17 and McCaffery takes the handoff to the left side for a gain of 8 on first down.
2nd and 2 from the SF 25.
Offenses getting nowhere
After a nice 10-yard run by Pacheco, Mahomes was sacked for a loss of 4 yards by Young. Just after, Warner came straight for Rice for no gain and the Chiefs were suddenly at 3rd and long yet again. They needed 15 and got 4, giving the ball right back to the Niners again. Neither team is getting anywhere fast at this rate. The defenses came out to play in the first quarter.
Mahomes couldn't find anything open down field, so he took off but was chased down by Gregory after a 4 yard gain.
4th and 10 from the KC 21.
Mahomes with a pass to Rice in the flat and he is swarmed at the line of scimmage.
3rd and 14 from the KC 17.
Young comes off the edge and drops Mahomes for a loss of 4 yards.
2nd and 14 from the KC 17.
Pacheco gets the handoff out of the shotgun and he lowers his head and makes a couple of jukes to pick up 10 yards and a first down.
1st and 10 from the KC 21.
Great punt from Wishnowsky and that will pin the Chiefs back to their own 11 yard line.
1st and 10 from deep in KC territory to start their second drive of the day.
It’s a defensive game so far
After the Niners fumbled on their opening drive and the Chiefs recovered it with an early opportunity, Kansas City simply did not maximize on it, going 3 and out right away. On the Niners’ next drive, they went 3 and out, too! They messed things up for themselves with two penalties in a row - a false start and a holding call. At 2nd and 27, they were only able to pick up 8 and then 12, forcing a punt at 4th down only to get another false start call.
Deebo with the catch on the pass over the middle but the Chiefs wrap him up after a 12 yard pick up to bring the punt unit on.
4th and 7 from the SF 45.
McCaffery gets the screen pass to the right side and he picks up 7 yards, but the Niners have a long way to go.
3rd and 20 from the SF 32.
After a false start on Williams backs the Niners up 5 yards, Purdy rolled to the right side and threw it all the way back across field for Kittle who made the catch and moved the chains but a hold on Williams is going to bring that play back.
2nd and 27 from the SF 25.
Deebo with his first touch of the game and he takes a run to the left side for a loss of two yards.
2nd and 12 from the SF40.
Purdy going to the air on first down and he throws a strike over the middle to Aiyuk for a gain of 18 yards on the first play of the second drive.
1st and 10 from the SF 42.
The Niners fumble for the first time in the playoffs on the opening drive of the game, but then hold the Chiefs to a three and out.
1st and 10 Niners from their 24 yard line.
Mahomes was pressured out of the pocket and he was forced to check down to McKinnon who picked up 8 but was well short of the marker.
4th and 4 from the KC 33.
TE screen to the left flat for Kelce and he is dropped by a gang of Niners after a gain of one.
3rd and 12 from the KC 25.
Pacheco gets swallowed up on the handoff out of the shotgun, losing three yards on the first play of the Chiefs night.
2nd and 13 from the KC 24.
McCaffrey messed it up for the Niners to start...
The Niners got off to a hot start in the first quarter after the Chiefs decided to defer. Juszczyk took off on an 18-yard run and McCaffrey had two back-to-back 11-yard runs.
Unfortunately for them, they gave it RIGHT back to the Chiefs, and it was McCaffrey who did it. At the Chiefs’ 27-yard line, McCaffrey fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Chiefs’ Karlaftis.
FUMBLE!!!
McCaffery with a got the handoff to the left side and he was stripped by Chenal! It is recovered by Karlaftis at the KC 27 and the Chiefs D come up with a huge turnover on the opening drive of the game! They have been doing that all season long, and in the biggest game of the year the Chiefs D forces a fumble on one of the best players in the league.
1st and 10 from the KC 27.
McCaffery gets the handoff up the middle and he drags a couple of defenders for a gain of 11 and moves the chains again!
1st and 10 from the KC 29.
Purdy looking over the middle and he finds McCaffery for a gain of 11 yards and another first down.
1st and 10 from the KC 40.
Juszcyzk gets the pass on the right side after the roll out from Purdy and that goes for 18 yards after a leaping effort at the end of that play!
1st and 10 from the SF 49.
Handoff to McCaffery on the left side and he picks up 6 yards on the first play of the game.
2nd and 4 from the SF 31.
Here we go!
Super Bowl LVIII is underway from Allegiant Stadium! Butker had the last kick of last Super Bowl and he starts us off with a touchback to get us underway!
Purdy and the Niners begin the day from their 25.
There isn't an empty seat in the house here in Vegas. We are just moments from showtime!
KC win toss
The Chiefs win the coin toss and they choose to defer to the second half!
Brock Purdy and the Niners are going to start the game with the ball.
Captains at the 50
The captains of the NIners, Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Arik Armstead and Fred Warner meet at midfield with the Chiefs captains, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Jerick McKinnon, Chris Jones and Nick Bolton for the coin toss.
Reba McEntire sings National Anthem
Reba is looking and sounding great! She sang the National Anthem and sounded as good as she ever has.
The coin toss is coming up next!
It's Post Malone's time to take the mic. He is singing America the Beautiful. Not the best.... But not the worst either. What is impressive is he cleaned himself up and is not hammered drunk after spending all day in Vegas.
He made it through, now it's time to party like only Post Malone knows how.
The champs take the field!!!
Led by their general, Andy Reid, the defending champions Kansas City Chiefs take the field with the Seminole Chop.
San Fran ready!!!
The Niners are on the field at Allegiant Stadium!!!! Kick off is just moments away!!
Andra Day sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing" ahead of the game and she absolutely crushed it, singing every tough note flawlessly and beautifully.
Roc Boys in the building
Jay-Z and his family are in the building, which is about par for the course for most of the biggest sporting events around the country. Just to drop this in, Jay Z and Usher have a song together called Best Thing. Could it be that he makes an appearance during the halftime show?
Packed to the brim
The usual capacity of the Allegiant Stadium for NFL games is 65,000. And you might have seen people talking about an expanded capacity for the Super Bowl of 72,000. It is true the stadium can take an increased crowd - up ot 71,385, but that's not the case for Super Bowl LVIII. The NFL is saying just over 60,000 fans will be inside the ground for tonight's match, with reductions beause of the need for domestic and international media, along with additional platforms for camera and security positions. So overall, there will be less fans in the Death Star than for a regular Raiders game, though the TV audience will be a just a wee bit higher.
330,000+ people expected in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII
The actual numbers won't be available until after the Super Bowl is over, but experts are estimating between 330,000 and 450,000people in Las Vegas for Super Bowl Sunday.
