Super Bowl LVIII

Written by: Liam Schulte (10)

1 March 2024

Big as the what?

Big as the Super Bowl! This year, we saw two incredible teams face off in a marquee matchup in Las Vegas, Nevada during the 58th rendition of the NFL Championship, known as the super bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs, led by the two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes and a stout defense, who allowed 17.3 points per game this year. They looked to defend their prior championship against the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers. Their team was led by their young trio of Chirstian McCaffrey, Brock Purdy, and Brandon Aiyuk, as well as their star-studded defense, allowing 17.5 opponent points per game this year. So, one could see why this matchup was called one for the ages.

After Reba McEntire sang the national anthem, the game kicked off at 3:30 PST (the local time for Las Vegas) and immediately started off with a bang, as the 49ers had three of their first four plays go for 10 or more yards. When it looked as if they were to score, Christian McCaffrey fumbled deep into the Chiefs territory, giving posession to Mahomes and the offense.

Three straight punts followed the turnover, and neither team got onto the board until 49ers kicker Jake Moody booted one through the uprights from 55 yards out, a Super Bowl record at the time. The Chiefs looked to respond, and it seemed as if they were going to until Isiah Pacheco fumbled on the 49ers 9-yard line; a costly mistake.

The scoring ignited again after an eight-play, 67 yard drive by the 49ers that ended in a Jauan Jennings 21-yard pass to Christian McCaffrey in a high-risk trick play. The Chiefs then punched back with a 28-yard field goal by Harrison Butker with 20 seconds remaining in the half. After a six-yard run by McCaffrey, the game went into halftime, with the Niners leading, 10-3.

At halftime, American singer Usher performed many of his hits, joined by Alicia Keys. Especially in recent years, critics have always popped up, and this year was no different. Many thought it was astounding, many thought it was missing something. Nevertheless, it is one of the staple events in North American championships.

After the halftime performance, it was back to the football action for both fans and players, and as Jake Moody kicked off to the Chiefs, the second half began.

The half started off with a huge interception of Patrick Mahomes by the 49ers, but they were unable to do anything, as three straight punts ensued. But, the Chiefs got on the board first after Harrison Butker kicked in a record-setting 57-yard field goal, breaking Jake Moody’s record set about an hour and a half before. After another two punts, the Chiefs seized the lead when a muffed punt set them up for a 16-yard touchdown for Marques Valdes-Scantling. 

Soon after in the fourth quarter, the 49ers responded with their own touchdown when Brock Purdy threw a 10-yard touchdown to Jauan Jennings, but after a blocked point after and a Chiefs field goal, the game was knotted up at 16. 

Going into the last parts of the regulation, the 49ers went on a seven-play, 40 yard drive that ended in a field goal with 1:53 left in the fourth quarter. All they needed was a defensive stop and the Lombardi trophy was theirs. 

But, the Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes. He will never make it easy.

So, the Chiefs responded with a 11-play drive that gave Harrison Butker a close field goal attempt with three seconds left. He banged it in, and the big game was going into overtime for only the second time in its almost six decade history (Super Bowl 51 being the other).

The 49ers were to receive the ball first after they elected to, which stirred and confused many fans, because the math seems to favor the team who gets the ball second in their scenario. Many players later came out to say they weren’t clear on what the exact rules were.

The Niners then took a long, thirteen play drive that ended in yet another field goal from Jake Moody.

Now, it was the Chiefs turn. They fought through many tough fourth and third down situations to get to the San Francisco three-yard line with 0:03 left on the clock. They had one play to get it done. They elected to pass it to a player who didn’t start his year on the Chiefs, but rather the Jets. Mecole Hardman ran a quick route to the pylon and caught it a step away from the endzone; no one surrounded him. He punched it in, and Chiefs Faithful went crazy. They had won their third Super Bowl in five years, cementing themselves as one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history.

The Chiefs are still your NFL champions, but they are teams vying for that title, so even more will certainly tune in to the 2024-5 NFL season.