Patrick Mahomes leads Chiefs to repeat Superbowl title in overtime win against 49ers
The quarterback threw a three-yard pass to Mecole Hardman with three seconds left in overtime, after the game had finished 19-19 in normal time, to win back-to-back championships for his side and their third in five years to continue a remarkable run that has now been cemented as a dynasty.
Slow start
The first Superbowl to be held in Las Vegas was eagerly anticipated and with such a big build-up, it was unsurprising to see famous faces from across the world descend on 'Sin City' for 'the greatest show on turf'.
But, it was a slow start for both offences; San Francisco had a first drive stopped by an early fumble before their defence showed why they have been one of the best in the league this season, limiting Kansas City to short running plays whilst keeping Patrick Mahomes quiet.
The first quarter finished scoreless, the first for five years, before San Francisco opened the scoring with a field goal from 54 yards, the joint-longest in the Superbowl.
Mahomes is not someone to be kept quiet for too long, though. Despite some early sacks, he rolled out to find Hardman on a 52-yard completion to take his side into the red zone for the first time on the night, but a fumble soon after ended that drive without a score.
Tempers fray
Frustration was being felt by the Chiefs after that unsuccessful drive and that feeling spilled over onto the touchline as an irate Travis Kelce pushed his head coach Andy Reid and shared some angry words in an ugly moment for number 87 before being pulled away by a teammate. The tight end would finish the half with one reception and one yard - his exasperation not helped by getting less screen time than his partner Taylor Swift, who spent more time on the big screen downing a beer than Kelce had offensive plays.
Brock Purdy, Mahomes' opposite number, had had a relatively quiet opening to his first Superbowl appearance, but he was in the game when his 49ers side scored the first touchdown of the game with a well-worked trick play. His lateral pass to Jauan Jennings saw the wide receiver find running back Christian McCaffrey for a 21-yard touchdown to send the heavily partisan 49ers crowd into raptures and give his side a 10-0 lead as the half ran down.
But, the Chiefs have been here before. In their two Superbowl triumphs - one against the 49ers back in 2020 - they trailed by 10 points only to come back and win them. They looked set for a score with an impeccable two-minute drill to end the quarter only for the 49ers' defence to once again provide a stop and limit them to a field goal.
This saw the sides go into the elongated half-time break at 10-3 - advantage Purdy and the 49ers.
In fact, Purdy, called 'Mr Irrelevant' after he was picked second-last in the 2022 NFL Draft, had equalled the talented Mahomes for passing yards in the first half with 10 completions from 15 attempts for 123 yards with no interceptions.
Under pressure
The Chiefs started the second half with the ball and with nearly 45 minutes to fix the issues that had plagued their stuttering offence, and they would have been confident of making something happen early on. However, it looked like they had all been watching Usher's show with Isiah Pacheco, dropping the ball on the first down before Mahomes inexplicably overthrew a pass to Kelce on the same drive and provided the 49ers with the first interception of the night from Ji'Ayir Brown.
This gave Purdy a golden opportunity with a big field advantage to put more points on the board, but he went three and out as the Chiefs defence stood up tall.
Mahomes needed to match his defence and he put the ball in his own hands for a couple of big runs allowing his side to narrow the deficit to four with five minutes of the third quarter left to play. Harrison Butker smashed a 57-yard field goal, the longest in Superbowl history.
In a game so tight, small margins could make a huge difference and that came to pass soon after when Darrell Luter fumbled the ball on a punt return, allowing the Chiefs to recover it deep in 49ers territory.
Mahomes needed one play, finding Marquez Valdes-Scantling with a 16-yard pass for their first touchdown of the night.
The extra point from Butker saw his side take a three-point lead - momentum now firmly with the Chiefs.
It was up to Purdy to see what he could do as the game entered the final quarter.
He drove his side down the field, including a successful fourth-down pass to tight end George Kittle, to score their second touchdown of the game, giving them a three-point lead at 16-13. The point after was blocked, another small moment that could have huge consequences.
Tight finish
That block from Kansas City came to help them soon after as Butker kicked another field to level the game up at 16-16 after San Francisco stopped Mahomes in the red zone once again.
Another field goal from more than 50 yards would go through the upright, but this time it was from Moody, giving the 49ers a three-point lead with less than two minutes remaining.
It left Mahomes with one minute and 53 seconds left on the clock to win his third Superbowl ring, and he led his side down the field with precision only for the clock to be his biggest enemy. It meant Butker kicking one more field goal and sending Superbowl LVIII to overtime - the second in the history of the event.
Overtime
It was the 49ers who had first possession in the 15-minute period and they marched up the field thanks to the running of McCaffrey, but they had to settle for just three points despite making it into the red zone.
The Chiefs had the right to respond knowing a touchdown would win the game, whilst a field goal would see the pair continue.
It would be Mahomes, with three seconds on the clock in overtime, who - after leading his team down the field with the majesty of a great player - threw to Hardman and created more history for the Kansas City Chiefs, who are now back-to-back Superbowl champions. The dynasty continues.