It is expected to bring in around $700 million to the economy. The stadium itself holds just 72,000 people, but others will be spending on hotels, food, drinks, clothes, and accessories.
Clash of Titans at Allegiant Stadium
Tonight's ground, the Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders, has been affectionately nicknamed the "Death Star" by the team's owner, Mark Davis, and former head coach Jon Gruden. The nickname came from the ground's futuristic, imposing all-black exterior that reminded them of the infamous space station from Star Wars (to be honest it looks more like Darth Vader's helmet than the Death Star which is a big grey marble, admittedly with a massive planet-destroying weapon in a bowl on the side of it.)
Despite the fact the Death Star gets destroyed ("You're all clear kid, now let's blow this thing and go home."), Gruden and Davis embraced the moniker for its cool factor, ignoring the fact a simple farm boy from Tatooine could blow it to smithereens. The nickname officially stuck after Davis proclaimed, "Welcome to the Death Star, where our opponents' dreams come to die," highlighting his vision of the stadium as a formidable fortress for the team. Gruden also doubled down on it, and so the Death Star it is.
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Toney out
It's been one of the side shows of the Chiefs run their second straight Super Bowl. After a rough season filled with drops and untimely flags, Kadarius Toney has been ruled out of tonights game. He was on the injury report during the week, but was taken off in the last few days which many people thought meant he was going to play. After all, Toney played a big part in last year's Super Bowl win. He caught just one pass, but it came on 3rd and 3 from the PHI 5 yard line to give the Chiefs a 28-27 lead.
What has the Sphere been showing for the Super Bowl?
One of the most entertaining parts of the Super Bowl buildup has been Las Vegas’ spectacle, The Sphere. It’s been displaying different images on its exterior leading up to the big game.
On Friday, the Sphere was showing all 57 NFL Championship rings. It has shown a countdown clock and graphics highlighting the game between the Chiefs and Niners, and images of the Super Bowl’s starting quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy.
Today, it was showing a Las Vegas-themed comic highlighting the skyline, references to casinos, and the city’s relationship with football.
The Sphere will continue to project NFL-related content leading up to today’s big game.
During the game, it will display the CBS broadcast in real time.
Not only has there been a safety, there have been more than you might expect, including Tom Brady getting safetied against the Giants.
Will there be cheerleaders at Super Bowl LVIII?
There certainly will be cheerleaders at tonight’s match-up, with both the 49ers and the Chiefs bringing their squads with them. (There are some teams without cheerleaders in the NFL, but these two are not on that list)
So we’ll have The Gold Rush and the Chiefs Cheerleaders (naming win* goes to the 49ers) in the Allegiant Stadium, dancing up a storm.
The Gold Rush is going to make history tonight, with Jonathan Romero being the first openly gay man to be on the cheerleading roster.
*Overall naming win in the NFL goes to the Ben-Gals. The Buffalo Jills was superb, but they were disbanded in 2013.
Since when do the refs dress like zebras?
It's one of the all-time classic designs and one of the classiest. The officials' black and white jerseys are world-renowned, but why are they black and white. Paul Rudder did some digging:
What does each official do anyway
Each official has a ream of responsibilities but here’s the basics
• Referee: The crew chief who oversees the game, announces penalties, and has the final say in disputes.
• Umpire: Positioned behind the defensive line, focuses on the offensive and defensive lines, looking for holding or illegal blocks.
• Down Judge: Manages the line of scrimmage, watches for offside/encroachment, and rules on sideline plays.
• Line Judge: Works opposite the down judge, ensures no offside or encroachment pre-snap, and monitors sideline on their side of the field.
• Field Judge: Positions downfield, monitors wide receivers, judges pass interference, and determines if catches are legal.
• Side Judge: Acts as a timekeeper, monitors receivers and defensive backs for fouls, and helps determine in/out of bounds.
• Back Judge: Counts defensive players, manages the game clock, and focuses on deep field play, looking for holding and pass interference.
Check out all their duties over at the NFL
Tonight's officiating crew
Bill Vinovich is leading tonight’s officiating team. This is his third outing as crew chief at the Super Bowl having been in charge at Super Bowl XLIX and LIV. Now 62, he’s been a referee for 18 seasons. He’s not a popular man down in New Orleans as he was in charge for the infamous no-call against the Saints vs the Rams: a.k.a. the worst no-call ever.
Vinovich isn’t with his regular crew, as for the Super Bowl each position is picked on merit.
The rest of the crew are:
Umpire: Terry Killens
Down judge: Patrick Holt
Line judge: Mark Perlman
Field judge: Tom Hill
Side judge: Allen Baynes
Back judge: Brad Freeman
Replay official: Mike Chase
Pre-game singers
As ever before the football gets underway we’ll get a musical performance, with three true American classics belted out.
Lift Every Voice and Sing - also known as the black national anthem, after it was adopted by the NAACP in 1917, will be sung by soul singer Andra Day.
America the Beautiful - pop/hip-hop vocalist Post Malone takes on the paean to the country, from sea to shining sea.
The Star Spangled Banner - to be sung by country legend Reba McEntire.
And on the decks for music before and during the game will be Dutch DJ Tiësto
Fun fact. Post Malone allegedly got his name by putting his name into a rap name generator. https://www.myrapname.com/ His actual name is Austin Richard Post.
10 Super Bowl LVIII facts
Unbeaten at Allegiant Stadium: Since its opening in 2020, both the Chiefs and 49ers have remained undefeated at Allegiant Stadium, with the Chiefs having a 4-0 record and the 49ers winning their only game there.
Trent Williams' Pro Bowl selections: Before playing in his first Super Bowl, 49ers tackle Trent Williams has been selected for the Pro Bowl 11 times, a feat matched or surpassed by only three other players before their first Super Bowl.
Patrick Mahomes' historic start: At age 28, Mahomes will be the youngest quarterback to start a fourth Super Bowl, aiming to join Brady and Aikman as the only quarterbacks to win three Super Bowls before turning 30.
Defensive prowess: The Super Bowl LVIII features a significant defensive matchup with Kansas City allowing the second-fewest points per game and San Francisco ranking third during the regular season.
Andy Reid's coaching success: Since hiring Andy Reid in 2013, the Chiefs haven't had a losing season, marking the longest current streak in the NFL.
Christian McCaffrey's elite company: McCaffrey and Terrell Davis are the only players in NFL history to average at least 110 scrimmage yards per game in both the regular season and postseason.
Middle Tennessee State's Super Bowl representation: This marks the fifth consecutive Super Bowl featuring a player from Middle Tennessee State University.
