© Reuters. Soccer – NFL – Tremendous Bowl LVIII – Kansas Metropolis Chiefs v San Francisco 49ers – Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States – February 11, 2024 Kansas Metropolis Chiefs head coach Andy Reid provides directions to his gamers throughout additional time REUTERS/Mike B
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By Steve Keating
LAS VEGAS (Reuters) -Patrick Mahomes threw a landing cross to Mecole Hardman in additional time to present the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs a 25-22 win over the San Francisco 49ers in a ‘Sin Metropolis’ Tremendous Bowl thriller on Sunday, cementing their standing as an NFL dynasty.
The blockbuster end in Las Vegas was worthy of the most important present on the Strip, because the Chiefs gained a 3rd Tremendous Bowl in 5 years and have become the NFL’s first repeat champions for the reason that New England Patriots in February 2005.
After 49ers rookie kicker Jake Moody had booted a discipline aim to open additional time Mahomes marched the Chiefs down the sector and, with a sold-out Allegiant Stadium on the sting of their seats, ended the drama with a three-yard strike to Hardman within the ultimate seconds of the primary additional time interval.
The win made pop queen Taylor Swift’s mad sprint from Tokyo, the place she carried out on Saturday, to Las Vegas to look at boyfriend Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce all worthwhile.
The pop famous person confirmed no indicators of jetlag, leaping up and down and cheering all through all the contest earlier than becoming a member of Kelce on the sector the place they embraced beneath a bathe of confetti.
Whereas viewership numbers won’t be identified till Monday, broadcasters count on the mixture of Swift and the NFL to have produced the most important TV occasion within the U.S. since Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon in 1969.
The Apollo 11 moon touchdown was the most-watched U.S. tv occasion in historical past, drawing practically 150 million viewers.
Kelce, who caught 9 passes for 93 yards, stated he at all times believed quarterback Mahomes would lead the Chiefs victory.
“By no means a doubt in my thoughts,” stated Kelce.
“We bought the most effective quarterback within the league, the most effective offensive thoughts (coach Andy Reid) within the league and we bought essentially the most willpower out of any staff within the NFL.”
‘DIFFERENT ANIMAL’
Whereas Swift and Chiefs supporters celebrated it was extra heartbreak for Niners followers, who have been seeking to declare a report equalling sixth Tremendous Bowl title solely to be denied by Kansas Metropolis as soon as once more.
On the Tremendous Bowl in 2020 is was additionally the Chiefs who despatched the 49ers house empty handed after they scored 21 unanswered factors within the fourth quarter for a 31-20 victory in Miami.
“They need to be taught by now that after we down by 10, we flip into a distinct animal,” stated Hardman. “They counted us out, they stated we down, we nothing, we washed up. They stated the receivers have been accomplished.
“However look now, back-to-back champs … do not ever rely us out.”
Mahomes’ sport profitable 75-yard drive proved but once more why he’s rated the most effective quarterback within the enterprise, incomes Tremendous Bowl Most Worthwhile Participant honours for a 3rd time.
“The blokes by no means faltered,” stated Mahomes. “I am happy with my guys man, that is superior, it is legendary.
“It is the beginning of (a dynasty), we’re not accomplished.
“I do know we’ll have fun tonight however we bought a younger staff, we going to maintain this factor going.”
After a glitzy week of high-octane partying and obsessing over Swift’s journey plans the highlight lastly turned to the motion on the sector.
San Francisco dominated the opening half the place the spotlight for Chiefs supporters was Swift chugging down a drink and slamming down the cup as Niners followers booed.
Neither staff have been capable of finding their stride in a scoreless first quarter the place each quarterbacks turned to the bottom sport.
The 49ers took cost within the second, opening up a 10-0 lead on a Tremendous Bowl report discipline aim and little bit of ‘razzle-dazzle’.
Moody nailed a 55-yarder earlier than Niners coach Kyle Shanahan reached into his bag of methods with a play that noticed receiver Jauan Jennings, a former highschool quarterback, throwing the ball throughout discipline to working again Christian McCaffrey, who scampered 21 yards for the rating.
Kansas Metropolis bought on the scoreboard simply earlier than the top of the half with kicker Harrison Butker chipping a 28-yard discipline aim to ship the Chiefs into the break down 10-3.
MISSED CONVERSION
Popping out of the break the Chiefs’ play remained scrappy however their willpower didn’t waver and Butker booted a Tremendous Bowl report 57-yard discipline aim to trim the 49ers’ result in 10-6.
Simply earlier than the top of the third quarter Kansas Metropolis bought the break they’d been ready for – a punt disregarding the leg of Niners Ray-Ray McCloud and the Chiefs recovered.
Mahomes shortly made San Francisco pay for the error, hitting Marquez Valdes-Scantling with a 16-yard landing to take the lead for the primary time at 13-10.
San Francisco answered with a 75-yard drive that was capped by a 16-yard landing cross from Brock Purdy to Jennings to place the 49ers up 16-13.
However Moody then missed the additional level to depart the Chiefs needing solely a discipline aim to tie the competition.
That miss would show pricey because the Chiefs adopted with one other Butker discipline aim to depart it deadlocked at 16-16.
Moody redeemed himself with a pressure-packed 53-yard discipline aim with just below two minutes to play in regulation time, giving San Francisco a 19-16 lead.
Butker confirmed he too has nerves of metal by banging house a 29-yarder with three seconds on the clock to ship the Tremendous Bowl to additional time for simply the second time.
