If you were scrolling through social media or sitting in a crowded bar on February 11, 2024, you probably felt the collective heart attack of several million people at once. It was the night Las Vegas finally hosted the big game at Allegiant Stadium. The Kansas City Chiefs won Superbowl 2024, edging out the San Francisco 49ers with a final score of 25-22.
But honestly? Just saying they won doesn't really cover the sheer chaos of that night.
It was a slog for three quarters. People were actually calling it boring. Then, suddenly, it wasn't. We ended up with only the second overtime in the history of the Super Bowl. If you're looking for the simple answer to who won Superbowl 2024, it’s Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but the way they did it was kinda legendary and sorta lucky.
The "Tom and Jerry" Play That Ended It All
You've got to look at the final play to understand why this game is going to be talked about for a decade. With only three seconds left on the clock in overtime, the Chiefs were trailing. Patrick Mahomes rolled to his right. It looked like a scramble, but it was a designed play nicknamed "Tom and Jerry."
He tossed a soft three-yard pass to Mecole Hardman Jr.
Hardman caught it, walked into the end zone, and basically forgot to celebrate because he didn't realize the game was over. "I blacked out," he told reporters later. It’s funny because you’d think a guy winning a championship would be ready to go wild, but the pressure of that specific overtime format was so weird that even the players were a bit dazed.
The Chiefs became the first back-to-back champions since the Patriots did it nearly twenty years ago. It officially cemented them as a dynasty.
Why the 49ers Lost (It Wasn't Just Mahomes)
A lot of people think the Niners just choked. That’s a bit of a stretch. They actually led for a huge chunk of the game. Brock Purdy played a solid, clean game, and Christian McCaffrey was doing McCaffrey things—specifically a 21-yard touchdown off a trick play pass from wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
But there were three specific things that killed San Francisco:
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- The Muffed Punt: A punt hit the heel of a 49ers player (Darrell Luter Jr.) by accident. The Chiefs recovered it deep in Niners territory. It was a freak accident that completely shifted the momentum.
- The Blocked Extra Point: In the fourth quarter, the Niners scored a touchdown but had the extra point blocked by Leo Chenal. That one missing point meant the game stayed tied at 19-19 instead of the Niners leading by one.
- The Overtime Confusion: This is the big one. Several 49ers players admitted after the game they didn't actually know the new playoff overtime rules. They won the coin toss and chose to receive the ball first. Under the new rules, both teams get a possession no matter what. By going first, they essentially gave Mahomes a "map" of exactly what he needed to do to win.
If the Niners had known the rules better, they might have deferred. Giving the ball to Mahomes last is like giving a shark a GPS to your boat. You just don't do it.
The Taylor Swift Factor and the Ratings
You can't talk about who won Superbowl 2024 without mentioning the "Swifties." Taylor Swift flying halfway across the world from Tokyo to see Travis Kelce wasn't just a tabloid story; it was a massive business event.
The game became the most-watched telecast in history.
We’re talking 123.4 million average viewers. To put that in perspective, that’s about one-third of the entire U.S. population watching the same thing at the same time. While some "traditional" fans complained about the cameras cutting to her suite, the NFL was laughing all the way to the bank. It brought in a demographic that usually doesn't care about a cover-two defense or a zone-read.
Patrick Mahomes: The New GOAT?
Patrick Mahomes took home the MVP award, his third one. He finished with 333 passing yards and two touchdowns. But his legs were the real story. He ran for 66 yards, including a massive 19-yard scramble in overtime that basically broke the 49ers' spirit.
People are starting to have the Tom Brady conversation.
Is he better than Brady? At age 28, Mahomes has a better resume than Brady did at the same age. He has three rings and three MVPs. He’s creative in a way that feels almost unfair. He’s the reason the Chiefs are never actually "out" of a game.
What Happened to the Money?
Vegas was the real winner, too. It was the first time the city hosted the event, and it was a smash hit. Sportsbooks handled a record $185.6 million in bets. Most of that was on the Chiefs or the "Over," which actually didn't hit since the game was surprisingly low-scoring for the first three quarters.
The economic impact on Las Vegas was estimated at around $800 million. Not bad for a weekend's work.
Real Talk: How to Use This Info
If you're a fan of a rival team, you're probably tired of hearing about the Chiefs. But if you're looking for lessons from who won Superbowl 2024, it’s all about the "invisible" details.
- Preparation matters: Know the rules. If the Niners had a better grasp of the OT changes, they might have made a different choice at the coin toss.
- Momentum is fragile: One muffed punt can erase three quarters of dominant defense.
- The superstar effect: Whether it's Mahomes on the field or Swift in the stands, star power drives the modern NFL.
Next time you're debating the greatest teams of all time, remember that this Chiefs win wasn't a blowout. It was a game of inches, blocks, and a weird overtime rule that caught one of the smartest teams in the league off guard.
For your next steps, check out the official NFL films "Mic'd Up" from the game. Seeing the "Tom and Jerry" play call from the sidelines gives you a whole new appreciation for how Andy Reid keeps his cool when the world is watching. You can also dive into the 2025 season stats to see if the "three-peat" is actually possible or just a pipe dream.