Brock Purdy's impressive stats: Since being the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy leads the NFL in winning percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown-to-interception ratio, and passer rating among quarterbacks with at least 20 starts.
Brandon Aiyuk's miraculous catch: Aiyuk's catch in the NFC Championship Game was a pivotal moment for the 49ers, showcasing his ability to maintain focus and secure a key reception.
Isiah Pacheco's unique achievement: Pacheco is set to become the first running back since Tony Dorsett to start Super Bowls in each of his first two NFL seasons.
Talking of the Superb Owl ‘thing’, some people are so not into it, they wrote a whole article explaining why it’s time to stop. Now. Just stop.
Super Bowl, Superb Owl
As is now customary (maybe too customary) the Super Bowl comes will all manner of Superb Owl jokes. Whether you like the joke or not, you’ve got to agree owls themselves are pretty cool - but which owl could represent Super Bowl LVIII?
Turns out there are NINE types of owl native to Nevada. Yep, nine. To wit: barn owl, burrowing owl, flammulated owl, great horned owl, long-eared owl, northern pygmy owl, northern saw-whet owl, short-eared owl, and western screech owl.
Our fave? Flammulated owl certainly sounds pretty cool - and it means flame-colored, after the red markings on its feathers, which kind of suits two teams who play in red. Though with the 49ers in their change uniform of white and gold this years’ Superb Owl kinda seems to be backing the Chiefs…
Thunderbirds are go!
After last year’s celebration of 50 years of female aviators in the Navy, this year it’s the turn of the Air Force’s Thunderbirds team - not the International Rescue team, but the Air Force’s flight demonstration team.
They are based out of Nellis Air Force Base in North Las Vegas which is a 20-minute drive from Allegiant Stadium, or about 10 seconds in one of their F-16C Vipers, which rocks a top speed of 1,320 mph.
The Thunderbirds have been precision formation flying since 1953. The flyover will consist of the six planes, divided into the classic four-plane diamond and accompanied by two solo planes.
No 1: Leading the diamond, flown by the team’s commander who will be Lt. Col. Nathan "Sheik" Malafa.
No 2: Diamond left wing, flown by Maj. Zachary "Zeke" Taylor.
No 3: Diamond right wing, flown by Maj. Tyler "Slasher" Clark.
No 4: Bottom of the diamond, in the slot, flown by Maj. Jake "Primo" Impellizerri.
No 5: Lead solo, flown by Maj. Eric "Miami" Tise.
No 6: Opposing solo, flown by Maj. Jeff "Simmer" Downey.
For the people inside the stadium the impact of the flyover will be dampened a little bit by the closed roof, which, although it’s translucent meaning fans will be able to see the planes, will likely kill the noise and the buzz a little.
Why does the Super Bowl use Roman numerals?
Tonight is Super Bowl LVIII, Super Bowl 58 in Arabic numerals (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_numerals), but why does the Super Bowl use Roman numerals for the official name of their biggest match? It’s not like the players are numbered Roman style (Mahomes XV and Purdy XIII) or the scores given out the way a legionary would understand we're predicting Chiefs XXIII 49ers XVII.
So why does the NFL do it? The first question is actually why are the Super Bowls numbered in the first place, when most sporting events are just done by year. Well, that’s because the Super Bowl actually takes place in the year after the season it relates to. The regular season is played in autumn and winter, while the post season and the Super Bowl are played in the January and now February of the year after. So tonight’s Super Bowl, being played in 2024, is really the culmination of the 2023 season.
So when the National Football League and the American Football League agreed to merge and play a post-season decider they took the decision to assign a number to the new NFL-AFL Championship Game to avoid any confusion. Super Bowls, then, are numbered sequentially, and the first four Super Bowls were just 1, 2, 3 and 4. But for Super Bowl 5, they changed to Super Bowl V. And liked it so much they went back and made the first four: I, II, III and IV.
And the reason why they changed? The NFL have never fully explained their reasoning but have hinted that they thought it would add gravitas to the match in the public mind and also it basically looked better.
In fact, looking good is so important to the NFL that for Super Bowl 50, they tried out 73 different logos before finally deciding to ditch the Roman numerals and go with Super Bowl 50. And presumably they just didn’t want to take the ‘L’.
Run MVP?
Christian McCaffery has come a long way in the last season and a half. He went from relative obscurity in Carolina to a front running team in the same conference. It's been a match made in heaven since the trade went down early last season. The Chiefs struggled against the run in Buffalo, and while the Ravens didn't try to test them on the ground, the Niners are going to use their star running back as much as they can.
Kelce in the building
Travis got to the stadium well before Taylor did. The Chiefs tight end just broke Jerry Rice's record for playoff receptions last game against the Ravens. He now sits alone as the NFL's playoff leader in receptions with 156 catches coming into tonight. The Niners defense is going to be zoned in on the TE, but somehow, someway he still finds ways to get open.
Reid reitiring?
The Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is finishing up his 25th year as a coach in the NFL. He turns 66 next month, and there’s been much talk about Reid retiring after this, with the chance to win his third Super Bowl now. He’s become the all-time leader in coaching wins with two teams, the only coach to have done so.
He is one of 13 coaches to have two or more Super Bowl wins. If he manages to get a third against the Niners, he’ll be one of just five to have at least three Super Bowl wins.
Just because one has accomplished a lot does not necessarily mean they are ready to call it quits though. The Chiefs’ general manager Brett Veach seems to think he’s not nearly finished.
"This is the setup he's always wanted. I think he has a lot of football coaching ahead of him, and I can see him coaching for the foreseeable future here,” said Veach. “I think he's got a good chunk of time left."
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes agrees - Reid isn’t quite done yet.
"He loves football so much," Mahomes said. "Even in the offseason, he'll text me, ask me questions, do I like this play or do I like that play? He loves being around the game and being able to enjoy it. We're having so much fun. It's not so much the winning. We legit have so much fun at the building that I think it would be hard for him to walk away."
Tay Tay is in the building
Swifties take a sigh of relief. Taylor is in the building and she brought some of her famous friends along with her. Ice Spice and Blake Lively will be joining her in the box after the mega pop star finished up her concert in Tokyo on Saturday night. Her concert ended at 5:30 am PT Saturday, so she had plenty of time to make the trip from Tokyo to Vegas.
Last match up
We’re all aware by now that the Chiefs and Niners are playing a rematch of the Super Bowl in 2020. But that was a long time ago now, and these teams look quite different…especially the 49ers, playing with quarterback Brock Purdy.
The most recent of these two teams’ meetings was in the 2022 regular season, when the Chiefs came away with a 44-23 win and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 423 passing yards and three touchdowns.
