The Philadelphia Eagles won their first Super Bowl in seven years on Sunday night in New Orleans, ending Kansas City's dominance of the Lombardi Trophy with a dominant display over the Chiefs, winning 40-22.
While the matchup was close on paper from the start, it was the defensive power from Philadelphia which caused a headache for Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes from the get-go in Louisiana.
It was a star studded affair in New Orleans, with figures such as US President Donald Trump, Taylor Swift and Lionel Messi watching on from the sidelines.
A dominant first half from Philadelphia
In the first quarter, the Eagles took the lead early - after a cagey start with questionable calls for both teams, Jalen Hurts sneaked the ball in on the new Philly special play in the Super Bowl, the 'tush push’.
Super Bowl tush push tuddy has arrived ‼️ #FlyEaglesFly
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025
📺: #SBLIX on FOX
📱: Tubi + NFL app pic.twitter.com/PA4G79M9uY
As the Eagles marched down the field to start the second quarter, Hurts was intercepted by Chiefs safety Bryan Cook close to the goal line and after a field goal later in the half, the Eagles defence showed up - limiting Chiefs quarter-back Mahomes as he tried to move the ball down the field.
The Chiefs struggled in the first half - and it showed when Mahomes was intercepted by Cooper DeJean, who ran in for a touchdown on his 22nd birthday with an iconic pick six.
On the next possession, Mahomes was sacked on third down, with constant pressure from the Eagles defensive line, who were dominant throughout the game.
With two minutes left in the first half, Mahomes, close to his own end zone, threw an interception which was caught by Eagles linebacker Zack Baun - and the march was on.
When the offence took over at the Chiefs 14-yard line, it was a matter of Hurts easing the game clock towards the end of the half, before throwing the ball to AJ Brown for a touchdown.
The first half was a huge struggle for Mahomes. He completed just six out of 14 passes for a total of 33 yards. He didn't manage to throw any touchdowns and threw two interceptions - and at the half, it was a rout - with the Eagles leading 24-0.
All Philly in the first half 🔥 #FlyEaglesFly
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025
📺: #SBLIX on FOX
📱: Tubi + NFL app pic.twitter.com/yriXgUdNIh
Second Half Dominance
It was the same in the second half. The Eagles defence brought the pressure from the start on Mahomes - and on the corresponding possession, Hurts exploited the Chiefs defence on the run, with an eventual field goal making it 27-0.
At that stage, the most intriguing point of the game was that with such a large lead, the Eagles defence had not blitzed the quarterback at any stage in the game by the mid point of the third quarter.
It didn't matter - they had five sacks and 11 pressures up to this point in a dominant showing.
With under three minutes left in the third quarter, the Chiefs failed to convert a key fourth down play, with three yards needed.
Then, Hurts produced a moment of magic - with a 46-yard passing touchdown for DeVonta Smith, which extended their lead to 34 points.
At that point, it seemed unassailable for Kansas City to come back in the game, even after Mahomes threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Worthy. It was just too late to build any momentum.
With ten minutes remaining, Mahomes fumbled the ball inside his own territory, cementing the Eagles victory.
Next Steps
For the Chiefs, this loss will be the 'what if’ moment that will haunt them for a long time. They were on the cusp of history, and frankly immortality in the sport with the opportunity to win three Super Bowl titles in a row. Something that has never happened in the history of the league.
For Mahomes, a win would have brought him to within three titles of Tom Brady, who won seven Super Bowls.
The loss for Mahomes is now his second large defeat in the biggest game, with another considerable defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 season.
There will be no doubt that Kansas City will go again. The long-term futures of stars like Travis Kelce will come into question this off-season and it will be intriguing to see how they rebound from this in free agency and the NFL Draft later this spring.
For the Eagles, this win is not only redemption for the loss against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl in 2023, but a landmark moment for head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Hurts. It legitimises the Eagles' standing in an increasingly competitive NFC conference.
The standout story is that of Saquon Barkley. On the night in New Orleans, he passed the record for rushing yards in a single NFL season, a record which stood since 1997.
In 2020, Barkley looked like he may never be the same again after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. The New York Giants made a considerable call when they did not resign him in 2024.
Just a year later and the Pennsylvania native won it all, while played superbly in the process.
This has been a historic season for the NFL, with international growth a key priority. For the league, it has been a huge week with the announcement of the Dublin game, which is scheduled to take place later this year.
Outside of that, Irish talent has entered the league at an additional level. Enniskerry’s Dan Whelan has led the charge, while Jude McAtamney and Charlie Smyth have added an extra level of interest to the Irish audience.
The future is bright for the league after a successful season - it will be September before you know it.
