It was a total slog until it wasn't. Honestly, for the first two quarters of Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, you might’ve been tempted to check your phone or refill the chip bowl twice. But then things got weird, and then they got historic. If you’re just looking for the quick answer: the Kansas City Chiefs won. They took down the San Francisco 49ers 25-22.
They did it in overtime.
It was only the second time in history the Super Bowl has ever gone to the extra period. The last time was Super Bowl LI, when the Patriots pulled off that massive comeback against Atlanta. This one felt different though. The Chiefs weren't just playing for a trophy; they were playing for "dynasty" status. They became the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Patriots did it twenty years ago.
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The Chiefs are the answer to who won the superbowl in 2024
Most people expected a shootout. Instead, we got a defensive masterclass and a lot of fumbles. San Francisco had the lead for a huge chunk of the night. Christian McCaffrey was doing McCaffrey things, and Brock Purdy looked remarkably poised for a "Mr. Irrelevant" playing on the biggest stage in the world.
But you can't bet against Patrick Mahomes. You just can't.
Mahomes finished with 333 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 66 yards, which honestly felt like the backbreaker for the Niners' defense. Every time San Francisco had him cornered, he’d scramble for eight yards and a first down. It’s soul-crushing for a defensive coordinator. He was eventually named Super Bowl MVP for the third time, joining Joe Montana and Tom Brady as the only guys to ever do that.
That wild overtime ending
When the game went to overtime, the rules were the main character. Under the relatively new playoff rules, both teams were guaranteed a possession even if the first team scored a touchdown.
San Francisco won the toss. They chose to take the ball first.
They drove down the field, but the Chiefs' defense held firm in the red zone. The 49ers had to settle for a field goal by Jake Moody, making it 22-19. At that point, the math was simple for Kansas City: get a field goal to keep playing, or get a touchdown to end it right there.
Mahomes went into "God Mode." He converted a 4th-and-1 with his legs. He found Travis Kelce. He found Rashee Rice. Finally, on a play they called "Tom and Jerry," Mahomes rolled right and flipped a 3-yard pass to a wide-open Mecole Hardman.
Game over. 25-22.
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Hardman actually admitted after the game he didn't realize he’d won it immediately. He caught the ball, saw the end zone, and then the realization hit. Pure chaos.
Why this game felt bigger than football
You can't talk about who won the superbowl in 2024 without mentioning the "Taylor Swift effect." Whether you loved it or hated it, the cameras were on her suite almost as much as the field. She had flown all the way from Tokyo to see her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, play.
Kelce had a quiet first half. He even had that viral moment where he bumped into coach Andy Reid on the sideline because he was so frustrated.
But he finished with 9 catches for 93 yards. In the clutch, Mahomes and Kelce have a psychic connection that defies logic. The viewership numbers reflected the hype, too. 123.7 million people watched. That makes it the most-watched television program in American history. It beat the moon landing. It beat everything.
Key Stats from the 2024 Super Bowl
- Final Score: Chiefs 25, 49ers 22 (OT)
- MVP: Patrick Mahomes (333 yds passing, 66 yds rushing)
- Longest Field Goal: Harrison Butker (57 yards) — a Super Bowl record.
- Attendance: 61,629 at Allegiant Stadium.
The heartbreak for San Francisco
Spare a thought for Kyle Shanahan. This is his third Super Bowl loss (two as a head coach, one as a coordinator), and in all of them, his team had a double-digit lead.
The Niners played well enough to win. Jauan Jennings actually threw a touchdown pass on a trick play! He also caught one. He almost became an unlikely hero. But the 49ers' defense couldn't get one final stop. And there was that muffed punt in the third quarter that hit a 49er's leg—that’s the kind of luck that follows the Chiefs around lately.
The Chiefs are now basically the villains of the NFL because they keep winning, much like the Patriots were for two decades.
If you're looking to apply some of the "Chiefs mentality" to your own life or team, here are the actual takeaways from how they won:
- Calm is a superpower. Mahomes never looks panicked, even when down 10 points in the second half.
- Know the rules better than everyone else. There was some post-game chatter that 49ers players weren't fully briefed on the new overtime rules. The Chiefs players said they had been practicing for that exact scenario for weeks.
- Trust your stars. When the game is on the line, Andy Reid didn't get cute. He put the ball in the hands of #15 and #87.
The 2024 Super Bowl cemented a legacy. We aren't just watching a good team; we're watching the greatest run in modern sports history. Kansas City has three rings in five years. They aren't going anywhere soon.
To truly understand the impact of this win, look back at the Chiefs' regular season. They struggled. They dropped passes. They looked human. But they found a way to peak at the exact right moment, proving that in the NFL, it’s not about how you start in September, it’s about who survives in February.