At that time, it was still Jimmy Garoppolo at QB for San Francisco. Travis Kelce had 98 receiving yards in that game, the third-leading receiver on the Chiefs roster at the time.
Super Bowl LVIII will be the first time these two teams meet this season and the first time since that game. Not only will the Niners be looking for Super Bowl revenge, but they’ll also be looking to just beat the Chiefs at all.
It's one of the all-time classic designs and one of the classiest. The officials' black and white jerseys are world-renowned, but why are they black and white. Paul Rudder did some digging:
Shanahan vs. Reid
Chiefs coach Andy Reid is no stranger to the big game. He’s making his fifth Super Bowl appearance - his first was in 2004 with the Eagles and the rest have been with the Chiefs. So far, he’s 2-2.
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan on the other hand, is looking to win his first. He’s made it to two, but has yet to win the trophy. He and Reid are both considered some of the best offensive minds in the league and while Reid has some years on him, Shanahan knows he needs that title to be considered truly one of the best.
Super Bowls are a thing of the south
Following on from the most popular venues for the Super Bowl, what’s clear is that where it is NOT popular to organise Super Bowls is anywhere up north, which kind of makes sense, given the time of year, but it’s still incredible just how few games are held away from the balmy south.
Only FIVE Super Bowls have been held north of the Mason-Dixon line: two in Minneapolis, two in Detroit and one in New Jersey. Minnesota and Detroit have dome stadiums but the one in MetLife Stadium was played outdoors.
Al Davis Torch
One of Allegiant Stadium’s defining features is the Al Davis torch. It’s lit before every game as the team and fans pay tribute to Al Davis. He was the Raiders’ owner from 1972 until his death in 2011 (they were the Oakland Raiders back then, moving to Las Vegas in 2019). Before becoming the principal owner of the Raiders, he was the head coach from 1963 to 1965, and was part owner from 1966 to 1971. Under his stewardship, the Raiders won three Super Bowls (XI, XV and XVIII). He was named AFL coach of the year in 1963 and was twice NFL executive of the year (1976 and 2002).
The torch itself, created by Dimensional Innovations, is the world’s largest free-standing 3D-printed structure. It took 50,000 hours to develop, create and install. It stands 93 feet tall.
The torch will be lit ahead of the Super Bowl. Raiders' owner Mark Davis told reporters that the Raiders' three Super Bowl MVPs — wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, Super Bowl XI; quarterback Jim Plunkett, Super Bowl XV; running back Marcus Allen, Super Bowl XVII — will light the Al Davis Torch prior to kickoff.
Most common Super Bowl venue…
The Super Bowl is finally in Las Vegas, having never been played here before (Link to Las Vegas special). But what city and what stadium have hosted the big game the most times?
The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida has hosted the Super Bowl more times than any other venue, with six Super Bowls.
As the Joe Robbie Stadium: XXIII, XXIX
Pro Player Stadium: XXXIII
Dolphin Stadium: XLI
Sun Life Stadium: XLIV
Hard Rock Stadium: LIV
And Miami itself is the most popular destination for the Super Bowl, having hosted it 11 times. Before the current venue was inaugurated in 1987 (Joe Robbie was the founder of the Miami Dolphins, hence its original name), the Super Bowl was played five times at the Orange Bowl in Miami.
After Miami, New Orleans is the city that has hosted the Super Bowl most, with a total of 10 times, firstly at the Tulane Stadium and then the Louisana Superdome, now the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Making up the top five host cities:
Los Angeles, California - The Los Angeles area, including Pasadena and Inglewood, has hosted the Super Bowl eight times, with games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Rose Bowl, and SoFi Stadium.
Tampa, Florida - five times, with all games held at the Raymond James Stadium and its predecessor, Tampa Stadium.
San Diego, California - three times, hosting the super bowl at the Qualcomm Stadium (previously known as Jack Murphy Stadium and San Diego Stadium).
What other countries are represented at the Super Bowl?
This year we've got three nationalities other than American on the Super Bowl rosters. Australia, Trinidad and Tobago and Greece.
Mitch Wishnowsky, 49ers Punter Australia
The 49ers punter Mitch Wishnowsky hails from Perth, Western Australia though his parents are actually from New Zealand.
He had given up playing Aussie Rules football due to injury before getting involved with Prokick Australia, who aim to turn Aussie Rules players into gridiron football punters. He was drafted by the 49ers in the fourth round of the 2019 draft.
He became the first Australian to score a point in the NFL when he took over place kicking duties against the Seattle Seahawks in October 2021. He slotted an extra point, but missed another one and failed on a 41-yard field goal attempt.
Javon Kinlaw, 49ers Defensive Tackle Trinidad and Tobago
26-year-old Kinlaw was born in Trinidad and Tobago, but moved to the US with his family, settling in Washington, D.C. He played one year at Jones County Junior College before transferring to the University of South Carolina. He joined the 49ers in the 2020 draft as 14th overall pick. He is a free agent for the 2024 offseason.
George Karlaftis, Chiefs Defensive End Greece
Karlaftis was born in Athens, to a Greek father and American mother. He moved to the US when he was 13. He played college football at Purdue and was selected by the Chiefs in the first round of the 2022 Draft.
Karlaftis was a youth member of the Greece national water polo team, and his father was a javelin thrower for the University of Miami's track and field team.
When he was at West Lafayette his coach was entertained by how green he was about the game he'd decided to play. Shane Fry was quoted back then as saying. "“I can’t explain how unbelievable it is how little he knows about the game of football. If you came from the outside and listened to questions he asks at football practice, you would think he is joking.”
Which teams have won the most Super Bowls?
The list is topped by the Steelers and the Patriots, with one of today’s teams right up there - the 49ers with five Super Bowls. The Chiefs have three wins - in 1970, 2020 and last year.
Pittsburgh Steelers: 6 Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, XIV, XL, XLIII)
New England Patriots: 6 Super Bowls (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI, LIII)
San Francisco 49ers: 5 Super Bowls (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV, XXIX)
Dallas Cowboys: 5 Super Bowls (VI, XII, XXVII, XXVIII, XXX)
Green Bay Packers: 4 Super Bowls (I, II, XXXI, XLV
How many teams have won back-to-back Super Bowls
Tonight the Kansas City Chiefs can make their mark in history, winning back-to-back Super Bowls, but they won’t be the first to do it.
Green Bay Packers: the first team to accomplish back-to-back victories, winning Super Bowl I (1967) and II (1968) under the legendary coach Vince Lombardi, who was so good they named the trophy after him.
