On February 9, all eyes in America were focused on New Orleans, Louisiana, as the nation prepared for the former reigning NFL champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, to take on the Philadelphia Eagles. In a rematch of the Super Bowl LVII, fans watched as the Eagles stunned the Chiefs in a 40-22 dominant win and denied the Chiefs a possible third consecutive NFL title.
To understand the stakes for both sides, let’s rewind the game’s history. For the Kansas City Chiefs, a three-peat was on the line. In the history of the Super Bowl, no team has managed to win three Super Bowls in a row, meaning that the Chiefs would have become pioneers in the NFL if they secured the win. For the Philadelphia Eagles, revenge was on their minds. In Super Bowl LVII two years ago, the Eagles faced the Chiefs in Arizona, and it ended in a close 38-35 loss. After the game, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts told a reporter in an interview, “I’ll be back,” and he made sure that came true.
This year, Super Bowl LIX was a series of complex plays and tough calls that had fans either jumping for joy or throwing their TVs at a wall. Many were hoping for a tight game with a single decisive play at the very end. Sadly, fans were disappointed. The game tipped off with twenty-two-time Grammy nominated singer John Batiste singing the national anthem. The coin toss was won by the Chiefs, and the ball conferred to the Eagles. The game started slow for both teams but ramped up by the end of the first quarter with a 7-0 lead for the Eagles. That quickly increased to a 24-0 score at halftime, with the Chiefs barely getting to the halfway line.
The game rapidly took a turn and never went back, as several stars of the show turned the game the Eagles’ way. Cooper DeJean, a rookie from Iowa, intercepted a pass and scored a pick-six, ending Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’s streak of 297 successful passes and becoming the first player to score a Super Bowl touchdown on their birthday. Josh Sweat and Milton Williams dominated the front line, leading to a combined 4.5 sacks. Hurts finished the game with two touchdown passes and one touchdown scored the “Philly way” with a brotherly shove.
The Chiefs tried to scrape their way back in the second half, but the Philly defense was simply too good. The game had reached an all-time low for the Chiefs as the Eagles held a 34-0 lead at the end of the third quarter. There was little hope for a comeback. Mahomes ended with six sacks, the most against him in a single game in his whole career. The front line of the Chiefs fell apart from the beginning, with Joe Thuney, left tackle, and Jawaan Taylor, right tackle, unable to keep up with the power of the Eagles’ edge rushers. Travis Kelce, the tight end, failed to secure several passes, ending with four catches for 39 yards and a small hint at retirement in this coming season. The single highlight for Kansas was two skillful touchdowns by Xavier Worthy, a rookie out of Texas, suggesting a bright future for him in the NFL.
To examine the game outside of the players, the game saw several celebrities—the president, Taylor Swift, Lionel Messi, Jay-Z, Pete Davidson, Adam Sandler, Anne Hathaway, and more. The highly-awaited Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show was a controversial Kendrick Lamar performance that sparked major media debate. His performance included Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam, Serena Williams with a crip walk, and a duet with upcoming tour partner SZA. The halftime show was the first time in history that a diss track was played, a representation of Lamar’s intense feud with fellow rapper Drake. His show had ten featured songs including “Luther,” “Humble,” and his five-time Grammy winning song, “Not Like Us.” His spectacle is discussed as a cultural critique and representation of American politics and climate, with hints of several societal issues throughout his performance.
While Super Bowl LIX may have had a disappointing outcome for some, the overall game will nonetheless be remembered as a demonstration of dominance by the Eagles and MVP Jalen Hurts, with stunning moments that will continue to be discussed for many more Sundays to come!
