Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs grew to become the primary repeat champions in 20 years.
LAS VEGAS — Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid have made the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs a dynasty.
They’re already pondering three-peat.
First, they needed to turn out to be the primary back-to-back Super Bowl champions in 19 years.
Mahomes made positive of it, main one other tremendous comeback on the NFL’s greatest stage in America’s showcase capital.
Mahomes threw a 3-yard landing go to Mecole Hardman in additional time, and the Chiefs rallied to beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 on Sunday, turning into the NFL’s ninth repeat Tremendous Bowl champs.
With pop star Taylor Swift watching boyfriend Kelce from a collection, the Chiefs captured their third title in 5 years, a run that places them among the many league’s biggest franchises.
“Nicely, you realize the purpose has all the time been to get three,” Kelce screamed on stage after sharing a kiss with Swift. “However we couldn’t get right here with out getting that two, and having that focus on on our again all 12 months. … How about that. We get an opportunity to do it thrice in a row.”
The NFL’s first Tremendous Bowl in Las Vegas was a sloppy, mistake-filled affair that was largely boring till the back-and-forth fourth quarter and OT. It was the second of 58 Tremendous Bowls to be tied after regulation, and the primary performed below new additional time guidelines that ensured each groups obtained the ball.
The Chiefs (15-6) trailed 22-19 after Jake Moody kicked a 27-yard discipline purpose on the primary possession of additional time, however Mahomes rallied the Chiefs, finishing one other spectacular comeback in a rematch of the Tremendous Bowl 4 years in the past.
Mahomes ran 8 yards on fourth-and-1 to maintain the Chiefs’ possibilities alive after which scrambled 19 yards to arrange the successful rating, which got here 14:57 into the additional interval — simply earlier than what would have been the second OT.
“With all of the adversity we’ve been by means of this season to come back by means of tonight. … I’m happy with the fellows,” mentioned Mahomes, who earned his third Tremendous Bowl MVP award. “That is superior. Legendary.”
After he linked with a wide-open Hardman, the Chiefs ran on the sphere as red-and-yellow confetti fell onto the turf.
Mahomes and Reid are actually midway to Tom Brady and Invoice Belichick, who received six championships in 20 years along with the New England Patriots and had been the latest crew to go back-to-back following the 2003-04 seasons.
The 28-year-old Mahomes turns into the fourth beginning QB to win three Tremendous Bowls — becoming a member of Brady, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Troy Aikman — and second-youngest.
“I’m going to have a good time tonight, have a good time on the parade after which work my option to get again on this sport subsequent 12 months,” Mahomes mentioned. “I’m going to do no matter I can to be again on this sport subsequent 12 months. Three-peat.”
Essentially the most pleasure within the first half got here when a annoyed Kelce bumped Reid on the sideline, knocking the Chiefs’ 65-year-old coach a couple of steps again after teammate Isiah Pacheco fumbled contained in the crimson zone throughout the second quarter.
“You guys noticed that?” Kelce mentioned. “I’m going to maintain it between us until my ‘mic’d up’ tells the world. I used to be simply telling him how a lot I liked him.”
The motion picked up after an important blunder by San Francisco’s particular groups arrange Mahomes’ 16-yard TD go to Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 13-10 lead.
Brock Purdy and the 49ers (14-6) answered however they couldn’t make sufficient performs, denying Mr. Irrelevant a possibility to go from final choose within the 2022 NFL draft to Tremendous Bowl champion.
“We have now the offense to attain touchdowns and I did not put the crew in place to do this,” Purdy mentioned.
Niners extensive receiver Jauan Jennings threw a TD go and caught one, becoming a member of Eagles quarterback Nick Foles six years in the past as the one gamers to do each within the Tremendous Bowl.
After Moody’s 53-yard discipline purpose gave the Niners a 19-16 lead with 1:53 remaining, Mahomes and Kelce went to work. Mahomes linked with Kelce for a 22-yard acquire to arrange Harrison Butker’s tying kick, a 29-yarder with 3 seconds left.
A holding name on Kansas Metropolis’s Trent McDuffie prolonged San Francisco’s opening drive of additional time and Purdy made key throws to drive the 49ers to the Chiefs 9. However San Francisco settled for a discipline purpose.
Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and the Niners jumped forward 10-0, however that’s no huge deal for Mahomes and the Chiefs within the Tremendous Bowl. They’ve trailed by 10 factors in all three of their victories, together with final 12 months’s 38-35 win over Philadelphia.
Mahomes wasn’t at his greatest early and threw an interception. However with the sport on the road, he was a magician as soon as once more. He completed 34 of 46 for 333 yards and two TDs.
The Chiefs had been hardly dominant throughout the common season and entered the playoffs because the AFC’s No. 3 seed. They received at Buffalo and at Baltimore within the postseason — the primary highway playoff video games of Mahomes’ profession — and entered the Tremendous Bowl as 2 1/2-point underdogs, based on FanDuel Sportsbook.
“The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are by no means underdogs. Simply know that,” Mahomes mentioned.
They grew to become the primary crew to win consecutive Tremendous Bowls as underdogs; the Philadelphia Eagles had been slight favorites a 12 months in the past.
The sport turned when San Francisco’s Ray-Ray McCloud couldn’t scoop a punt that hit teammate Darrell Luter Jr.’s leg and the Chiefs recovered on the 49ers 16, resulting in Mahomes’ go-ahead TD go to Valdes-Scantling.
The Niners answered on the following possession with Purdy tossing a 10-yard TD go to Jennings for a 16-13 lead. Moody’s further level was blocked.
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan gambled on fourth-and-3 from the Chiefs 15, passing up an opportunity for a tying discipline purpose. Purdy hit George Kittle for a 4-yard acquire after which discovered Jennings for the rating.
Shanahan resorted to trickery for the one landing of the primary half.
Jennings, a large receiver who had by no means thrown a go in an NFL sport, tossed a 21-yard TD to McCaffrey. He was hit as he threw a wobbly pass across the field, however McCaffrey snagged it and sprinted to the tip zone.
Shanahan fell to 0-2 as a head coach in Tremendous Bowls and 0-3 total, together with a loss when he was offensive coordinator for Atlanta. That was the sport wherein Brady and the Patriots rallied from a 28-3 deficit to win in OT.
“If you go towards guys like Tom Brady and Pat Mahomes, you by no means really feel comfy with a lead. These guys are two of one of the best to ever play the sport,” Shanahan mentioned.
There have been loads of stars within the constructing because the NFL introduced its greatest sport to this playing mecca — as soon as a taboo concept. Jay-Z, LeBron James and Paul McCartney had been among the many celebrities within the crowd.
Publish Malone sang “America the Stunning,” Reba McEntire carried out the nationwide anthem and Usher electrified the crowd at halftime. He introduced out a lot of friends, together with Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon and Ludacris.
Attendance was introduced at 61,629 on the comparatively compact Allegiant Stadium, the smallest crowd in Tremendous Bowl historical past apart from the pandemic sport in Tampa, Florida, three years in the past.
It did not begin out nicely, however because of Mahomes, these followers ended up seeing among the finest Tremendous Bowl finishes.