Miami Dolphins: they won Super Bowl VII (1973) and VIII (1974), becoming the only team to complete a perfect season (17-0) in 1972 leading up to their Super Bowl VII win.
Pittsburgh Steelers: they achieved back-to-back wins twice. First, they won Super Bowl IX (1975) and X (1976) and then again with Super Bowl XIII (1979) and XIV (1980), making them one of the most successful teams in NFL history.
San Francisco 49ers: they secured consecutive victories in super bowl XXIII (1989) and XXIV (1990), with Joe Montana as quarterback showcasing some of the best performances in Super Bowl history.
Dallas Cowboys: they claimed victory in Super Bowl XXVII (1993) and XXVIII (1994), dominating the early 1990s under the leadership of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin.
Denver Broncos: they won Super Bowl XXXII (1998) and XXXIII (1999), with John Elway at quarterback, finally achieving success after previously failing in four Super Bowl appearances.
New England Patriots: they won Super Bowl XXXVIII (2004) and XXXIX (2005), part of their dominance in the early 2000s under the guidance of Bill Belichick and with a certain Tom Brady as quarterback.
Has any team failed to score a point at the Super Bowl?
No team has made it to the Super Bowl only to then fail to score a point. However two teams have only managed to score a field goal during the entire game, ending the match with just three points.
In Super Bowl VI, played on January 16, 1972, the Dolphins scored only 3 points against the Dallas Cowboys, losing the game 24-3. Garo Yepremian was the Dolphins kicker that day.
In Super Bowl LIII, played on February 3, 2019, the Rams matched this low score by only managing to put up 3 points against the New England Patriots, losing the game 13-3. The combined score of 16 points, makes it the lowest-scoring Super Bowl so far. Greg Zuerlein was the man to get the points for the Rams. The Rams of course were back in the Super Bowl just 3 years later, when they claimed the title, beating the Bengals 23-20. Zuerlein though had left the team, moving to the Dallas Cowboys, to eventually be replaced by Matt Gay who kicked at the Super Bowl win.
Eyes on the Super Bowl prize
I'd hope that you'll stay with me here so that we can share the game together but it would be remiss of me not to mention that you can also watch a live stream of Super Bowl LVIII on fuboTV, which offers users a free trial.
Who won the first Super Bowl?
The first ever Super Bowl was won by the Green Bay Packers, who, under the guidance of Coach Vince Lombardi, squared off against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on January 15, 1967. They ran out 35-10 winners.
The Packers entered the game as favorites, a testament to their NFL Championship wins in 1961, 1962, and 1965. Their quarterback, Bart Starr, led the offense with precision, completing 16 of 23 passes for 250 yards and throwing two touchdown passes. Starr's performance earned him the Super Bowl MVP title.
On the defensive side, the Packers were equally dominant, limiting the Chiefs to just 10 points. The Chiefs, despite a strong start, managed to score only in the second quarter. Len Dawson, the Chiefs' quarterback, faced a formidable Packers' defense and was intercepted once during the game.
The Packers' offense was balanced with Max McGee catching seven passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, despite not expecting to play a significant role in the game. In fact he was somewhat hungover, but still went down in history as the first player to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl. The Packers rushing attack was led by Elijah Pitts, who scored two touchdowns on the ground. The final score, 35-10 in favor of the Packers, reflected Green Bay's superiority in both offense and defense, and worthy first Super Bowl champions.
Who scored the first ever Super Bowl touchdown?
The honor of being the first player to score a touchdown in a Super Bowl goes to Max McGee, for the Green Bay Packers.
He was playing as a reserve receiver having replaced injured Boyd Dowler earlier in the 80 yard drive. For the TD, McGee made a one-handed catch at the 23-yard line from Packers’ quarterback Bart Starr and then sprinted off for a 37-yard touchdown reception.
McGee got another TD in the game, the fifth in Super Bowl history, right at the end of the third quarter, picking up a 13-yard reception to make it 28-10 to the Packers. He finished with seven receptions for 138 yards.
The Packers ran out 35-10 winners over the Chiefs.
Born in Saxon City, Nevada, in 1932, McGee was a punter and an end. He joined the Packers in the fifth round of the 1954 draft, and played that year, though he then missed 1955 and 1956 as served as a pilot in the Air Force. He then played with Green Bay from 1957 to 1967, playing in the first two Super Bowls.
For the inaugural Super Bowl he hadn’t expected to play as receiver Boyd Dowler was back from injury. McGee broke curfew the night before the game and spent the night on the town. Hungover the next morning, he said to Dowler before the game started: “I hope you don't get hurt. I'm not in very good shape.” Dowler went off with a shoulder injury on the second drive and after pleading with a teammate to borrow a helmet because he’d forgotten his own, McGee came on to make history.
5 things you DID NOT know about the Chiefs
Don’t play in Kansas - Arrowhead Stadium is situated in Kansas City which stretches over the border of Kansas and Missouri. The Chiefs play their home games in the Missouri part of Kansas City.
Originally from Dallas - The franchise was founded in Texas and their original name was the Dallas Texans.
Sack master - The legendary Chiefs defensive end Derrick Thomas had an NFL record seven sacks in one game. He did it in November of 1990 against the Seattle Seahawks.
50 year Super Bowl drought - The Chiefs won the Super Bowl in 1970 and didn’t win it again until 2020. Only the Philadelphia Eagles had to wait longer between Super Bowl wins (56 years).
Penalty for noise? Chiefs fans had to be asked to quiet down with the John Elway and the Broncos knocking on the door, Arrowhead Stadium was roaring with their division rivals on the verge of scoring. Elway had to ask the ref to ask the fans to quiet down, and the refs obliged, threatening the Chiefs with a penalty.
Chiefs mascot
Kansas City’s mascot isn’t a Chiefs of any sort. He may be the leader of his pack, but he is now chief. You would expect a Florida State Seminole’s type mascot for KC, and infact that was the original mascot for the Chiefs until 1989. His name was Warpaint, and he had the feathered traditional head dress, and came riding in on horse back, but the franchise decided to go in another direction with their mascot over three decades ago. Warpaint was let go and the Chiefs decided on a Wolf to be their mascot from then on. It wasn’t just any wolf, it was K.C. Wolf. Apparently there are no wolves in Kansas City, but the name and the mascot instead pays tribute to a group of die hard fans in the 60’s who were called the Wolfpack.
49ers mascot
You have probably seen the Gold Miner looking mascot patrolling the sidelines at Levi’s Stadium, but you have most likely never head of his name. He is a miner though and through, with the rugged beard, big biceps suspenders and a mining cap. He dons the No. 49 jersey and his name is a tribute to one of the major exports of the city. Sourdough bread is one of the foods that represents the Golden Gate City, and Sourdough Sam has been a symbol of the 49ers and the city since the 1970s.
