By Shawn McCullough
GLENDALE AZ–It was widely believed that the two best teams from the 2022 NFL season advanced to play in Super Bowl LVII and now that was confirmed.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles battled for just short of 60 minutes to a 35-35 tie, until Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker nailed the game winning 27-yard field goal with eight seconds left to lift Kansas City to a 38-35 Super Bowl win.
“That’s what you dream of as a kicker getting to the Super bowl and having a game winning kick,” said Butker. “You know, it’s crazy to think that’s now happened.”
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was named the game MVP, throwing for 182 and three touchdowns, while also rushing six times for 44 yards.
“I’m going to Disneyland now,” said Mahomes. “So I have Disney World and Disneyland crossed off.”
Both teams traded scores back and forth in the first half, until the Eagles gained some momentum in the second quarter, taking a 10-point lead into halftime.
“We were right there,” said head coach Andy Reid about halftime. “I don’t have to motivate these guys too much. They’re very motivated to do well, and we were down by ten points so it’s not that much.”
The Chiefs got the ball in the second half and drove the field 75 yards in 10 plays resulting in an Isiah Pacheco one yard touchdown run to gain momentum and pull to within three points.
“We came to win and rose as one to the occasion,” said Pacheco. “Eleven guys played their hearts out on that side of the ball and that’s what it takes. For 11 guys to play their hearts out or the job wouldn’t get done.”
Pacheco ran the ball 15 times for 76 yards and a touchdown.
The Chiefs gained their first lead of the game in the fourth quarter on a five yard pass from Mahomes to Kadarius Toney and later extended that lead on another Mahomes touchdown pass to go up 35-27.
With 5:15 left, the Eagles tied the game with a two yard touchdown run by Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and also adding a two-point conversion, but the Chiefs controlled the clock, drove the field and drilled the late field goal.
“We work really hard to have this opportunity and to come up short is tough,” said Hurts. “There’s always a lot to learn from, the opportunity to reflect on things we didn’t do or could have done, but I think there’s a lot to learn from it.”
Hurts finished the game throwing for 304 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing 15 times for 70 yards and three touchdowns.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Eagles center Jason Kelce were the first brothers to every play against each other in a Super Bowl.
“There’s nothing you can really say to a loved one in a situation like that,” said Travis Kelce about his brother Jason. “You joke around all the time and say you want to beat your brother on the biggest stage, but it’s a weird feeling. There’s nothing I can say to him other than I love him and he played a hell of a year, a hell of a season.”
With the win, the Chiefs have now won three Super Bowls in franchise history, last being in Super Bowl LIV over the San Francisco 49ers in Miami, 31-20.
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