The numbers, on paper, were prolific. The highlight-reel plays and efficient drives strung together — over and over again.
The first Super Bowl between Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, back in February 2023, contained a combined 484 passing yards, 114 rushing yards, seven total touchdowns and zero interceptions. It quickly turned into a thriller.
And after the Chiefs and Eagles both won their conference championships Sunday, Super Bowl LIX will revolve around another Mahomes-Hurts duel on Feb. 9.
By the time they collided two years ago, the foundation for the Chiefs dynasty — three Super Bowl appearances in four years — had already been constructed, with their generational quarterback already possessing a Hall of Fame résumé.
Mahomes even aggravated an ankle injury in the second quarter and operated with a noticeable limp, but it didn’t prevent him from taking home the game’s MVP honor.
The Eagles had positioned themselves for a multiyear run behind a young quarterback who’d ink a $255 million extension two months later.
When these teams meet again in New Orleans, everything will still center around Mahomes.
Another win would inch him closer to Tom Brady’s record of seven and secure three-peat history.
Everything will still revolve around Hurts, too, after his trio of rushing touchdowns two years ago tied a Super Bowl record and his 70 rushing yards set one.
Plenty has changed from those rosters — starting with a certain 2,000-yard rusher and former Giant who arrived in free agency — and is worth revisiting.
The presence of Mahomes and Hurts, though, remains a constant.
Mt. Rush-more
Hurts led the Eagles with 15 carries during the 2023 Super Bowl, while Philadelphia’s three running backs — Kenneth Gainwell, Miles Sanders and Boston Scott — combined for just 17 carries and 45 yards.
The Eagles only finished with fewer than 115 yards seven times across the 2022 regular season and playoffs, but the Chiefs forced Hurts to attempt his second-most passes of the season (38). Given the arrival of Saquon Barkley, who joined the 2,000-yard rushing club and finished just short of Eric Dickerson’s single-season mark, Hurts will almost certainly not pace the Eagles ground attack this time. Barkley has already collected 442 yards, on a blistering 6.7 yards per carry, and five rushing touchdowns this postseason.
Still a Kelce Super Bowl, but not the Kelce Bowl
The jersey Donna Kelce customized for that night at State Farm Stadium said it all. The front contained Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s No. 87, while the back was dedicated to the No. 62 of then-Eagles center Jason Kelce — who has since retired. The Kelce Bowl dominated pregame headlines.
But it’ll mark one of the roster differences on Feb. 9, with Travis Kelce generating plenty of attention for a different reason this time (his relationship with singer Taylor Swift) and Jason Kelce likely watching from a suite as an Eagles fan.
Among the other differences for Philadelphia: Then-leading tackler T.J. Edwards, S Marcus Epps, DT Javon Hargrave, DT Fletcher Cox and edge rusher Haason Reddick have either left or retired. And among the other differences for the Chiefs: RB Kareem Hunt returned to Kansas City, LB Willie Gay now plays for the Saints, L’Jarius Sneed was traded to the Titans, Frank Clark didn’t play for a team this season and rookie wideout Xavier Worthy emerged as a viable target for Mahomes.
The good (and the bad)
Steve Spagnuolo’s unit had one of its worst games of the year, allowing 417 total yards (their fourth most of the season) and 35 points (their most). … The Eagles’ two-pronged combination of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith at receiver — still intact for the rematch — combined for 13 catches and 196 yards. … Philadelphia dominated time of possession (35:47 compared to 24:13) and its defense limited Mahomes to his fewest passing yards in 2022 (182).
Just two of his passes went for longer than 15 yards. … Linebacker Nick Bolton scooped up a Hurts fumble and raced it back 36 yards for a second-quarter touchdown. … The Chiefs offensive line didn’t allow a sack against a defense that led the NFL with 70.
Hold on
James Bradberry admitted it was holding. That he tugged the jersey and “was hoping they would let it slide.”
But because of the stakes and context that accompanied the cornerback’s penalty with 1:54 left, the call was still controversial.
The Eagles appeared to stop the Chiefs — at the Philadelphia 15-yard line with the game tied at 35 — on a third-and-8, which would’ve forced a field goal and given Hurts a window for late-game magic.
Once Bradberry was penalized for grabbing JuJu Smith-Schuster’s jersey, though, Kansas City could drain most of the remaining time before Harrison Butker’s game-winning kick with eight seconds left.
