Chiefs Defeat 49ers to Win Back-to-Back Super Bowl

Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback #15 Patrick Mahomes celebrates with the trophy after the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Feb. 11, 2024. Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Live updates from the Super Bowl in Las Vegas:

Chiefs Repeat! Mahomes Leads Winning Drive in Overtime for 25–22 Win

Patrick Mahomes threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman with 3 seconds left in overtime, and the Chiefs rallied to beat the San Francisco 49ers 25–22 on Sunday in the second overtime game in Super Bowl history, becoming the first repeat champs in 19 years and ninth overall.

The Chiefs moved into rarefied air with their third Super Bowl championship in five years and fourth overall.

That tied them with the Packers and Giants for fifth on the NFL’s all-time leaderboard.

The Steelers and Patriots hold the honors with six apiece, followed by the 49ers and Cowboys with five each.

49ers Get Overtime Field Goal, One Stop Away From Winning Super Bowl

The Chiefs had chances to get the 49ers off the field in overtime, but a dropped interception and a defensive holding penalty on third down extended their drive.

The Niners, though, blew their own opportunity by having to settle for a field goal in the red zone.

San Francisco leads 22-19. Kansas City will get a shot to tie or win.

How Do the New Playoff Overtime Rules Work?

Previously, overtime was sudden death if the first team to possess the ball scored a touchdown. That led to situations where the game ended before both teams had a chance to play offense. That’s what happened with New England against Atlanta in Super Bowl 51.

Chiefs–49ers First Super Bowl to Use New Overtime Rules

The first use of the NFL’s new overtime rule comes in the Super Bowl.

No longer can the team that gets the ball first win it immediately with a touchdown. Both teams must possess the ball.

Butker Makes Late Field Goal, Forces Overtime

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker forced overtime with a 29-yard field goal with 3 seconds left to make the score 19–19.

It’s familiar territory for Kyle Shanahan.

The 49ers coach was part of the only other OT game in Super Bowl history when he was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator seven years ago. That was the 28–3 blown lead to the Patriots.

Moody Makes Amends With Go-Ahead Kick

Jake Moody became the first kicker to make two 50-plus field goals in a Super Bowl—and this one might be enough to give the 49ers the Super Bowl.

His 53-yarder with 1:53 left gave San Francisco a 19-16 lead. Moody made up for a missed extra point.

But Patrick Mahomes will get the ball. He’s shown what he can do in 13 seconds. Mahomes will have a lot more time now.

Chiefs Stall in Red Zone, Settle for Tying Field Goal

Big stop for the 49ers.

They kept the Chiefs out of the end zone even though they had first-and-goal at the 4, forcing a tying field goal with 5:46 left.

Both teams have missed opportunities, so in that way, it’s kind of evened out.

Now Brock Purdy can shed the quarterback-manager label or Patrick Mahomes will add to his extraordinary legacy.

Stay tuned.

Brock Purdy’s TD pass puts 49ers ahead 16-13 in 4th quarter

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan went for it.

All Niners fans probably couldn’t believe it when he eschewed a field goal on fourth-and-3 early in the fourth quarter and converted it. San Francisco scored a touchdown to take a 16-13 lead.

16-13?

The extra point was blocked, keeping the Chiefs within three. Could be huge.

San Francisco’s Jauan Jennings joined Nick Foles as the only players to throw a touchdown pass and catch one in a Super Bowl. Foles did it six years ago for the Eagles against the Patriots.

Brock Purdy needs another comeback win

49ers QB Brock Purdy is hoping to pull off his third playoff victory in a row while trailing in the second half.

He led the Niners on a late touchdown drive to beat the Packers and then erased a 24-7 halftime deficit to beat the Lions in the NFC championship.

The 49ers enter the fourth quarter against the Chiefs down 13-10, but are at Kansas City’s 42.

Mahomes, Chiefs Finally Connect, Take 13-10 Lead

One play after the 49ers had a punt bounce off one of their players and get recovered by Kansas City, Patrick Mahomes lofted a 16-yard pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the end zone to give the Chiefs a 13-10 lead in the Super Bowl.

Valdes-Scantling was almost universally loathed by Chiefs fans for much of the season. He dropped several passes at crucial moments, including one that may have cost them a game. And considering he was the highest-paid wide receiver on a group that struggled all season, he became an easy target for failing to live up to his contract.