Why do Chiefs wear red
The Chiefs and the Niners have a pretty similar color scheme and logo. Both teams use a combo of red, white and a shade of yellow or gold with overlapping letters within their logo. There is no real reason stated for the color selection Lamar Hunt and company chose red and white when the team was in Dallas, but when the team switched cities over a half century ago they kept the colors, added a little yellow, and switched the logo from the state of Texas to an arrowhead which paid tribute to the regional Native American history. The logo on the helmet would go on to lay the ground for the name of the Chiefs Stadium.
Why do Niners wear red
Like the Chiefs logo, the Niners logo has gone through some major tweaks although the team has never moved cities. Back in the 40s with the team was founded they had a gun yielding “prospector” or gold miner wearing the traditional red shirt and firing off rounds like Crazy Eddy. Since then the team has gone to a much more classy logo of the over lapping “SF” inside a red and gold oval. The red on the helmets, logo and jersey in a tip of the cap to the prospectors who were known to wear red shirts, and the gold is an obvious homage of the gold rich land that spraked a country wide migration in the late 1840s.
Shanahan's history of Super Bowl losses
So far Kyle Shanahan’s Super Bowl history has been a bit tragic. He went to his first Super Bowl as offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons. His offense, led by Matt Ryan, went up 28-3 on the New England Patriots but an epic collapse cost the Falcons the game and sealed the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. He took the Niners head coaching job the next season and would go back to the Super Bowl three years later. Again, Shanahan’s team was up 20-10 going into the fourth quarter, and it looked like the Niners were on their way to winning the big game, but KC scored 21 points in the last 6:13 of the game to wrap up their first Super Bowl win in a half century.
The development of Brandon Aiyuk
The Niners are stacked full of weapons on the offensive end. Brock Purdy seems to have an endless arsenal of ammunition to make this team nearly impossible to stop. While Purdy, McCaffery, Deebo and Kittle get the majority of the attention from the media and the opposing defenses Brandon Aiyuk quietly slices through secondaries. In his fourth year, he is having his best season ever, having gained 1,342 yards and seven TDs. He had one of the plays of the Niners season on the final drive of the comeback win against the Packers. He has proved to be just as reliable as Deebo, Kittle or McCaffery.
Battle of the tight ends: Kittle vs Kelce
The tight end community in the NFL is like a brotherhood. Lots of players who play the position go to something called Tight End U ran by Greg Olsen and that brings TE’s from all over the league together. Kittle and Kelce are two of the best in the league. Kelce may have had a sub par year to his standards, but he still almost had 1,000 yards. Like the Chiefs, he has played his best ball in the playoffs, and he knows what it’s like to score a TD in the Super Bowl against the Niners. Kittle had his third 1,000 yard season and had six touchdowns which is the second most of his career. He’s going to be a big part of the Niners offense as the Chiefs D tries to contain Deebo and McCaffery.
Mahomes - the new GOAT?
Just over 12 months have passed since Tom Brady called it a career after two decades of dominance. He retired as the GOAT and will most likely be the GOAT for a very, very long time. The only one currently close to challenging his claim is Patrick Mahomes, but he’s got a long way to go and a lot of Super Bowls to win before he can even be mentioned in that conversation. What the KC QB has done has been incredible, dominating the AFC and carrying his team to four Super Bowls, winning two of those before the age of 30 . He is still a ways away from Brady’s 10 Super Bowl appearances, and 7 Super Bowl wins, but his first six years have been almost identically brilliant.
How much do Purdy and Mahomes make?
Not much separates these teams coming into Super Bowl Sunday. They have great coaches, super star players and a rich history of making deep playoff runs in recent years. Both teams rely heavily on their quarterbacks to lead the offense into the end zone, and while both gun slingers are among the best in the league, they couldn’t be farther away on the NFL pay scale. Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant, was taken with the last pick of the NFL Draft a couple years ago, and makes under a million dollars a year. He has led his team to the NFC Championship and the Super Bowl in his first two years under center in San Fran, but his base salary of $934,252 over the four years in his contract is 54th among quarterbacks in the NFL.
Patrick Mahomes is on the other end of the QB spectrum. After leading KC to their first Super Bowl victory in a half century, the Chiefs broke the bank and offered their MVP a contract that will essentially keep him at Arrowhead until the end of his career. He signed a 10 year deal worth $450 million dollars which at the time he signed it was the most lucrative deal in sports history. The Chiefs investment has paid off and then some. He has taken his team to three of the last four Super Bowls, and tonight he and the Chiefs can win their third Lombardi trophy in the last five years.
How many players have played for both teams
Joe Montana: Montana spent most of his life in San Fran, but at the end of his career went to KC where he proved he was still capable of playing winning football. He took the Chiefs to the AFC Championship game before suffering a concussion and KC would lose to the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs would get back to the playoffs the next year but would bring Montana’s career to an end when KC lost to the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card round.
Alex Smith: Smith was drafted by the Niners out of the University of Utah and stayed for eight years, although he only played all 16 games in just two of those seasons. He led the Niners to the NFC Championship game in 2011 and was traded to KC just two seasons later. He was a Chief for five years and had his best season of his career in 2017, throwing 26 TDs and just 5 INTs before the San Fran traded him to Washington.
Steve DeBerg: The QB was in the league for 18 years and had stints with seven different teams, two of those being the Chiefs and the Niners. He was the predecessor to Joe Montana, but quickly had his job taken. He would land in KC a few year later, spending four season in KC, playing four seasons with the Chiefs.
Steve Wallace: Wallace was in San Francisco for their glory years, winning three Super Bowls protecting Steve Young and Joe Montana on the offensive line. He played the final season of his career in KC before
3 most famous 49ers players
The 49ers have their fair share of living legends on the field tonight, but they will have a long way to go before they join this list. San Fran had their glory day back in the 80's and 90's, with a few of Hall of Famers at the QB and WR positions.
Joe Montana: Before Tom Brady, he was considered as the GOAT. In fact Tom Brady grew up in California idolizing the Niners QB. He played 14 seasons, winning four Super Bowls with the Niners, the first of which in his third year in the league, was named MVP of three of those Super Bowls and was a two time NFL MVP.
Jerry Rice: Rice was around for three of the Niners Super Bowls during the Niners golden age. He was named MVP of Super Bowl XXIII and led the league in receiving yards in six of his 15 years in San Fran. He holds just about every receiving record there is, and is literally miles ahead of Larry Fitzgerald who is second on the All-time receiving yards list.
