The Philadelphia Eagles have clinched Super Bowl LIX, demolishing the Kansas City Chiefs in a resounding victory. The Eagles bagged their second Super Bowl and fifth NFL championship after rocketing to a 24-0 lead by halftime. It was a nightmarish outing for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was sacked six times and threw two interceptions, including a pick-six, marking one of the worst performances of his career so far. Despite the Chiefs' attempts at an improbable comeback in the second half, the Eagles' defence held them to just 22 points while their offence continued to rack up points, ending the game at 40-22.
With minutes still left on the clock it was apparent to everyone, from the visibly dejected Chiefs to the jubilant Eagles, who had won the biggest trophy in American Football. By the third quarter, even US President Donald Trump, who had supported the Chiefs before kick-off, decided to make a hasty exit from the largely one-sided 59th Super Bowl. This is not to say that the event, watched by well over 100 million people around the world, was without controversy. Here are seven key takeaways from the showdown at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Super Bowl LIX had high stakes: the Chiefs were vying to be the first team to secure three consecutive NFL championships since the Green Bay Packers achieved it in 1967, and the first franchise ever to win three Super Bowls. The Eagles, on the other hand, were seeking retribution against Kansas City following their 38-35 loss at Super Bowl LVII in Arizona in 2023. The opening drive of the game saw Jalen Hurts and the Eagles take control, with Hurts predictably passing the ball to Saquon Barkley.
The Eagles' running back had a standout regular season, rushing 2,005 yards, and he notched up three 60-plus-yard rushing touchdowns in the playoffs before Sunday. Kansas City successfully halted Barkley on the first drive, but this only paved the way for Hurts' passing game. He connected with AJ Brown after hurling the ball downfield, and the wide receiver's spectacular catch sent the green-clad fans into a frenzy.
However, the referees penalised Brown for pass interference, despite minimal contact. This dubious call did little to dispel the notion of referee bias towards the Chiefs, and Philadelphia's supporters made their displeasure known with resounding boos. The focus shifted from the referees once the Eagles seized control of the match. After Mahomes failed to make an impact on his first drive, Philadelphia struck.
Kansas City's cornerback Trent McDuffie was penalised for unnecessary roughness on Dallas Goedert, which allowed Hurts to deliver his second standout moment of the night by connecting with Jahan Dotson. Initially, it appeared that the wide receiver had reached the end zone, but Philadelphia's celebrations were briefly paused when Dotson's touchdown was retracted to the one-yard line. The Eagles eventually scored via the tush push. All eyes then turned to Mahomes to see how he would react. His response was less than stellar, as the Chiefs ended up punting the ball.
The Eagles seemed poised to add more points to their tally at the start of the second quarter, but Hurts couldn't capitalise on the drive. On a third down, the quarterback's pass fell well short of his intended receiver, and Chiefs safety Bryan Cook had ample room to intercept the ball before tumbling out of play. Hurts should've accepted the sack and brought kicker Jake Elliott into play. Luckily for the Eagles, Mahomes didn't make Hurts pay for his error, as the Chiefs' quarterback continued his unexpectedly sluggish start to the match.
Hurts avoided repeating his mistake on his subsequent drive, with Elliott successfully kicking a field goal after the touchdown was ruled out, taking the score to 10-0. As the pressure mounted, Mahomes needed to find his rhythm and put some points on the board for Kansas City before halftime. What transpired next left everyone gobsmacked. The Chiefs' star player, widely hailed as the best quarterback of his generation, was sacked twice before throwing a pick-six straight into the hands of Eagles safety Cooper DeJean.
It was an ideal birthday gift for DeJean, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Sunday. Philadelphia's lead quickly ballooned to 24 points. Mahomes was sacked and intercepted again before halftime, enabling Hurts to connect with Brown for another touchdown. The Chiefs were in disarray both offensively and defensively during the first half. It's challenging to recall a worse performance from Mahomes, especially at this level. The Eagles were living the dream.
As Kendrick Lamar took to the stage at halftime, one question was on everyone's mind - could Mahomes emulate Tom Brady and pull off a legendary Super Bowl comeback?. Eight years ago, Brady guided the New England Patriots to a triumphant win against the Atlanta Falcons at Super Bowl LI, even though they were trailing by 25 points at one point. However, the Chiefs had a disastrous start to the third quarter.
