Eagles Deny Chiefs Super Bowl Three-Peat

The Philadelphia Eagles denied the Kansas City Chiefs the chance to make history by becoming the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles.

The Eagles blew out the Chiefs 40-22 on Sunday in Super Bowl 59 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Jalen Hurts led the Eagles (18-3) in securing the franchise’s second title since its 41-33 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52 in 2018. Sunday’s game also marked the largest margin of victory for a team since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl 55.

“This is the ultimate team game. You can’t be great without the greatness of others. Great performance by everybody — offense, defense, special teams,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “We didn’t really ever care what anyone thought about how we won, or their opinions. All we want to do is win.”

Former Florida Players Big Stage

The Eagles’ roster featured two former Florida Gator standouts, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and offensive tackle Fred Johnson. This Super Bowl marked the 14th time in 16 seasons that a Gator has won a Super Bowl ring. And this is the fourth consecutive year at least one Gator has earned a ring, setting a school record. Gardner-Johnson and Johnson also took the Lombardi Trophy out of the hands of the Chiefs’ former UF players Jawaan Taylor and D.J. Humphries.

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Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida before earning a JD degree from Fordham Law School.

Gardner-Johnson appeared in 37 games at Florida from 2016 to 2018. He totaled nine interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns and recorded 161 tackles.

Johnson played for Florida from 2015 to 2018, appearing in 32 games. He started in all 13 games in his senior season, allowing just 18 sacks over the course of the entire season.

In Sunday’s contest, Gardner-Johnson tallied one solo tackle and two assists, while Johnson saw action as a backup lineman.

How Eagles Dominated

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes led a comeback two years ago and Harrison Butker kicked the game-winning field goal in the final minute to defeat the Eagles 38-35 for the title. Mahomes gave Kansas City an overtime victory 25-22 against the San Francisco 49ers last year.

However, a rebuilt Eagles defense, featuring eight new starters from the 2022 team commanded Mahomes’ offense.

Mahomes was kept under pressure throughout the game. He was sacked six times, the most against him in his career, and forced into three turnovers. The Eagles scored 17 points off those turnovers. 

The Eagles were ahead 10-0 after Jake Elliott’s 48-yard field goal. Linebackers Josh Sweat and Jalyx Hunt then sacked Mahomes on consecutive plays.

Mahomes was also picked off twice by linebacker Zack Baun and rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean. DeJean, 22, converted his first career interception into a pick-six. His 38-yard return secured a 17-0 lead and made him the first player in NFL history to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl on his birthday.

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DeJean’s pick-six was also Mahomes’ first in 21 career playoff games, ending a streak of 297 straight passes without an interception.

“We didn’t start how we wanted to. The turnovers hurt. I take all the blame for that,” Mahomes said. “I didn’t play to my standard.”

The Eagles had a 24-0 lead at just halftime, with Baun picking Mahomes again and Hurts connecting with A.J. Brown on a 12-yard touchdown pass. This halftime lead tied for the second-largest halftime deficit in Super Bowl history. 

The Eagles’ defense did not let up, with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio leading the way. Fangio, who headed into the contest 0-8 against Mahomes as a head coach and defensive coordinator, did not send a blitz the entire game. 

“Defense wins championships,” Hurts said. “We saw how they played today. We saw the difference they made in the game. They gave us opportunities, gave us short fields. And we’re able to do what we do.”

Hurts’ Record-Breaking Performance

Because the Chiefs’ defense was focused on stopping Offensive Player of the Year and running back Saquon Barkley, the offense was in Hurts’ hands.

The Eagles quarterback finished 17-of-22 for 221 yards with three touchdowns. Hurts also led his team in rushing yards with 72 yards, the most by a quarterback in Super Bowl history. 

Although Hurts’ streak of 217 passes without a pick ended in the first half, the Chiefs didn’t capitalize.

The 6-foot-1 quarterback was named the game’s MVP, while also joining Joe Namath and Joe Montana as the only starting quarterbacks to win both a Super Bowl and a national championship. 

JALEN HURTS IS SUPER BOWL LIX MVP! #SBLIX pic.twitter.com/48Kkvaoy3L

— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025

Hurts delivered a 46-yard pass to DeVonta Smith to extend the Eagles’ lead to 34-0 with 2:40 remaining in the third quarter. 

Mahomes threw a 24-yard pass touchdown to Xavier Worthy, avoiding a shutout, but the 2-point conversion failed. He then threw two more touchdown passes to DeAndre Hopkins and Worthy.

Eagles Cemented In History

The Eagles became the 16th franchise in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowls.