OAN’s James Meyers
9:50 AM – Monday, February 12, 2024
The Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl Champions again and become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the 2003-04 New England Patriots.
The game was an edge of your seat thriller that had multiple lead changes. The Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime, making it the second overtime game in Super Bowl history.
The 49ers dominated the first half and went into the locker room with a 10-3 lead. Then, Patrick Mahomes cemented his legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever after rallying the team in overtime.
After trailing in overtime 22-19, Mahomes led the Chiefs on a 13-play walk-off scoring drive. On the game winning play, Mecole Hardman caught a 3-yard pass from Mahomes, making him one of only three players to win three or more Super Bowl MVPs.
The Super Bowl-winning drive included a fourth-and-1 read option scramble from Mahomes and a 7-yard catch from tight end Travis Kelce, which was a must score for Kansas City. The NFL’s new playoff overtime rules gave both teams at least one guaranteed possession, and the Chiefs had to answer the Niners’ field goal.
With the win, Kansas City is now in consideration as the league’s newest dynasty after Tom Brady’s historic run with the New England Patriots.
“What a game, right? It could have gone either way,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid told reporters. “I feel fortunate to have been on the positive side.”
“It’s a little bit surreal,” Reid said. “I get asked so many times, ‘Is it a dynasty?’ I don’t know what a dynasty is. You guys you have the thesaurus, you figure it out.”
The game started slowly with both defenses making their presence felt in the game. The 49ers jumped out to a 10-0 lead and were up by a touchdown at halftime.
During the hot start for San Francisco, cameras caught a frustrated Kelce in a heated conversation with Kansas City’s head coach.
However, Reid put to bed any rumors of an argument between the two.
“Cheap shot, but that’s all right,” Reid joked after the game. “He was really coming over, ‘Just put me in, I’ll score, I’ll score. So that’s really what it was. I love that.”
The offense continued to falter on both sides to start the second half, following Usher’s halftime performance. In the opening drive of the third quarter Mahomes threw an interception but the 49ers were unable to capitalize on it.
However, the game completely flipped later in the third quarter. Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker nailed a Super Bowl-record 57-yard field goal, then the Chiefs converted a fumbled punt by San Francisco in the red zone into a touchdown. Mahomes found Marquez Valdes-Scantling across the middle for a wide-open touchdown in what looked to be a busted coverage. Kansas City was able to grab its first lead of the game at 13-10.
San Francisco answered back with a Jawaun Jennings 10-yard receiving touchdown placing the Niners back on top, 16-13.
The Chiefs responded with a 24-yard field goal by Butker to retie the game before San Francisco’s kicker Jake Moody hit a 53-yard field goal. Mahomes retorted back with another successful 2-minute drill as Butker made a 29-yard field goal to send the game to overtime.
With the win, Mahomes earned his third Super Bowl title in five seasons and will now be seeking to tie Tom Brady’s seven championships to be in the discussion of the greatest player of all time.
Furthermore, Mahomes now has 15 playoff wins, with Brady and Joe Montana the only two other quarterbacks to have more.
The Chiefs will now be looking to become the first team ever next season to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
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