But he had a big catch against Baltimore to help put away the AFC title game, and now has an even bigger one in the Super Bowl.

San Francisco Regretting Missed Chances

The 49ers had their chances to put away the Chiefs.

They might soon really regret it.

A punt bounced off the Niners’ Darrell Luter’s leg, and Kansas City’s Jaylen Watson recovered at San Francisco’s 16.

One play later, the Chiefs took their first lead of the game.

You can’t hand any team, but especially a Super Bowl champion, those kinds of breaks.

KC’s Defense Locks Down in 3rd Quarter

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are the headliners, but the Chiefs are in the Super Bowl largely because of their defense.

And did it show up in the third quarter.

They forced three 49ers three-and-outs, holding San Francisco to 3 yards.

Quarterback Brock Purdy is 4 for 12 for 17 yards since the start of the second quarter. Those game-management criticisms aren’t going away.

One bit of good news for SF: Deebo Samuel is back after limping earlier with a hamstring issue.

Chiefs make record 57-yard field goal, trail 49ers 10-6

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made a 57-yard field goal with 5:01 left in the third quarter, breaking a Super Bowl record from... two quarters ago.

Jake Moody’s 55-yarder to open the scoring had been the longest in Super Bowl history, topping a 54-yarder by Buffalo’s Steve Christie.

The kick came moments after a shirtless fan ran onto the field during a third-and-11.

49ers’ Samuel Limps Off With Hamstring Injury

49ers receiver Deebo Samuel limped off the field early in the third quarter of the Super Bowl.

San Francisco said it was a left hamstring injury and his return is questionable.

The Niners’ do-everything receiver went down on a third-down pass on San Francisco’s second drive of the third quarter. Trainers came out to attend to him before walking off under his own power. He went briefly to the injury tent.

The 49ers have struggled this season when Samuel has been hurt. They lost three straight games in October when he hurt his shoulder and struggled for most of a divisional round win against Green Bay after he hurt his other shoulder on the opening drive.

Patrick Mahomes, the King of Comebacks

Be careful about betting against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

He is 7-1 in playoff games over the past five seasons after trailing by at least seven points.

All other QBs? They are 12-55.

The Chiefs are 4 1/2-point underdogs going into the second half, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

No turf drama

One story of the first half was a nonstory.

Players didn’t slide around on the field as if it was ice like they did in last season’s Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

Chiefs Trail 49ers 10-3 at Halftime, but Comebacks Are a Specialty

This is why the Chiefs deferred after winning the coin toss.

KC trails 10-3 but will get the ball first to start the second half, giving them a chance to double up after finally getting on the scoreboard late in the second quarter with Harrison Butker’s 28-yarder.

The Chiefs are quite comfortable coming from behind. They have rallied from double-digit deficits to win two Super Bowls, including against San Francisco four years ago.

Patrick Mahomes has trailed in all four Super Bowls by double digits, yet he is 2-1.

The 49ers were the better team for most of the first half, but the combination of the Chiefs mounting a scoring drive and San Francisco blowing earlier opportunities to score has made this a game.

KC Lucky to be Within a Score

The Chiefs are fortunate to be trailing 10-3 at halftime of the Super Bowl after making the same silly mistakes that caused them to lose five of eight games midway through the season.

The AFC champions were penalized five times for 50 yards. They fumbled three times but were lucky to lose only one of them. Justin Watson dropped a long pass for the team that led the NFL in drops this season. And there have been so many blown assignments up front that Patrick Mahomes, who is rarely sacked, has been brought down twice already.

The Chiefs get the ball to start the second half after winning the coin toss and deferring, and Andy Reid is one of the best coaches in the NFL at making halftime adjustments. But unless his players start to execute, nothing that Reid says or does in the locker room will matter.

Chiefs Get Field Goal, but Frustration Mounting

The Chiefs are on the board with a 28-yard field goal from Harrison Butker with 20 seconds left before halftime.

The 49ers have done a nice job on Travis Kelce so far — even in the red zone, where he and the Chiefs are often so effective.

Kelce only has one catch for 1 yard on the day. On that last third down from the San Francisco 9, he lined up in the slot and was covered by safety Ji’Ayir Brown. Kelce appeared to swing an arm in frustration when Patrick Mahomes was taken down before being able to throw.

49ers Get TD Off Trick Play, Lead 10-0

The San Francisco 49ers got tricky for the first touchdown of the Super Bowl.