Steve Young: After two years in the USFL, Young joined the Niners while Joe Montana was still on the team. He spent four years as Montana’s back up, but got snaps and put up numbers before taking over as the starter in 1991. A year later he won his first of two MVP awards and would end up with 3 Super Bowls, and getting his No. 8 retired.
Away from the football there is speculation Justin Bieber could be a special guest of Usher at the Haltime Show. Bieber hadn't performed for nearly a year, but was back on stage in Toronto at the start of the month. And he's in Las Vegas for the Super Bowl...
3 most famous Chiefs players
The Chiefs are in their most prolific era in franchise history, so the most famous Chiefs will be playing on the field today in Las Vegas. Looking back on past history there have been some legends that wore the red and yellow at Arrowhead.
Tony Gonzalez: The legendary tight end was a First Team All-Pro six times, led the league in receptions in 2004, is a shoe in for the Hall of Fame after setting the record for most yards and receptions for a tight end.
Len Dawson: He was the face of the franchise in the early years of success in the NFL. After stints in Pittsburgh and Cleveland, he went to Dallas and quarterbacked the Texans before the team moved to Kansas City where he won Super Bowl IV and was named Super Bowl MVP. He has his number retired at Arrowhead Stadium and went into the world of broadcasting in KC.
Derrick Thomas: The Hall of Famer spent all of his 10 year career in Kansas City, winning Rookie of the Year in 1989 and being named to the Pro Bowl nine times. He was the sacks leader in 1990 and name NFL Man of the Year in 1993. He ended his career with 642 tackles, 126.5 sacks and forced 41 fumbles before his career and life was cut short after a tragic car accident.
Niners Super Bowl wins
The Niners have won five Super Bowls which puts them in a tie for second with the Dallas Cowboys, only trailing the New England Patriots who hold the record with six Super Bowls. Their first one came in 1982 after a 13-3 regular season set them up with the top spot in the NFC. They played Ken Anderson and the Bengals, and even though Montana won MVP, it was the defense that was decisive, forcing four turnovers to set up the 26-21 win.
Three years later the Niners were back in the Super Bowl after going 15-1 in the regular season, and met Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins. Both QBs threw for over 300 yards, but it was Montana who again was named MVP after jumping his team out to a 28-10 lead, throwing for 331 yards and three TDs in the 38-16 win.
The Niners would go back to back in the 1988 and 1989 seasons winning Super Bowl XXIII and Super Bowl XXIV. In the first, Montana would lead the Niners on a 92 yard game winning drive with under three minutes to go, hitting John Taylor on a go ahead TD with half a minute to go to seal the 20-16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Jerry Rice was named MVP after catching 11 passes for 215 yards and a TD .
Their next year the Niners played the Denver Broncos and mopped the floor with the AFC Champions. It remains the most lopsided Super Bowl in history, with the Niners posting 461 yards to Denver’s 167 and blowing out the Broncos 55-10 as Joe Montana won his 3rd Super Bowl MVP.
The Niners last Super Bowl win came 29 years ago when Steve Young took San Fran to the Super Bowl as a starter, breaking out of the shadow of Joe Montana and breaking a Super Bowl record with six TD passes in the 49-26 win over the San Diego Chargers. With the win the Niners became the first franchise to win five Super Bowls, going undefeated in their first five trips, but since then, they have been back twice in 2013 and 2020 losing both. Will the Super Bowl drought come to an end in the Bay Area tonight?
Chiefs Super Bowl wins
Thanks to Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid we think of the Chiefs as the dominant, offensive juggernaut that expects to be in the Super Bowl coming into every season, but it hasn’t always been that way. Kansas City has won three Super Bowls, but had to wait for a half century between lifting their first and second Lombardi Trophy.
The first one came in 1970 when Len Dawson and Hank Stram led the Chiefs to victory over a heavily favored Minnesota Vikings team in Super Bowl IV. The defense kept Minnesota to just 67 rushing yards, intercepted Joe Kapp three times while Dawson went 12/17 for 142 yards as the Chiefs took down the Vikes 23-7.
Their second Super Bowl win came fifty years after their Super Bowl IV win. It was Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid who ended the drought and brought the Lomardi Trophy back to Kansas City. The Chiefs went 12-4 and won the AFC West while rolling through the playoffs and setting up a showdown with the San Francisco 49ers. KC trailed 21-10 going into the 4th quarter, but Mahomes and the Chiefs came roaring back in the final six and a half minutes, scoring three touchdowns to win their second Super Bowl ever. Mahomes was named MVP after throwing for 286 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for another TD.
Last year the Chiefs won Super Bowl number three with a last second field goal from Harrison Butker. It was one of the highest scoring Super Bowl Sundays we have ever seen. Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts went toe to toe, Hurts played near perfect football, but a fumbled snap led to a Nick Bolton scoop and score would be the one major blemish on an otherwise historic night. Mahomes threw two of his three TDs in the fourth quarter and the biggest play of the night came on a pass inside the red zone that fell incomplete on 3rd and 8 with under 2:00 to go. Juju Smith-Schuster was held by a Philly defender which gave the Chiefs a chance to run down the clock and kick a game winning field goal to clinch their third Super Bowl in franchise history.
Special Teams
These games so often come down to the kicking game, and when it comes to field goal kickers the the Chiefs have the edge. They have an established kicker with a fantastic field goal percentage. Harrison Butker hit 33 of 35 field goals, with his only two misses coming between the 30-39 yard range. Jake Moody has hit 21 of 25 field goal attempts, missing one from 30-39 yard range, one from 40-49 yard range, and one from from 50+ range. The other thing the Chiefs have on their side is the clutch factor. Butker has kicked game winning field goals before, in fact he did so in last years Super Bowl win over the Eagles last year. Moody has been less clutch. He missed a game winner from 41 yard out in Cleveland earlier this year.
The Matchup: Defense
There has been kind of a role reversal between these two teams over the last year. What have we known the Chiefs to rely on during their reign of terror over the AFC in the last half decade? Patrick Mahomes and an offense that only slows down once they reach the end zone. That’s not quite the case this year. The offense has sputtered along at times, and at times has come to a stand still. The defense has been the rock for KC this season, and it all starts with their big man up front, Chris Jones. Jones held out to start the season, but came back after missing Week 1. Since then he has been a leader of a revamped unit. KC allows the second fewest years per game (289.8) this season and the second fewest points per game (17.3).
The Niners have always ridden their top tier defense deep into the playoffs. Kyle Shannahan is an offensive minded guy but the defense has been the star of the show. The defense may rank among the league’s best, like in ppg allowed (17.5 #3 in the league) but this year it’s Brock, Christian and Deebo who are the rocks of the Niners success.
