The Chiefs vs 49ers was one of the likely Superbowl matchups predicted at the start of the season. Yet, in this extraordinary season, these teams were doubted whether they could make it to the showpiece event. For the 49ers, it was during the three-game losing streak in the middle of the season when many fans jumped off the bandwagon. For the Chiefs, the doubts came when the team lost 4 of 6 games before hitting their strides right before the playoffs. The journey of these teams will climax on Sunday when they battle in Allegiant Stadium for the right to lift the Lombardi trophy. Before we make predictions on the game, this article will provide more context on both teams and what is at stake on Sunday.
1. The Rare Repeat Champs- the NFL is one of the most difficult sports league to win consistently. The Chiefs have defied logic in the past six seasons, and if they win on Sunday, they will make history as the first team since the 2003-04 New England Patriots to win back-to-back Super Bowls. The 18-season stretch is the longest without a repeat champion in NFL history. It was so long ago that the two starting quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy were both in elementary school. The previous team to achieve the feat was the 1997-98 Denver Broncos led by quarterback John Elway and Head Coach Mike Schanahan. Kyle Shanahan hopes to preserve his father’s legacy by denying the Chiefs entry into the sacred club.
2. Mahomes Legacy Gets Bigger-at age 28, Mahomes will break another record on Sunday by becoming the youngest quarterback in history to start four Super Bowls. He will reach the mark two years faster than Tom Brady, who did it when he was 30 years old in 2007. If he wins, then Mahomes will join Troy Aikman as the only player to win three Lombardi trophies before turning 30. A third title would put him in the conversation with Brady, Aikman, Joe Montana, and Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks to achieve the feat. Yes, number 15 will move into the argument of the greatest quarterbacks ever with a win. No pressure?
3. Life comes full circle- Brock Purdy will be reflective during Super Bowl week based on what transpired two years ago in Sin City. Las Vegas hosted the 2022 NFL Draft, and in an unusual year, the only quarterback selected in the first round was Kenny Pickett to the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the 262nd and last pick in the draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected a young man named Brock Purdy of Iowa State. As a result, Purdy was dubbed Mr. Irrelevant, a term coined based on how the public and teams view the last player selected in the draft. Purdy has a .808 winning percentage and an incredible 47:15 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and on Sunday, he will be out to prove that is more than relevant.
4. A streak will end on Sunday- interestingly, the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are undefeated since Allegiant Stadium was opened in 2020. The Chiefs are 4-0 all-time in Las Vegas including a dominant 31-17 victory in week 12 of this season. The 49ers won a 37-34 thriller in their only visit to the stadium in week 17 of the 2022 season. It means that these teams will enter the stadium with confidence on recent triumphs, but only one team will leave with an undefeated record.
5. Defense wins championship-sorry to disappoint the casual viewer on Sunday, but the matchup of the Chiefs and 49ers may not have the offensive fireworks that result in higher ratings. Instead, the game will feature a matchup of the number one-ranked defense (Chiefs) versus the third-ranked defense (49ers). The Chiefs allowed 15.8 points per game in the regular season while the 49ers 17.1. I expect the defense to win periods of this game and make this an equal contest.