Coach Kyle Shanahan dialed up a rare trick play that led to a TD pass from receiver Jauan Jennings to running back Christian McCaffrey.

Brock Purdy started the play with a lateral to the left side to Jennings, who immediately threw it back to the other side to McCaffrey, who had a convoy of blockers and ran in for a 21-yard TD to put San Francisco up 10-0.

McCaffrey has tied an NFL record with his seventh straight playoff game with at least 50 yards from scrimmage and a TD.

San Francisco has moved to a 7 1/2-point favorite on FanDuel’s live line after the spread was a good bit closer at the start of the game.

49ers’ Dre Greenlaw Injures Achilles Tendon Running Onto Field

49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw was carted to the locker room midway through the second quarter after injuring his left Achilles tendon in a bizarre moment.

He began to sprint onto the field for the start of a defensive possession when he stumbled, fell and needed medical attention.

Greenlaw already had made an impact in this game with three tackles when he went out.

Travis Kelce Bumps Into, Yells at Andy Reid

Travis Kelce bumped into coach Andy Reid and yelled at him after teammate Isiah Pacheco’s red-zone fumble in the second quarter. Frustration is clearly building for KC, which still trails 3-0.

49ers-Chiefs a Defensive Struggle so Far

For all the talk of stars Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and Travis Kelce, it’s defenses that have had the edge early in the Super Bowl. The teams have combined for one score on the first six drives.

Kansas City looked to be on the verge of a breakthrough when Mahomes connected on a 53-yard pass to Mecole Hardman to get the Chiefs to the 9. But Isiah Pacheco lost a fumble on the next play with Javon Hargrave recovering.

Kansas City had gained only 16 yards in the first quarter and now has gone nine straight possessions in the postseason without a point, dating to the AFC title game.

San Francisco has had its own issues with McCaffrey losing a fumble on the opening drive and Trent Williams committing two penalties to stall the second possession.

49ers’ Moody Kicks Record 55-yard Field Goal, SF Leads 3-0

Jake Moody made a Super Bowl-record 55-yard field goal just 12 seconds into the second quarter to put the San Francisco 49ers on top 3-0.

Buffalo’s Steve Christie held the record with a 54-yarder against Dallas in Super Bowl 28.

This could be a confidence booster for Moody, who missed field goals in the past two playoff games.

49ers Getting In Their Own Way

The 49ers are their own worst enemies midway through the first quarter. Christian McCaffrey fumbled on their first drive, and then San Francisco lost yardage on three consecutive plays — two penalties and a run by Deebo Samuel.

Then as the 49ers were about to punt, they were penalized another 5 yards because of a false start.

That kept the game scoreless even though the Niners have outgained the Kansas City Chiefs 84-6 in yardage.

49ers’ Strong Opening Drive Spoiled by Mccaffrey Fumble

San Francisco opened the game with an impressive drive but wasted the opportunity to score when Christian McCaffrey fumbled at Kansas City’s 27-yard line.

Leo Chenal knocked the ball out of McCaffrey’s hands, and fellow Chief George Karlaftis recovered.

The Chiefs had a turnover ratio of minus-11 in the regular season, among the NFL’s worst.

This is the fourth time since 2000 that the game’s opening drive ended in a turnover.

The Chiefs didn’t do anything with the turnover, going three-and-out. That ended a streak of eight straight playoff games in which Kansas City scored on its opening possession, an NFL record.

Gronk Misses Wide-Right

In a pregame promotion for gambling site FanDuel, NFL legend Rob Gronkowski missed a 25-yard field goal for a second year in a row.

That means fans who bet against Gronkowski are set to win a share of $10 million in FanDuel Bonus Bets.

Chiefs Win the Toss

A huge roar went up when Kansas City won the toss. Either Chiefs fans felt that was unusually crucial in this game—or a lot of people had bet on heads.

KC deferred its choice to the second half, meaning the 49ers get the ball first.

Reba Sings National Anthem

Reba McEntire sang the national anthem moments before kickoff, backed by a recorded track of a country band with a horn section. Flag-bearing service members stood behind her, a huge U.S. flag covered most of the field, and military jets flew over Allegiant Stadium as she sang.

She got through the song in about 1 minute 40 seconds. That’s a good 10 seconds longer than the over-under from oddsmakers, but still the quickest version of the anthem at the Super Bowl since Kelly Clarkson sang it 12 years ago.

