The Philadelphia Eagles shattered the Kansas City Chiefs’ dreams of a Super Bowl three-peat with a commanding 40-22 victory on Sunday. Led by a ferocious defense, the Eagles claimed their second Super Bowl championship in franchise history.
On his 22nd birthday, Cooper DeJean delivered a pivotal pick-six, igniting the Eagles’ defense. Josh Sweat tormented Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes all night, sacking him multiple times. Mahomes, who had been undefeated against defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s schemes, struggled under relentless pressure, suffering six sacks—the most in his career.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts showcased his dual-threat capabilities, throwing for 221 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score on a trademark quarterback sneak. His stellar performance earned him Super Bowl MVP honors.
“This is the ultimate team game,” head coach Nick Sirianni said. “You can’t be great without the greatness of others. Great performance by everybody—offense, defense, special teams. All we want to do is win.”
Despite the presence of pop superstar Taylor Swift in the stands, supporting her boyfriend Travis Kelce, the Chiefs couldn’t find their rhythm. Kelce didn’t catch a pass until late in the third quarter, and the Chiefs’ offense struggled to penetrate the Eagles’ defense.
Running back Saquon Barkley added 57 rushing yards, breaking Terrell Davis’ record for yards rushing in a season, playoffs included. However, the Eagles didn’t rely heavily on the ground game, thanks to the defense providing favorable field positions.
“Defense wins championships,” Hurts said. “We saw how they played today. They gave us opportunities, gave us short fields, and we’re able to do what we do.”
The Chiefs were aiming to become the third team in NFL history to win three straight championships and the first to three-peat in the Super Bowl era. Instead, they faced a decisive defeat, much to the surprise of their fans.
Head coach Andy Reid, now 3-3 in Super Bowls, acknowledged the Eagles’ dominance. “That’s a great football team, and we had to come out and play our best, and we didn’t,” Reid said.
