Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs are headed to Las Vegas for a rare Super Bowl rematch against the San Francisco 49ers, who won the game four years ago.
The Chiefs defeated Lamar Jackson and the No. 1-seeded Baltimore Ravens 17-10 in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, advancing to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years. A few hours later, Brock Purdy led the No. 1 49ers to a 34-31 win against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game.
The Chiefs (14-6) hope to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in 2003-04.
The Super Bowl Is Set: Mahomes And The Chiefs Will Face Purdy And The 49ers
Purdy, who was still two years away from being the final choice in the 2022 NFL draft the last time the teams met in the Super Bowl, will attempt to lead the 49ers (14-5) to a record-tying sixth title in their eighth appearance.
The clubs will clash on February 11 at Allegiant Stadium. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the 49ers opened as 2-1/2-point favourites.
Mahomes and the Chiefs overcame a 20-10 fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the 49ers 31-20 on February 2, 2020, giving coach Andy Reid his first Super Bowl triumph. The next year, Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers thwarted Kansas City’s chance for a repeat.
The Chiefs will become only the third team to compete in four Super Bowls in five years. Only the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s, the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s, and the Patriots in the 2000s and 2010s have won three Super Bowl championships in five years.
Last year, Mahomes led the Chiefs to a 38-35 Super Bowl comeback victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. They defeated Miami 26-7 in the wild-card round and the Bills 27-24 in Buffalo last week, Mahomes’ first career playoff game on the road other than the Super Bowl.
The Super Bowl Is Set: Mahomes And The Chiefs Will Face Purdy And The 49ers
The Eagles trounced the 49ers in the NFC final game last year, and Purdy suffered a serious elbow injury that necessitated surgery. He returned for the season-opening and helped them secure a first-round bye. Purdy guided the Niners to a 24-21 win over Green Bay last week, overcoming a 17-point hole against the Lions.
Only New England and Pittsburgh have won more Super Bowls than San Francisco, who last won after the 1994 season.
Reid will take a club to the Super Bowl for the fifth time, tying Tom Landry for third-most, trailing Bill Belichick’s nine and Don Shula’s six. Reid was the Eagles’ coach when the Patriots defeated them for the second time in 19 years.
Kyle Shanahan, the Niners’ coach, returns to the Super Bowl after losing to Reid in his first appearance. Shanahan was Atlanta’s offensive coordinator when the Falcons lost a 28-3 lead over Brady and the Patriots in Super Bowl 51.
The Super Bowl Is Set: Mahomes And The Chiefs Will Face Purdy And The 49ers
Mahomes, a two-time NFL and Super Bowl MVP, will start his fourth Super Bowl, along with Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Peyton Manning, Roger Staubach, and Jim Kelly for third place behind Brady’s ten and Elway’s five.
The greatest issue is whether Taylor Swift will travel to Las Vegas to watch her boyfriend compete in the Super Bowl on February 11. Swift, who celebrated with Kelce on the pitch after the Raven’s victory, will perform in Japan 24 hours before kickoff.
SOURCE – (AP)