What’s at Stake for the Chiefs and 49ers?

The Chiefs are set for their fourth Super Bowl in five seasons. A win against the 49ers will make the Chiefs the first team to repeat since New England did it in 2003–2004. That’s the longest stretch without a repeat champion in NFL history. With a win, Patrick Mahomes will become the fifth QB to win at least three Super Bowls and Andy Reid the fifth coach to win at least three Super Bowls.

The 49ers are back in the Super Bowl seeking their record-tying sixth championship. The Niners haven’t won it all since the 1994 season, losing in their past two trips in the 2012 season and 2019 against Kansas City. Brock Purdy has gone from the last pick of the 2022 draft to becoming the third youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl and is seeking to join Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young as QBs to lead San Francisco to a title.

Biletnikoff, Plunkett, Allen Light Memorial Torch

Former Raiders Super Bowl MVPs Fred Biletnikoff, Jim Plunkett and Marcus Allen “lit” the Al Davis Memorial Torch before the game.

It’s a Raiders tradition for someone of note to light the electronic torch during Las Vegas home games. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and recording artist and actor Ice Cube were among those who turned on the torch this season.

The torch is 92 feet high, the world’s tallest three-dimensional printed structure.

Biletnikoff was the Super Bowl 11 MVP, leading the Oakland Raiders to a 32–14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Plunkett quarterbacked the Raiders to a 27–10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles four years later

Allen was the MVP of the Raiders’ lone championship when they were in Los Angeles. The Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins 38–9 in Super Bowl 18.

McKinnon, Moore Active for Chiefs, but Toney Sits

Running back Jerick McKinnon and wide receiver Skyy Moore were active for the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time in nearly two months for their Super Bowl showdown with the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

McKinnon and Moore, who both played a crucial role in the Chiefs’ win over the Eagles in the Super Bowl last year, have not played since Dec. 17 in New England. McKinnon had surgery for a core injury in early January and was considered questionable to play against the 49ers, while Moore spent a stint on injured reserve with a lingering knee injury.

Wide receiver Kadarius Toney, who also had a TD against the Eagles, was not active on Sunday.

Purdy in Rare Company with Super Bowl Start

Brock Purdy is warming up on the field for the Super Bowl 11 months and one day after undergoing major elbow surgery.

Purdy’s comeback from the injury to his throwing arm suffered in last season’s NFC championship loss to the Philadelphia Eagles has been part of his meteoric rise from final pick of the 2022 draft to Super Bowl starter in his second season.

The 24-year-old Purdy is the third youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl, behind only 23-year-olds Dan Marino and Ben Roethlisberger.

With a win Sunday, Purdy would join Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young as the only QBs to lead the Niners to a title.

Taylor Swift Greeted at Super Bowl by Roger Goodell, Jason Kelce

Taylor Swift’s arrival at Allegiant Stadium even drew the interest of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who visited her in a luxury suite before the game.

Kelce’s brother, Jason, hugged Swift in the suite, and Swift introduced him to Ice Spice. Jason Kelce plays for the Philadelphia Eagles but has fully supported his brother during the playoffs. The two faced each other in last year’s Super Bowl.

Patrick Mahomes Looks Ready for Business in Super Bowl Arrival

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes paid homage to the team that calls Allegiant Stadium home when he showed up for the Super Bowl on Sunday wearing a jet-black suit and silver tie that made him look like a fan of the AFC West-rival Las Vegas Raiders.

Mahomes appeared to be all business behind his black shades as he wheeled along his matching black Louis Vuitton luggage through the corridors of the stadium. He is trying to move into a tie for fourth behind Tom Brady, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw by picking up his third Super Bowl ring.

Super Bowl Gates Open, Fans Arriving in Las Vegas

Gates to Allegiant Stadium opened just after 11 a.m. local time, unleashing a flood of fans in red. Five San Francisco 49ers fans were the first let through the gates.

“Woo!” They yelled. “First ones in! We’re the first ones!”

Tony and Susan Chiosso traveled to Las Vegas from the Bay Area to watch their first-ever Super Bowl and, they hope, witness their team defeat the Kansas City Chiefs.

They think their luck so far this morning is a good indicator of which team will come out on top.

“I’m only seeing good signs today,” Tony Chiosso said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report