Chiefs defeat 49ers 31-20 for Andy Reid’s first Super Bowl win
Andy Reid entered Super Bowl 54 as the winningest coach without a title but that drought is no longer after the Chiefs stirring come from behind victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
After trailing the 49ers 20-10 early on in the 4th quarter, the Chiefs were able to rally and turn that 10 point deficit into a 31-20 win in Miami.
In the win, Patrick Mahomes became the first quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl and NFL MVP before the age of 25.
Patrick Mahomes is the first QB in NFL history to win a Super Bowl and NFL MVP before the age of 25.
Reid became the first coach in NFL history to win his 1st Super Bowl after at least 20 seasons as a head coach.
Mahomes overcame two early turnovers, to go 26 of 42, for 286 yards and two touchdowns. For the 49ers, Jimmy Garoppolo led San Francisco was 20-31, for 219 yards and one touchdown, but had two costly turnovers late.
Super Bowl LIV Live Blog: Chiefs vs. 49ers scoring drives and updates
The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are set to face off for the Lombardi Trophy in Miami.
Kickoff is slated for 6:30 EST.
The Chiefs are looking for their first Super Bowl victory since 1970, while head coach Andy Reid is vying for the first Super Bowl title of his career, after losing his only other appearance with the Eagles.
Kansas City will attack with Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce, while the 49ers will counter will pass-rush star Nick Bosa and a dominant defense.
With kickoff moments away, here’s your Eagles Wire Super Bowl live blog and scoring updates.
It’s about that time for the Battle for the Lombardi as the San Francisco 49ers will take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. On one side, San Francisco will enter the game with a tenacious defense that ended the regular …
It’s about that time for the Battle for the Lombardi as the San Francisco 49ers will take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
On one side, San Francisco will enter the game with a tenacious defense that ended the regular season first against the pass (allowing an average of 169.2 yards per game) and second in total yards allowed (allowing an average of 281.8 yards per game). All this success has come under defensive coordinator and former Jacksonville Jaguars assistant Robert Saleh, who has done a phenomenal job with the talent of Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman, and others.
Of course, on the other side is quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is arguably the top player in the game right now. With offensive masterminds Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy by his side, Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense finished the regular season fifth in points (28.2 point average) and fifth in passing yards (281.1 yard average). They also have an elite pair of pass-catchers in Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce who combined for over 2,000 yards in the regular season.
Of course, the Jaguars only met one of these teams in the regular season, and that was the Chiefs. That said, which of these two teams will you be pulling for in the Super Bowl as a fan of the Cardiac Cats? Let us know in the poll below.
Here’s how Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs can win Super Bowl LIV.
The Kansas City Chiefs are the odds-on favorites to win Super Bowl LIV, which is weird because they have a less talented team and a coach who has a proclivity to botch late-game situations. Because the line for the game is just 1.5, Las Vegas seems to expect a tight contest. Again, that hasn’t really been Andy Reid’s forte.
Maybe Patrick Mahomes is a cure-all. The Chiefs quarterback has made the most of a lucky twist in the seeding, with Kansas City getting an unexpected bye after the New England Patriots suffered a shocking loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. Perhaps that rest made all the difference, because Mahomes has elevated his play to new heights. His confidence and competence may prove the difference-maker in this game. That — among other reasons — will be how the Chiefs win Super Bowl 54.
1. Patrick Mahomes has to put together a masterful game
It’s no secret that, in Super Bowl 54, the Chiefs best player, who also happens to play the game’s most important position, will have to play up to his usual standard of play, which, for any other player, would be too high. But we’re talking about Mahomes, a player who has been extraordinary in just about every way a quarterback can be.
As mentioned, the Chiefs’ roster is at a disadvantage from a talent standpoint. The 49ers are simply the most complete team in the NFL. There isn’t a position of weakness. In fact, they boast outrageous depth at position groups like the defensive line. If Kansas City is going to win, it will need Mahomes to compensate for the team’s shortcomings, which is only possible because of his preposterously disproportionate talent and the intense influence of the quarterback position.
2. The Chiefs will have to beat the 49ers blockers around the line of scrimmage
While watching the 49ers rushing offense, I find myself wondering: where is the defense? The backs seem to run free through the line of scrimmage, often into the second level, without navigating defenders or would-be tacklers. That’s because San Francisco’s blocking is so darn good.
