Super Bowl LIX kicked off in New Orleans, Louisiana on Feb. 9 at 4:30 p.m. MT. The Philadelphia Eagles represented the National Football Conference [NFC] while the Kansas City Chiefs portrayed the American Football Conference [AFC]. 

Two years before this matchup, both teams met in Super Bowl LVII with the Chiefs coming out on top 38-35. Kansas City would defend that title after beating the San Francisco 49ers 22-19 in the next year’s big game, so they were fighting for something no team in NFL history has done, win three consecutive Super Bowl titles.

“I’ve been a Chiefs fan for a long time and it’d be cool to have [a three-peat],” student teacher Mr. Tim Heine said. “To be able to say your team three-peated is something not a lot of fans can say in any professional sport. The Yankees have multiple consecutive World Series titles; they go down in history for that.”

Experts believed Kansas City would make history as they opened as 1.5-point favorites over Philadelphia. After all, the Chiefs are led by Patrick Mahomes, who continues to climb closer to Tom Brady as the greatest quarterback in NFL History. 

This season, Mahomes aided his team to a 15-1 record in the games he started with 12 being one-score games. The clutch factor inside number-15 struck worry into those who cheered for the birds.

“I was very nervous before the game started,” senior Eagles fan Landon Hernandez said. “I was worried it would be close all game and then would have all hope shattered like what happened two seasons ago when we lost.”

Super Bowl LVII’s 38-35 victory for the Chiefs happened after their kicker nailed a 27-yard field goal with only eight seconds remaining. A failed Hail Mary attempt from Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts brought the Lombardi Trophy to Kansas City.

However, the first half of Super Bowl LIX was not anything that anyone had expected. The Chiefs were trailing 24-0. Mahomes was 6/14 passing with only 33 yards and two interceptions, including a 38-yard pick-six from rookie Cooper DeJean.

“I felt amazing at halftime,” Hernandez said. “We had gotten that pick in the middle of the second [quarter] and that helped ease my nerves a lot.”

On the other hand, comebacks were nothing new to Kansas City. They have been known to play at their best when it matters most.

“I was still optimistic at halftime because the Chiefs have come back from a 24-point deficit before,” Heine said. “The Houston Texans game in 2019, they were down [24-0] and they came back and won. I was still optimistic.”

After a record-breaking 133.5 million people tuned in to watch Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show, fans anticipated a “Brady 28-3” like performance from Mahomes. The second half kicked off with hopes of a Kansas City resurgence. 

More of the same came once Hurts hit wide receiver Devonte Smith for a 46-yard touchdown after continuing to keep the Chiefs offense on hold. The scoreboard read 34-6 Philadelphia going into the final quarter.

“Halfway through the third quarter I didn’t think a win was going to happen,” Heine said. “I was well aware it was going to be a loss.”

The 4th quarter was mainly garbage time for Kansas City. It was already inevitable their hopes for a three-peat would not come to life. 40-22 were the final numbers on the scoreboard. The Philadelphia Eagles have won their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.

“It felt great knowing that we had won,” Hernandez said. “Not only have we won, but we beat one of the best teams in the history of the NFL.”

Jalen Hurts won Super Bowl MVP after completing a stat line that consisted of 17/22 passing, 293 total yards, and three total touchdowns. Many fans wish the league gave the award to a position group since the Eagles defensive line sacked Mahomes six times. 

With the abysmal showing put on by the Chiefs cornerstone, the argument if he could ever catch Tom Brady began to fizzle out.

“Do I want to predict that [Mahomes] is going to get the same amount of trophies Tom Brady had? No,” Heine said. “I don’t want to make that prediction because we’re talking about Tom Brady here.”

Brady has more Super Bowl wins by himself than any team has in their whole history. Doubters will continue to argue that Mahomes will not reach that, but there are supporters who don’t think this year’s Super Bowl should overshadow the accomplishments of number-15 on the Kansas City Chiefs.

“Patrick Mahomes is one of the youngest players to win three Super Bowl titles,” sophomore Renzy Matthews said. “He’s won so many awards, he’s done enough to cement himself as one of the best to ever do it. He’s most definitely a first ballot hall of famer already.”