With the end of the National Football League season, this year’s 58th annual Super Bowl turned out to be a familiar one, as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs faced off the San Francisco 49ers for the second time since 2020. The Chiefs looked to repeat as champions with an extraordinary young team. On the other end, the 49ers looked to bounce back from their Super Bowl loss back in 2020.
Winning their respective division, the 49ers had the first-round bye advantage by having the best record in the National Football Conference. The Chiefs also emerged victorious in their division; however, they did not receive the first-bye throughout the playoffs.
Each team won all of their previous games to reach the Super Bowl. The game was hosted in the new home of the Las Vegas Raiders, in the Allegiant Stadium. Both teams arrived days earlier to prepare for the game; each side was hungry for a win.
“Honestly, you could really tell that there was something up with this Super Bowl. Too many things went perfectly to not be a script,” senior Luciano Quintana said.
On the Chiefs side, they looked to defend their status as champions from the previous year, while the 49ers looked to upset Mahomes with the lead of second-year quarterback Brock Purdy. With both teams having some of the highest ranked offenses and defenses in the NFL, Super Bowl LVIII looked to be a competitive game.
Starting off the first quarter, the defensive prowess of both the Chiefs and the 49ers was put into the spotlight, with neither team managing to score a point in the first 15 minutes. 49ers’ defensive lineman Nick Bosa was a prominent player in the first quarter, pressuring Mahomes and causing issues for the Chiefs offensive line.
“I was rooting for the 49ers because I mainly wanted Brock Purdy to win. The referees did a good job in this game despite what others say. This was a more defensive super bowl so it was a little boring at first but it picked up during the second-half. For next year, I hope the Dolphins can get over the hump and make the Super Bowl,” freshman Robin Diaz said.
Leading into the second quarter, the 49ers capitalized on a drive that began in the first quarter. 49ers kicker Jake Moody opened the scoreboard with a 55 yard field goal, setting the record for the longest field goal in Super Bowl history. The Chiefs responded strongly, returning the ball and making it to the 49ers’ nine yard line in four drives. However, the drive was cut short by a fumble from Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco.
Later in the quarter, the 49ers scored a 21-yard touchdown, with wide receiver Jauan Jennings passing it to Christian McCaffrey to extend the lead to 10 to 0. Capping the first half, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker scored a 28-yard field goal to make the score 10 to 3.
“The first half was my favorite part game because the 49ers were winning and the Chiefs looked horrible. Travis Kelce only had one yard in the first half and the team was being shutout. The second half was the most entertaining along with overtime although the 49ers lost,” freshman JanDaive Calimlim said.
Entering halftime, both teams struggled to put up points on the board. The fans enjoyed Usher’s performance featuring other artists like Alicia Keys, H.E.R. and Ludacris, playing some of their classic hits. Blasting his music, Usher presented many of his hit songs, including “Yeah” and “My Boo”.
After halftime, the Chiefs began to find their rhythm. With nine minutes left in the quarter, Butker scored a 57-yard field goal, cutting the 49ers lead to four points and breaking the Super Bowl field goal record once again. Locking down the 49er’s offense, Mahomes passed his way to the Chiefs’ first touchdown of the game. With the 49ers struggling to keep up, the game flipped the switch, and the Chiefs were up by three.
The fourth quarter was like no other, with both offenses heating up as the game was reaching an end. The 49ers commenced the quarter with an early touchdown, but Chiefs linebacker Leo Chanel would block the extra point that would go on to define the game. As the quarter continued, the 49ers scored a field goal, while the Chiefs responded with two clutch field goals to send the game into overtime.
For the Superbowl, the overtime rules were changed, allowing both teams to receive the ball at least once even if the first possession resulted in a touchdown. The 49ers won the coin toss and elected to start on offense, a decision which would come to haunt them.
The 49ers started off the drive strong with both pass and run plays leading the way. The team entered the Chiefs’ 10 yard line but were unable to score a touchdown due to a missed third down. They settled for a 27 yard field goal, putting them ahead for the time being.
“As soon as I saw the 49ers ask for the ball instead of kick, I knew that it was over for them. There is no way that you decide to give the Chiefs the ball with 5 minutes on the clock. At that point, it was bound to happen,” senior Tommaso Bruce said.
Given an opportunity, Mahomes and the Chiefs were used to crucial situations. Almost being stopped early in the drive on 4th down, the quarterback took the ball himself, gaining 10 yards and keeping the game alive. With a couple more big plays from Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice, the Chiefs found themselves at the 3-yard line. Only needing one more play, Mecole Hardman caught the game winning touchdown, resulting in a Chiefs victory at Super Bowl LVIII.
Now back-to-back Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs have been recognized as the next NFL dynasty following the historic run of the New England Patriots. With this victory, the Chiefs will have a chance to become the first team to win the Super Bowl three years in a row, an accomplishment that would be memorialized in the history books.