It’s obvious to say that, in order to win a football game, a team must shed blockers. But this is so crucial for the Chiefs, because they’re facing an offense that has 89 carries and just 17 completions in the playoffs. If Kansas City cannot get off their blocks, the 49ers will run well. If they run well, they won’t do anything else. And they’ll win.
But we’ve seen the Chiefs flip the script on a supposedly impossible-to-tackle running back. In the AFC championship, the Chiefs held Derrick Henry to 19 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown. They must replicate that outstanding performance.
3. Don’t mess this up, Andy Reid
The Chiefs coach hasn’t had to manage the final moments of a game in this postseason. And even so, Kansas City had mental lapses in its game against the Tennessee Titans in the AFC championship. Damien Williams, for example, ran out of bounds with four minutes left in the game. Why? Just go down inbounds.
That play wouldn’t be a big deal, if Reid and his players didn’t have a pattern of making these mistakes. In a close game — which this Super Bowl could be — Reid will need to manage the clock properly. He need only look at his upcoming opponent, Kyle Shanahan, to see how detrimental offensive playcalling can be on a game. Shanahan’s mistakes led to the New England Patriots’ win in Super Bowl LI in the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. Of course, Reid had similarly disastrous decision-making while managing his timeouts at the end of the first and second half when he was the Eagles’ coach in Super Bowl 39.
4. Don’t worry about tempo. Trust the conditioning.
The Chiefs can score quicker than any team in the NFL. They have two receivers (Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman) who would be the fastest players on just about any NFL team. And then the Chiefs have Mahomes’ rare arm talent — he can hit receivers in places on the field that most quarterbacks can only imagine (and most quarterback coaches would declare not worth trying).
In a way, that ability could prove tricky. If the Chiefs find ways to score quickly, then the 49ers may counter by running the ball slowly and methodically against the Kansas City defense. If that becomes the case for a few series in a row, the time of possession will lean heavily toward the San Francisco offense, which may leave the Chiefs defense tired. If they’re gassed in the first half, they will definitely be exhausted by the second half when the game could be decided.
But it’s best not to overthink this. The Chiefs generate big plays — they shouldn’t stray from something that’s core to their offensive identity. They should trust their defense’s conditioning, and if the big play presents itself, they should happily take they easy points.
How does the Jags Wire staff feel about Super Bowl LIV? Let’s just say we aren’t high on the favorites.
Super Bowl Sunday is amongst us, and while the Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t playing, we still felt it was only right to post our predictions on the big game. Heading into Super Bowl LIV, the oddsmakers over at BetMGM have the Kansas City Chiefs down as favorites by a margin of 1.5, however, the San Francisco 49ers have a very good defense that could cause some problems for them Sunday.
Here is how each of the contributors at Jags Wire envision this thing playing out:
Heading into 2019, most knew what the Chiefs were capable of offensively but our Jags got to witness their greatness Week 1. After that game, I became even more of a believer in them more so because of how in sync they looked early in the season and their success continued from that point.
The 49ers are somewhat of a surprise on the other hand, but after evaluating the job that general manager John Lynch has done putting together their roster, it actually shouldn’t be a shocker. Additionally, coach Kyle Shanahan is a brilliant offensive mind, while defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is having even more success on the opposite end of the ball, which brings me to my next point. Saleh will be the X-factor here, however, I think he has to rely more on man-to-man coverage Sunday in hopes that his talented front four can get home quick. If he successfully does that the 49ers can keep this game lower than expected.
In Week 1 the Jags faced this Chiefs team and they looked absolutely unstoppable. I had a feeling right then and there they would end up playing this Sunday when it was all said and done.
However, I did not see the 49ers coming.
This should be one of the best Super Bowl matchups we’ve had in a long time. What this ultimately comes down to, is which coaching staff do I trust more? Andy Reid notoriously comes up short in big moments and Kyle Shanahan has had two weeks to prepare for this game.
To me, this reminds me of the Seahawks-Broncos Super Bowl from a few years ago. A high powered offense against a top tier defense. And yes, Patrick Mahomes is a different dude, however, defense wins championships. San Francisco is the more complete team and will keep Andy Reid and Mahomes waiting.
Well, it’s funny that we find ourselves here for another year without the Jags in the Super Bowl but alas we have a matchup that should ensure happiness for Jags fans because the Chiefs beat the deeply despised Titans.
