Super Bowl
Summary of the Super Bowl 2024: Chiefs leave it late to seal back-to-back Super Bowls
The Super Bowl 2024 didn’t disappoint with two of the most decorated sides in the NFL clashing at the Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada.
We look back on what was a pulsating and historic game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
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Season leading up to Super Bowl LVIII
The Kansas City Chiefs began the season as Super Bowl holders and with the best quarterback in the NFL in Patrick Mahomes, they were always going to be feared. However, their Super Bowl defence got off to a stuttering start with a shock 21-20 defeat at the hands of the Detroit Lions. The Chiefs bounced back in style from that setback, winning their next eight games. Andy Reid’s side finished the regular season with an 11-6 record, well clear on top of AFC West to book their place in the Wild Card Round.
The Chiefs dominated the Dolphins, stifling an impressive Miami offence to win 26-7, setting up what would be a bruising contest against the Buffalo Bills. Mahomes rose to the occasion, throwing two TDs for 215 yards, as the Chiefs came from behind in the fourth quarter to edge the verdict 27-24. A red-hot first two quarters was then enough to see them past the big threat of the Ravens to book their place in Super Bowl LVIII.
No side scored more touchdowns than the San Francisco 49ers in the regular season, with the West Coast side recording 61. With their punishing offence, the 49ers were widely fancied for Super Bowl glory before the season began, and they made a blistering start to the campaign, winning five on the bounce, including a 42-10 mauling of the Dallas Cowboys. A bit of a mid-season lull was followed by a strong finish to see them comfortably finish top of NFC West with a record of 12-5 – one that was only bettered by the Baltimore Ravens.
The 49ers entered the Divisional Round stage and had a real fight to get past the Packers, as they required a Christian McCaffrey touchdown with just over a minute left on the clock to get over the line. It was no easier in the Divisional Final, as they again scored heavily late on – 27 points in the final two quarters – to just edge out the Detroit Lions 34-31 and set up a shot at the Vince Lombardi trophy.
Story of Super Bowl LVIII
With both sides coming into the Super Bowl in excellent form, this was all set up to be a spectacle and it didn’t disappoint, becoming only the second Super Bowl to be decided in overtime.
The stage was set with two star quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy facing off and both sides bringing some fierce offence to the table. In the crowd the big story was Taylor Swift jetting in to watch her boyfriend, Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce, after playing a concert in Tokyo the evening before, while the half-time show featured Usher, Reba McEntire, Post Malone, Andra Day among others.
A tight first quarter saw no points scored, with 49ers star running back Christian McCaffery’s fumble summing up a tense opening period.
It was the Niners that took the lead early in the second quarter courtesy of a Jake Moody 55-yard field goal and the San Francisco side then took the game by the scruff of the neck with Jauan Jennings spraying a 21-yard pass to McCaffery who got in for the first TD of the game. 10-0 San Francisco. With only 20 seconds left on the clock, the Chiefs registered their first score, courtesy of a Harrison Butker field goal.
The third quarter was all about the Chiefs as they came storming back at their opponents, scoring another field goal and a Marquez Valdes-Scantling touchdown carried them into a 13-10 lead heading into the final period.
It was the 49ers who looked more likely as they reassumed the lead with Purdy finding Jennings for their second TD of the match. A succession of field goals then followed, with the Niners holding a 19-16 lead with just 10 second remaining. In a final twist, the Chiefs scored a field goal with three seconds left on the clock to tie the match 19-19 and take the game into overtime.
The extra period was a repeat of the final quarter with the 49ers taking the lead, but they were driven back by the Chiefs and the brilliant Mahomes, who with again three seconds remaining on the clock, popped a short pass to Mecole Hardman Jr. to complete a winning touchdown. The scoreboard read 25-22 – comeback complete, the Chiefs had retained the Super Bowl. Cue the madness.
