By NFL writer
LAS VEGAS — It’s hard for Patrick Mahomes to top what he has already done in the NFL. But he found a way in Super Bowl LVIII.
Mahomes’ overtime drive for a game-winning touchdown beat the San Francisco 49ers and moved to the top of the list of Mahomes’ greatest moments. It’s his second game-winning Super Bowl drive in two seasons, and his Super Bowl count is up to three.
Mahomes completed some big passes and ran for two first downs on the final drive of overtime. Needing a field goal to tie the game and a touchdown to win, Mahomes hit Mecole Hardman for the score and the 25-22 win. Mahomes added another ring and another chapter to his legend.
Super Bowl LVIII started slow but turned into a great finish, with each team coming up with huge drives in the final minutes of regulation and overtime.
You can feel the energy. Absolutely electric. #SBLVIII pic.twitter.com/5LmmVGU5XW
— NFL (@NFL) February 12, 2024
Brock Purdy led a drive that ended in a field goal and a 19-16 lead with less than two minutes to play. Patrick Mahomes led a drive in the final two minutes of regulation and Harrison Butker hit a field goal with three seconds left to tie the game. It was just the second time a Super Bowl has gone to overtime, joining Super Bowl LI between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons.
The 49ers scored a field goal to start overtime but the Chiefs were guaranteed a possession even if San Francisco scored as part of the NFL’s new postseason overtime rules. Mahomes needed a touchdown to win, and everyone in Allegiant Stadium knew how that was going to turn out.
49ers defense starts fast
The 49ers came out hot. They had 46 yards on their first four plays. Even though that drive ended suddenly with a rare Christian McCaffrey fumble — he has lost just four regular-season fumbles on more than 1,800 touches — San Francisco’s defense was fantastic from the start. They flustered Mahomes with a good pass rush, took Travis Kelce out of the game and never let the Chiefs get in a rhythm.
San Francisco’s defense was very good for most of the season but gave up plenty of yards and points in both of their NFC playoff wins. The extra week off before the Super Bowl seemed to help.
San Francisco’s issue was that their offense moved the ball well enough at times but scoring was difficult. They led 3-0 when they went deep into the playbook. 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings, a highly recruited high school quarterback, caught a backwards pass at the snap. He waited a moment, then turned and threw to Christian McCaffrey on the other side of the field. McCaffrey had a clear lane to the end zone and a 21-yard touchdown.
PURDY TO JENNINGS TO CMC FOR SIX 🔥
📺: #SBLVIII on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/dClcEDViWl pic.twitter.com/ktiTXIiHzS— NFL (@NFL) February 12, 2024
Defenses controlled the game before halftime. The 49ers were clearly the better team in the first half. It would have been even worse for the Chiefs if they hadn’t put together a drive late in the first half and kicked a field goal. That was their only score of the first half, and they trailed 10-3 when Usher came out to perform.
Lead goes back and forth
For all that had gone wrong for the Chiefs in the first half, they only trailed by a score to start the second half. They trailed 24-14 in the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles last year and came back to win.
The Chiefs defense held after a Mahomes interception to start the third quarter, then a 22-yard run by Mahomes set up a field goal. Kansas City trailed 10-6.
The Chiefs got a massive break to take the lead. A Kansas City punt hit 49ers rookie Darrell Luter’s foot as it landed, making it a live ball. Ray-Ray McCloud tried to pick it up but he couldn’t and the Chiefs recovered. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was wide open for a 16-yard touchdown on the next play and the Chiefs suddenly had their first lead.
A fourth-down conversion on a bold call by Kyle Shanahan led to a touchdown catch by Jennings, but the 49ers’ extra point was blocked. That allowed the Chiefs to tie it on their next drive.
Purdy and the 49ers answered. He led San Francisco into Chiefs territory and while the 49ers couldn’t finish the drive with a touchdown, rookie Jake Moody — a third-round pick who the 49ers were questioned for drafting so high — hit a 53-yard field goal to give San Francisco a 19-16 lead with 1:53 to go.
Giving Mahomes that much time needing just a field goal seemed to be almost automatic for him. He faced a third-and-2 but beat the 49ers’ blitz with a quick dump off to Jerick McKinnon for 7 yards. That put the Chiefs on the edge of field-goal range. Then he hit Travis Kelce for a gain of 23. The Chiefs had six seconds and a timeout after an incompletion, but Andy Reid didn’t risk it and had Butker kick a field goal for the tie.
The Chiefs thought they had forced a quick punt to start overtime, but Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie was called for holding, a penalty that will be debated for a while. McDuffie did grab Jennings but officials had not called many penalties to that point, which was a near repeat of the holding call that helped the Chiefs win the Super Bowl a year ago. That penalty allowed the 49ers to get a drive going. McCaffrey had a big play. Kyle Juszczyk had a catch that came loose when he hit the ground, but officials said it was a completion. The 49ers ended up getting a field goal.
The Chiefs had a fourth-and-1 with the Super Bowl on the line but Mahomes ran for a first down to keep the game going. Mahomes hit Rashee Rice for a huge first down on third-and-6. Mahomes ran for another first down. Then he found Hardman for the walk-off winner.
The Chiefs had an up and down season. But they had Mahomes. And that’s what mattered the most in winning another title.