This is a matchup between one high powered offense going up against a defense that has been causing issues for teams all year when healthy. While many believe a shootout would favor the Chiefs, I’m inclined to side with the 49ers who beat the Saints in NOLA in a shootout. Either way this game will be better than the previous Super Bowl.
Daniel Griffis (@DanDGriffis): 49ers 31, Chiefs 27
When the Jaguars were looking to hire a head coach a few years back, the one coach I was hoping they would hire was Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan. It turned out that he was developed into one of the league’s brightest offensive minds.
Patrick Mahomes is as talented as they come, however, I think Shanahan’s craftiness as a play-designer and play-caller has the 49ers destined to hoist the Lombardi trophy.
This is going to be a Super Bowl worth watching as fans get to witness two teams with great play-callers in Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan. It’s extremely tough to bet against Patrick Mahomes, but the 49ers defense is on a tear, which is why it’s even tougher to bet against them.
What’s the only thing that could cap off Patrick Mahomes’ designation as the next king amongst NFL quarterbacks over the past two seasons? A Super Bowl title. It goes without saying Kansas City has been teetering on the edge of greatness under Andy Reid, and fans will be hoping this Sunday marks the end of his long wait for a title.
Despite the strides that the 49ers’ defense has taken this year, I think the Kansas City offensive unit just has too much firepower. Kyle Shanahan will likely rely on his run game for the majority of the game, as he has done for most of the playoffs, but if the Chiefs get ahead early, I don’t think Jimmy Garoppolo has the ability to win the game.
San Francisco has to hope their defense can keep Mahomes in check, otherwise this game might be fairly one-sided.
LeSean McCoy will likely be inactive for the Super Bowl
LeSean McCoy is just over 28 hours away from possibly winning his first Super Bowl ring and the moment will be bittersweet because he’s unlikely to play.
The Eagles all-time leading rusher and Chiefs running back is likely to be inactive for Super Bowl 54 against the San Francisco 49ers.
From Super Bowl Live: #Chiefs veteran RB LeSean McCoy is heading toward being inactive for tomorrow. What it means 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/UXxr0OJ1hE
McCoy has played just one snap in the playoffs and he was also inactive for the AFC title game. McCoy has seen his role diminish since playing 14 snaps in Week 15.
Kansas City will likely role with Damien Williams and Darwin Thompson at running back while choosing to use McCoy’s roster spot for depth on the defensive line or another position.
“He’s a true inspiration to a lot of us out here who really need that guidance or can understand the struggle.”
MIAMI — Spend a few minutes listening to Andy Reid talk about his team, his players, or his family and it’s easy to understand why every member of the Kansas City Chiefs absolutely loves their head coach and why they want nothing more than to watch him hoist the Lombardi Trophy high into the air on Sunday night.
Reid knows how to carry a room. He’s done it every day this week here in Miami while talking about how fun it is to work with Patrick Mahomes, or how excited he is for his players to compete in the Super Bowl, or how his numerous grandkids continue to keep him feeling both young and old at the same time.
It’s just special.
Travis Kelce, who could only smile this week while talking about “Big Red,” was one of a number of players to explain to me this week why he loves his coach so much. Kelce was also proud to share that a number of Reid’s former players have reached out to the star tight end since the AFC Championship Game to tell him how much they want the Chiefs to get Reid his first Super Bowl victory.
The Chiefs are in love with Big Red, for many reasons. And here they explain why:
Travis Kelce, TE
I love him for giving me a chance to play in the National Football League. I love him for the trust that he gives me out on the football field to find a way to help his team win. All I can do is go out there and play my tail of for him every single time. You gotta love (his) swagger, man. The shirts. He’s like a vet in the game when it comes to the sneakers – people don’t know. Hs’s had the Dads, the old Monarchs, and the Air Force 1’s on for years.
Frank Clark, LB
His heart. Coach Reid has a big heart. I’ve played for Pete Carroll and great coaches in college but coach Reid, his heart is like gold. He’s been through so much, he’s been through some stuff. Just dealing with his family and the things he’s had to overcome with his son – he’s a true inspiration to a lot of us out here who really need that guidance or can understand the struggle. Hats off to coach and everything he does for us. It’s the little things that people don’t understand what he does for us that gives us the extra edge.
There’s nothing more I want to do in this world than get coach his Super Bowl.
