The Philadelphia Eagles rode a dominant defensive performance – which featured six Patrick Mahomes sacks and a second-quarter pick-6 – to a 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday in New Orleans.
Kansas City entered the matchup vying to become the first team to win three consecutive titles but fell short in its fifth Super Bowl appearance of the Mahomes era.
The Eagles – who saw quarterback Jalen Hurts be named Super Bowl MVP – dominated Sunday’s tilt from start to finish on both sides of the ball.
Philadelphia outgained its rivals 115-19 in total yards in the first quarter en route to a 24-0 halftime lead, the second-largest lead after two quarters in Super Bowl history. Philly’s best first-half moment was Cooper DeJean’s 38-yard pick-6, which came on a third down after the Eagles had already sacked the superstar passer on back-to-back plays to start that drive. The pick was one of two Mahomes interceptions.
The Chiefs did force a Hurts interception near the end zone in the first half, but their offense couldn’t do much to gain momentum. Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy – K.C.’s two receiving leaders this postseason – combined for only one yard in the first two quarters in one of the Chiefs’ worst performances in the Mahomes and Andy Reid era.
Kansas City fans hoped things would change after halftime, but the Eagles had other plans. They extended their lead to 34-0 after Hurts delivered a perfect 46-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith late in the third quarter. Smith became the first player drafted out of Alabama to score a touchdown in a Super Bowl.
Hurts added another impressive Super Bowl performance to his resume, completing 17 of 22 pass attempts for 221 yards and two touchdowns against one interception. He also rushed for one TD and 72 yards, a QB record in the Big Game. The 26-year-old posted one of the best Super Bowl performances ever for a losing quarterback in 2023 versus K.C., but the Chiefs still found a way to win the Lombardi Trophy that season. This year, however, Hurts got redemption, leading Philly to its first Super Bowl title since the 2017 campaign.
Kansas City limited Saquon Barkley – Philly’s most dangerous weapon – to only 57 rushing yards. However, that wasn’t enough for the AFC champions – the Eagles stood out in pass protection and pressured Mahomes all night to get revenge on their 38-35 loss to Kansas City in the Super Bowl two years ago.
Josh Sweat led the way with 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, and three QB hits. Milton Williams had two sacks and forced one fumble, while Zack Baun added to his All-Pro season with an interception that helped set up an A.J. Brown touchdown in the second quarter.
With his Super Bowl performance, Barkley finished this campaign with 2,505 rushing yards – the most in NFL history in a single season, including the playoffs. Barkley, who turned 28 on Sunday, was also one of four Eagles players with at least 40 receiving yards on the day.
The Chiefs didn’t cross midfield until the final seconds of the third quarter on a drive that resulted in Worthy scoring a 24-yard TD. The rookie caught eight passes for 157 yards, but most of his production came in garbage time. He was the only Kansas City player with more than 40 yards. On the ground, Mahomes led K.C. despite rushing for only 25 yards.
Mahomes – trying to bolster his case as one of the greatest QBs ever at the age of 29 – went 21-for-32 passing with 257 yards and three TDs to two INTs. Two of his touchdowns took place in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter.
Mahomes and Reid are expected to return to the Chiefs dynasty next season, but it’s unclear if Kelce will join them. The star tight end recently said he plans to play in 2025, but he’s reportedly still undecided about his future.
The Eagles, meanwhile, will look for a new offensive coordinator for a second straight year. Philadelphia made standout hirings in the 2024 offseason by bringing in OC Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who was 0-8 against Mahomes entering Sunday. However, Moore is reportedly expected to become the New Orleans Saints’ new head coach this week.
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