The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs will look to change into the primary back-to-back Tremendous Bowl champion in twenty years after they tackle the San Francisco 49ers immediately in Las Vegas.
Tremendous Bowl LVIII is a rematch of Tremendous Bowl LIV in 2020, when the Chiefs and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes beat the Niners 31-20 to carry Kansas Metropolis its first Tremendous Bowl in a half-century.
The 2 head coaches who patrolled the sidelines 4 years in the past are nonetheless on the helm, however their groups come into Sunday with vastly completely different narratives. Chiefs coach Andy Reid has a 3-0 file towards the Niners’ Kyle Shanahan — who has earned a repute as a top quality common season coach who struggles with sport administration within the playoffs.
If Shanahan goes to lastly defeat Reid, he might want to discover a strategy to decelerate Mahomes and his favourite goal, tight finish Travis Kelce, the 2 of whom made historical past within the AFC title sport towards the Baltimore Ravens two weeks in the past by connecting on their sixteenth postseason passing landing, probably the most ever playoff touchdowns by a quarterback-receiver duo.
A win Sunday would give the Chiefs their third Tremendous Bowl in 5 years, vaulting them into NFL dynasty standing and placing Mahomes into rarified air as one in all solely three quarterbacks ever to win three Tremendous Bowls earlier than the age of 30, the opposite two being Tom Brady and Troy Aikman.
When requested this previous week about the potential of someday tying or surpassing Brady’s seven Tremendous Bowl wins, the 28-year-old Mahomes deflected, saying he is “an extended methods away nonetheless.”
“I imply, I am not even near midway, so I have not put loads of thought into it,” Mahomes mentioned. “I imply, your objective is to be the most effective participant you could be. I do know I am blessed to be round loads of nice gamers round me. And so, proper now, it is doing no matter I can to beat a terrific 49ers workforce and attempt to get that third ring. After which should you ask me that query in 15 years, and I am going to see if I can get near seven.”
The Niners, whose quarterback Brock Purdy was famously 2022’s Mr. Irrelevant — the final decide of that draft — are hoping to lastly finish their 29-year Tremendous Bowl drought and win their first title since 1995.
“I do know a few the fellows that acquired drafted earlier than me,” the 24-year-old Purdy informed reporters in Las Vegas. “However I’ve by no means held a grudge or something. I am a believer that God has a plan for everyone, and I fell final for a cause.”
The Chiefs reached the Tremendous Bowl the arduous method, with back-to-back street playoff wins towards the Buffalo Payments within the divisional spherical after which the Ravens within the convention championship — the primary time in his profession Mahomes has been compelled to play street playoff video games.
The Chiefs and Niners each function top-five defenses, based on Professional Soccer Reference. Whereas outdoors of Kelce, Mahomes’ supporting forged has been weak, Purdy has one of the vital gifted and explosive skill-position teams in current reminiscence with working again Christian McCaffrey, extensive receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, and tight finish George Kittle.
However whereas the Niners earned a No. 1 seed and home-field benefit, they struggled mightily towards seemingly inferior NFC competitors within the playoffs regardless of their expertise, barely eking out wins towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers within the divisional spherical, after which the Detroit Lions within the NFC title sport.
However possibly even larger than the dialog surrounding what occurs on the sphere Sunday would be the hype round soccer’s most well-known couple, Kelce and pop celebrity Taylor Swift.
Swift, who final weekend set a file together with her fourth Album of the 12 months win on the Grammys, carried out Saturday evening in Tokyo as a part of her Eras Tour, and followers had been hotly debating whether or not she would make it again to the U.S. in time to attend Sunday’s sport.
Because of a 17-hour time distinction between Tokyo and Vegas, she made it again to the U.S. with loads of time to spare, arriving in Los Angeles Saturday afternoon on a non-public jet.
With parking spots for personal jets at Vegas-area airports fully booked months prematurely for Tremendous Bowl weekend, Swift was more likely to be pushed from L.A. to Vegas for the massive sport.
Tremendous Bowl LVIII will air on CBS and Nickelodeon and stream on Paramount+ on Feb. 11 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Kickoff is scheduled for six:30 p.m. ET.