The Kansas City Chiefs have won the Super Bowl after a game for the ages was decided by a last-minute field goal. Here's the moment that QB Patrick Mahomes realised that they had been victorious.
The two strongest teams across the NFL season met at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and played out a game that showcased the best of both attacking units, with little in the game for the defences - largely because of the attacking excellence on show.
It was a night of firsts, with Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes making history as the first two Black quarterbacks to square off against each other in American Football’s showpiece game.
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Both endured ups and downs throughout the evening, with Mahomes taking an injury in the first half before returning to his usual sparkling form later in the game, whereas Hurts produced an unforced fumble in the first half that was returned for a touchdown, before running in two of his own.
In the end, it was a relatively short field goal that proved the difference between the two, with a holding call giving the Chiefs the opportunity to drag out the last two minutes of the game and grab the win – and with it the Vince Lombardi Trophy – with the final scoreline 38-35.
The Eagles will feel aggrieved not to have come away with more, but left absolutely everything they had out on the pitch, and will hope for more of the same next season.
For the Chiefs, this is a second title in recent years, and a second crown for Mahomes, who has quickly established himself as one of the all-time greats of the NFL.
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He took home the game MVP title as well, and it would be hard to see any further than the winning quarterback for that award.
The ending of the game didn’t quite live up to much of the action that had preceded it, with Kansas City professionally shutting the game out before slotting over a field goal to edge ahead with little time on the clock.
At the end, Hurts got one opportunity to wind up his arm and chuck a Hail Mary pass, but it was Harrison Butker’s kick that was the difference in the end.
In between the frantic action on the field, there was an electric half-time show from Rihanna, who also announced that she is pregnant with her second child after taking to the stage.
She performed a whistle-stop medley of her hits during a performance that included no special guest stars, but did have some fairly impressive floating stage platforms.
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In the end, the whole spectacle lived up to expectations, with the two teams providing the perfect centrepiece and a game that will ultimately go down as one of the greatest Super Bowl games that has ever taken place.
Kansas City Chiefs fans will breathe a sigh of relief, as whilst they are no doubt worthy champions, both teams would have been able to count themselves unlucky to be on the losing end of the fixture.
Still, there can only be one winner each year.
After the game, Patrick Mahomes said: "It didn't come from one person it was everyone, our defence played hard and we found our way, we battled so hard and got it done.
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"I told you before the season, we got coach Andy Reid, Travis Kelce, Frank Clark we are going to be the Kansas City Chiefs."
Kelce himself – who played against his brother – said: “Not a single one of you said the Chiefs would take it home this year and the next time the Chiefs say something you better put some respect on our name.
"The first half we knew we didn't play as hard as we wanted to but we were able to regroup at half time and everyone was flying around."
Their head coach Andy Reid added: “I will give the credit to the big o-line, Patrick Mahomes and everyone around him.
"He is the MVP, that is all that needs to be said and you saw it tonight."
Topics: Sport, Super Bowl, US News, World News, Kansas City Chiefs
Tom Wood