Kansas City Chiefs defeat San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII

By Alvin Wu
Sports
Kansas City Chiefs defeat San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes lifts the Lombardi trophy after the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers at Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. NFL/Perry Knotts

Feb. 14 (ZFJ) — The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, Feb. 11.

Securing their third Super Bowl win in five years, the Chiefs have achieved a dynasty.

The first half of the game was characterized by many punts and a few fumbles. Momentum really picked up from the second half. Overall? Absolutely thrilling game.

The Chiefs won the coin toss and deferred. Neither team was able to score any points in the first quarter, resulting in the tenth scoreless first quarter in Super Bowl history and the first since the Patriots v. Rams game in 2019.

Jake Moody began the second quarter with a 55 yard field goal for the 49ers. The 49ers then executed a play in which wide receiver Jauan Jennings passed 21 yards to running back Christian McCaffrey, who scored a touchdown. Moody’s extra point attempt was good, putting the score at 10-0 with 4:23 left on the clock.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey runs for a touchdown during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. NFL/Ryan Kang San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey runs for a touchdown during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. NFL/Ryan Kang

Harrison Butker’s 28 yard field goal for the Chiefs set the score to 10-3, placing the Chiefs within a score of the 49ers with 20 seconds left in the second quarter.

Not long into the third quarter, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ pass deep right intended for wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was intercepted by the 49ers’ Ji’Ayir Brown.

No team scored until, with 5:01 left, Butker made a 57 yard field goal—the longest in Super Bowl history—making the score 10-6, 49ers.

At 2:42, the Chiefs’ Tommy Townsend punted 40 yards to SF 25. The ball bounced off of 49er Darrell Luter Jr.’s leg at SF 19, muffing the punt and allowing it to be recovered by Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson at SF 16.

The Chiefs then managed to get their first touchdown of the game in with 2:28 left. Mahomes passed deep right to Valdes-Scantling for 16 yards, and Butker’s extra point was good, placing the Chiefs ahead, 13-10.

Less than five minutes into the fourth quarter, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy passed 10 yards to Jennings, who scored a touchdown. Moody’s extra point was not good, but the 49ers took back the lead at 16-13.

The Chiefs’ drive made it to SF 3, but the team was unable to score a touchdown, forcing a field goal. Butker’s 24 yard field goal was good, tying the score at 16-16 with 5:46 left.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco runs the ball during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. NFL/Mikey Owens Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco runs the ball during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. NFL/Mikey Owens

Moody’s 53 yard field goal was good for the 49ers. The Chiefs then made it to SF 11 but, with 10 seconds left, weren’t able to make a touchdown. Butker’s 29 yard field goal was good, closing out the quarter with the score tied at 19-19.

The game subsequently entered the second overtime in Super Bowl history and the first postseason overtime game under new NFL rules.

The 49ers won the coin flip and chose to receive first. Their drive made it to KC 9 but failed to yield a touchdown. Moody then successfully scored a 27 yard field goal.

Over seven minutes, Mahomes pulled off a series of passes that took the Chiefs from KC 25 to SF 3. With three seconds left, he passed short right three yards to wide receiver Mecole Hardman, securing the winning touchdown and ending the game at 25-22.

“The attitude of the team to never give up, always believe and continue the fight, it’s special, and I’m proud of the guys, man,” Patrick Mahomes said in a postgame interview. “I mean, we battled through and through, all the way through the playoffs and into the Super Bowl, and just like our whole season, it came down to the last play.”

Andy Reid has become the fifth head coach of all time with three Super Bowl wins.

“Defensively, our guys came out, played their hearts out, like they’ve done all year, kept us in the game, and then the offense just kinda persevered through it,” Reid said at a press conference. “Tough in the first half, and we did a little better in the second half. And then, obviously, the last drive was a thing of beauty, and all of this, congratulations to the 49ers for being here.”

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce celebrates with his pop star girlfriend Taylor Swift after the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII game on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. NFL/Mikey Owens Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce celebrates with his pop star girlfriend Taylor Swift after the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII game on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. NFL/Mikey Owens

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed that the loss stung but said that the team would be prepared for the next season.

“Real proud of our guys. No regrets with our team. I thought our guys played so hard today,” Shanahan said at a press conference. “Not everything was perfect, by no means, but we’re gonna lose with a group of guys, I’d do it with those guys any time. We’ll take some and get over this and come back next year ready to go.”

Mahomes was selected as the MVP of the game for “helping the Chiefs overcome a 10-point deficit en route to a 25-22 overtime win,” according to the NFL. He is the third player to win three Super Bowl MVPs, joining the ranks of Tom Brady and Joe Montana.

About 123.7 million viewers watched Super Bowl LVIII, making it the largest audience for a single-network telecast, according to analytics firm Nielsen Media Research. About 1.2 million watched Nickelodeon’s first-ever kid-friendly broadcast of the game.

The American Gaming Association estimated that 67.8 million American adults would bet $23.1 million on the game. The Nevada Gaming Control Board announced that $185.6 million was wagered in its sports books, breaking state records.

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