Patrick Mahomes, QB
(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
The love he has for the game, I mean it’s unmatched. With the work ethic and the time he puts in, but at the same time he’s able to enjoy every single minute of it and have fun doing it. So the way he’s able to relate to everyone and have a sense of humor but still be serious enough to get the best out of us is what’s gotten us here and is why we’re on this stage.
Tyreek Hill, WR
I love the fact that he’s always willing to listen to you no matter what. With my circumstances and what I went through I was able to talk to coach Reid after those things and he was honest and told me what he thought and gave me real life advice. Most guys don’t appreciate it, but I really appreciate coach Reid for being there for me.
Dustin Colquit, P
He’s a family man – I’ve got five kids, he’s got five kids. We have a lot of similarities in that aspect. He was a punter, which if I’m ever punting he’ll let me know every few years, ‘You know I was a punter, an All-City punter.’ And I’m like, “Oh yeah, I saw the Punt, Pass, and Kick(video)’ and he’ll kind of give you the look. He’s just a great man, somebody that is fun to play for which is why everyone wants to win for him because when you come into a system like his, not only do you thrive and want to come into work but he changes your life – that’s the easy way to say it. He changes the way you go about doing things and he always gives you a fresh perspective on how to approach something and so he kind of changes the way you go about your business as well.
Harrison Butker, K
I love his consistency.
One thing he always tells us is ‘I’ll never say anything negative to the media that I haven’t told you to your face first,’ I think that shows how much he cares about us. If we have a bad loss or something he’ll come in on Tuesday lighthearted, you know ‘We’re gonna learn from the film but we’ve moved on’ and he always has those one-liners that are so funny. Every meeting he has a one-liner that is really funny. It’s unique, it’s Andy Reid, it’s awesome and I love that about him.
Anthony “Sausage” Sherman, FB
I think it’s that he just treats us like men and that he has a great sense of humor. He keeps it alive and fun and young. For him to go out there and do the stuff that he does is phenomenal.
He calls me “sausage,” I think he comes up with a lot of food nicknames. His personality and his heart are the biggest things. He loves all of his players. He just has a great heart for the game and loves doing what he does.
I’m working on a piece on Chiefs players explaining what they love the most about Andy Reid and this from Anthony Sherman on why Reid calls him “sausage” is too good: pic.twitter.com/B032J64K8E
He’s just like a big mentor, a father figure, he has an authoritative way about him – and he does have a mean streak. He’s an intelligent coach but he’s a guy who you can always go and talk to about anything. That’s what makes coach Reid special. His door is always open and there is nothing too small or too big that you can’t talk about. He just embraces people and I think that’s what made him the lovable and respected coach that he is. If you’ve known him for years you’ll hear guys say the same exact thing about him – from his days when he coached in Green Bay to the days he coached in Philly – people love him. He just has that personality that everybody wants to be around.
Demarcus Robinson, WR
Just his personality and the way he connects with his guys. We love him. We want him to get this ring and get this trophy. I love being on this team with him.
He gives a lot of advice – I could go from coaching to just life lessons. He gives us lessons every day just watching him and being coached by him is a lesson to me. If you have anything to talk about you can go to his office and talk to him and he’s just a normal guy.
Matt Moore, Backup QB
Just his personality and the way he goes about every day. He cares about guys as people and players. He’s just a fun person and is fun to be around. He’s got a great way of motivating that you appreciate it. He’s just a good guy with a great personality. He’s got sound effects when he talks, he constantly has hand motions going and he’s just fun to be around.
Andy Reid had Donovan McNabb address Chiefs before Super Bowl practice
Donovan McNabb won a lot of big games during his NFL and it’s those experiences that Andy Reid is hoping his former quarterback can translate to his current team.
According to Nate Taylor, Reid had McNabb address the Chiefs after Thursday’s Super Bowl practice.
In the final week of 21st season, Andy Reid had his former QB, Donovan McNabb, addressed the Chiefs before today's practice.
“He’s been there & done it,” Reid said of McNabb to @danpompei. “He’s been in the league, played a long time. It was good hearing from him.”
SportsPulse: Legendary Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins talks about Andy Reid and explains why he wants to wait to congratulate him on all his success in the NFL.
SportsPulse: Legendary Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins talks about Andy Reid and explains why he wants to wait to congratulate him on all his success in the NFL.