The Matchup: Offense
There is no question that San Francisco 49ers have the most stacked offense in the league. Well, the Dolphins might stake a claim to that, at least when they play teams with a losing record. The Niners have the most complete run and pass game. They had two MVP candidates in Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffery and averaged 398 yards per game while scoring 28.9 points a game, which were good enough for second and third in the league, respectively.
The Chiefs offense has been on a steep decline this year, but look where they ended up. That’s called the Mahomes affect. With a WR corp that couldn’t hold on to a ball, and Travis Kelce who had been sub par until the playoffs came around even Patrick Mahomes lost his cool from time to time. They were 9th in total yards during the regular season and smack in the middle of the pack when it comes to points per game (21.8 ppg). Mahomes may not be on track to win his second straight MVP, but that didn’t stop the Chiefs from winning the AFC West, again.
QB Battle: Mahomes vs Purdy
Perhaps one of the most intriguing storylines in this year’s Super Bowl is the quarterback matchup. On one hand, we’ve got Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes - an established and accomplished leader. On the other, we’ve got Niners QB Brock Purdy - a tenacious underdog who’s done nothing but beat the odds since he was drafted dead last in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Obviously, Mahomes has experience on his side, but Purdy has shown that he can compete at the highest level just as well as anyone. Let’s take a look at how they compare this season.
Mahomes played in 16 games in the regular season, with a passer rating of 92.6, 4,183 passing yards (261.4 yards per game on average), 27 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 67.2% completion rate, and 27 sacks for a loss of 186 yards. In the playoffs, he’s performed even better, with 718 passing yards (239.3 yards per game on average), a 68% completion rate, four touchdowns, a passer rating of 100.7, and two sacks for a loss of 11 yards through three games.
Purdy finished the regular season with a 69.4% completion rate, 4,280 passing yards (267.5 yards per game on average), 31 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, a passer rating of 113, and 28 sacks for a loss of 153 yards. He’s played two postseason games, with a 61.4% completion rate, 519 passing yards (259.5 yards per game on average), two touchdowns, one interception, a passer rating of 87.7, and three sacks for a loss of 16 yards.
Purdy finished above Mahomes in completion percentage and passer rating. He’s been an accurate and consistent passer for the Niners offense all season, a role he’s adapted to amazingly fast. His performance in the NFC Championship was another showcase of his resilience and quick decision-making skills. There are some who argue that Purdy is just not a crucial part of the offense in the same way as Mahomes is for the Chiefs, but I say these stats beg to differ.
While Purdy still has something to prove, Mahomes has proven time and time again that he’s already among the elites, as he creeps towards the same accomplishments as the likes Joe Montana and Tom Brady. Even with his offense performing at a much lower level this season, Mahomes’ ability to perform in clutch moments and make plays is the reason they’re in the Super Bowl at all. There is no one who doubts that he’s a crucial part of the Chiefs offense.
It will be a showdown between two talented quarterbacks with two completely different paths to getting to this stage and it will be entertainment at its finest.
Niners last game
Brock Purdy and the Niners returned to the NFC Championship just a year after their disastrous outing in Philadelphia last season. San Fran got the one seed in the conference and welcomed the Lions in the conference title game. Purdy and company didn’t get off to the hottest of starts, going down 24-7 in the first half. The defense was getting shredded by the run game as the offense struggled to move the ball on the Lions defense. Down by 17 at half, Purdy and McCaffery rallied the Niners to a 17 point third quarter as the defense locked in for the final 30 minutes of the game.
San Fran kicked a field goal to start the second half and held the Lions on a 4th and short inside SF territory. That led to a Brandon Aiyuk 6 yard TD just a few minutes later, and the Lions would fumble on their very next offensive play. McCaffery would tie the game up at 24-24 with a one yard TD run four plays later. San Fran would take the lead with a Jake Moody field goal with under 10 minutes to go in the 4th quarter, and instead of trying to tie the game up with a 48 yard field goal the Lions tried to go for it on 4th and 3 from the SF 30. Jared Goff’s pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown fell incomplete and the Niners would punish Detroit with a final TD, this time coming from Elijah Mitchell on his first run of the game, to take a 10 point lead with three minutes to go.
Chiefs last game
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs shut the doubters up in the AFC Championship, taking down the top seed and the favorites to win the Super Bowl in Baltimore two weeks ago. There was a lot of chatter about Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs perhaps not having the same quality that they have had in Super Bowl seasons of the past. For the first time in the Mahomes era, they had to play not just one but two playoffs games on the road. They zoomed past the Bills in Buffalo and shut down the NFL MVP and the Ravens offense.
Travis Kelce passed Jerry Rice for most playoff receptions on a night when he dragged in 11 passes for 116 yards and the first TD of the night. Lamar Jackson would tie the game up with a fantastic 30 yard TD pass to Zay Flowers but the Ravens would be kept out of the end zone for the rest of the game. Isaiah Pacheco would give the Chiefs the lead back on a short run in the second quarter, and a field goal at the end of the first half would put the Chiefs up 17-7 going into halftime.
The Chiefs would be held scoreless for the final 30 minutes, but their defense came up with big play after big play after halftime. No play was bigger or more important than L’Jarius Sneed’s hit on Zay Flowers as he stretched for the end zone and jarred the ball out of the WR’s hands forcing a fumble and a recovery by the Chiefs in the end zone. Jackson would have another chance to tighten the game up but his deep shot to the end zone for Isaiah Likely was picked off by Deon Bush which sealed the game for the Chiefs, sending them to their second straight Super Bowl.
We are live from Sin City
Hello everyone and welcome to the Death Star on the Las Vegas Strip, where we are getting set for the biggest sporting event of the year. It’s a Super Bowl LIV rematch between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. These two teams have been the reference points for their respective conferences over the last five years, and they meet on footballs biggest stage under the bright lights of Allegiant Stadium. The Niners were the top team in the NFC all season, and wrapped up the one seed after gong 12-5 in the regular season while the Chiefs had to work their way through a couple of tough road games in the AFC to seal their second trip to Super Bowl Sunday in as many years.
Super Bowl LVIII 49ers vs. Chiefs
It’s Super Bowl Sunday from Sin City! After 18 regular season weeks, three playoff rounds, a bye week the two top teams in the AFC and NFC will meet in Super Bowl LVIII. The Kansas City Chiefs are looking for back-to-back titles while the San Francisco 49ers are seeking their first Lombardi Trophy since the mid 90s. AS English is going to be with you all afternoon and well into the night as a Super Bowl Champion is crowned from Allegiant Stadium.