The Kansas City Chiefs battled to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in a classic Super Bowl that will go down as one of the greatest of all time.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes shrugged off an ankle injury to lead his team to a dramatic 38 to 35 win and claim their second Super Bowl in four years.
The contest at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona was the first Super Bowl to feature two black quarterbacks, with Mahomes making history alongside Jalen Hurts for the Eagles.
He was also the first to feature two brothers on opposing teams, with Eagles center Jason Kelce playing against the Chiefs’ younger brother Travis.
The game also featured the two best teams of the season and, in Mahomes and Hurts, the two best players.
Patrick Mahomes was the hero of the night for the Kansas City Chiefs. photo: AP
Jalen Hurts put in a strong performance for the Philadelphia Eagles
Kansas City, which was viewed as a slight underdog before the Super Bowl and trailing for most of the game, trailed 27 to 21 going into the final quarter.
Things had turned sour for the Chiefs after Mahomes appeared to have re-injured his right ankle which had been a major concern earlier in the game.
Grimacing in pain after a tackle, Mahomes limped off the field and slammed his helmet on the turf as the Chiefs went into halftime trailing 24-14.
However, when the teams came back after halftime, a resilient Mahomes produced a heroic effort and threw for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
He also set up Harrison Butker’s game-winning 27-yard field goal with eight seconds to play in front of 67,827 fans at the stadium in Arizona.
“Nothing was going to keep me off the pitch”
Mahomes received the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) award after the game to go along with the NFL MVP honor he received on Thursday.
The 27-year-old said after the match: “I’ve been telling you all week that nothing is going to keep me from this football ground.
“It’s the Super Bowl, you can worry about looking good in the off season.
“I fought and we managed to win.”
Kansas City Chiefs players celebrate after winning the Super Bowl. photo: AP
Kansas City coach Andy Reid said, “Well, he’s the MVP. That’s all there is to say, right? MVP. And you saw him tonight.”
Reid also said in post-game comments, “He wants to be the greatest player ever and that’s how he does his business. And he does it humbly, without bragging.
“Great quarterbacks get better around him, including the coach. So he’s done a great job.”
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid gets soaked in the water after the game
Hurts, who was a leading candidate for the NFL MVP award, put in an almost equally dazzling performance, rushing for three touchdowns and a Super Bowl record 70 yards. He also threw for a touchdown.
The sibling rivalry was wiped out after the Super Bowl drama
Meanwhile, the Kelce brothers hugged after the game as confetti flew for the Chiefs.
Travis, who had 81 receiving yards and a touchdown, told reporters he had a funny feeling after getting the win over his brother’s team.
“There’s nothing I can tell him other than I love him and he’s had a hell of a year, a hell of a season,” Travis told reporters.
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Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, left, with his brother Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles Jason Kelce. photo: AP
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker kicks the game-winning field goal against the Philadelphia Eagles. photo: AP
Their mother, Donna Kelce, had become a fan favorite and was seated next to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell during the game.
Both brothers had already earned a Super Bowl ring — Jason with the Eagles in 2018 and Travis with the Chiefs three years ago — but with the bragging rights on the line, there was no shortage of motivation.
“It’s hard to get here,” Jason told reporters. “Obviously I would have loved to win but (I’m) happy for Trav.”
The event drew an array of famous faces from entertainment and sports to suburban Phoenix, with Elon Musk, Paul McCartney and LeBron James among the 67,827 spectators in attendance.
In the meantime, Rihanna has revealed her pregnancy while displaying a bump during his halftime show.
