The Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in overtime on Sunday, 25-22, in Las Vegas’s Allegiant Stadium to win Super Bowl LVIII. This was only the second Super Bowl to go into overtime and the longest ever recorded Super Bowl Game, with 74 minutes and 57 seconds of playing time.
Super Bowl LVIII was the most watched Super Bowl in history.
To start the game, the Kansas City Chiefs won the coin toss and chose to defer the ball to the 49ers so they could get the ball after halftime.
San Francisco’s opening drive was led by their star running back Christian McCaffrey but then he ultimately fumbled on the 29-yard line to give the Chiefs the ball. The first quarter was a defensive battle with no points scored from either team.
To get the second quarter started, San Francisco 49ers kicker, Jake Moody, set the record for the longest field goal made in a Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs being down three, fans were expecting big things from this drive, but the San Francisco defense shut them down, which led to them scoring on a trick play on McCaffrey. With the Chiefs now down 10 points with 20 seconds left, they made a field goal to end the first half, 10-3.
The Chiefs started with the ball in the second half and things get into a rocky start with their quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, throwing an interception to the 49ers safety, Ji’Ayir Brown. For the next two possessions, neither team scored but the Chiefs made it into field goal range to give kicker, Harrison Butker, a chance at a 57-yarder to break Moody’s record of 55 yards. Butker converted the chance.
The Chiefs gained possession of the ball again and punted it, however, the 49ers fumbled the ball which the Chiefs recovered. The Chiefs went on to have a great drive and scored a touchdown after Mahomes threw a 16-yard pass to wide receiver, Marquez Valdez-Scantling. The 3rd quarter ended 13-10 with the Chiefs leading.
To start the fourth quarter, the 49ers had a great drive to score on a 10-yard pass to wide receiver, Jauan Jennings from quarterback, Brock Purdy, but a missed extra point leaving the score at 16-13.
The Chiefs marched down the field to get a game tying field goal. But Purdy led the 49ers to another field goal to gain the lead 19-16. Mahomes was not backing down, he led the offense down the field for the game-tying field goal forcing overtime.
For this years’s NFL Playoffs (including the Super Bowl), the overtime rules were revamped. Both teams were guaranteed a possession, even if the first team with the ball scored a touchdown. Before the overtime, the 49ers won the coin toss and chose to get the ball first. The 49ers made a field goal; however, the Chiefs would go on to score a touchdown and win the game. For Patrick Mahomes and many of the Chiefs players, this Super Bowl is their third career Super Bowl win.
