By: Isaac Cox, Feb. 25, 2025
The Philadelphia Eagles crushed the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl 59, surprising millions of fans and ending the Chiefs’ chances of a 3-peat Super Bowl victory.
Going into the game, the Chiefs’ record of 15-2 was similar to the Eagles’ 14-3 record, but knowing the Chiefs won back-to-back Super Bowls the previous two years, they seemed to be the favorites to win this game.
Ultimately, the Eagles proved the odds wrong.
The Eagles’ defense was a huge part of their success in the game. They managed to apply pressure on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and throw his whole gameplan off, resulting in sacks taken and interceptions thrown.
Not to mention, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts controlled the game and executed on offense, providing three total touchdowns, with two passing and one rushing.
Mahomes came into the game struggling, and the Chiefs’ defense was barely able to keep up with the Eagles’ well-prepared offense.
It was the Eagles’ game in the first half. They gained momentum throughout the whole 30 minutes and outplayed the Chiefs 24-0 until half time.
One scoring drive that accelerated the crowd was rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean’s pick-six in the second quarter. He played his coverage so well that it led Mahomes to force a pass his way and he caught it, returning it to the Chiefs endzone for a defensive touchdown.
Bryton King, an electrical engineering student, was rooting for the Eagles to win and was also hoping to see Mahomes throw interceptions as well as seeing Eagles running back Saquon Barkley get a good number of touches.
Barkley was poised for a big game in the Super Bowl as he led his team and the league with 2,005 rushing yards, but the Chiefs’ defense kept him grounded as he only managed to put up 57 rushing yards.
Even though he might not have played to people’s expectations, he still did what he could to provide the victory for his team. He also made a pivotal 22-yard catch in the third quarter that set them up for a field goal.
One of the most astonishing moments throughout the game was on the Chiefs’ offensive line as Mahomes’ lead blockers struggled against the Eagles’ pass rush, allowing six total sacks in the entire game.
“Mahomes didn’t show up, but he had shown up for the rest of the season, and his offensive line also showed up for the rest of the season,” said Matthew Sanchez, a mechanical engineering student. “But the interceptions and sacks, (they) just kept coming, and it wasn’t a good performance at all.”
With the second half underway, the Chiefs tried to pull off a comeback, but the Eagles scored 16 more points in the second half with the help of Hurts, allowing them to hold onto the lead throughout the entire game.
One of the most game-changing moments in the second half occurred in the third quarter with just under 3 minutes left as the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver DeVonta Smith, leading the score 34-0.
Mahomes answered the Eagles’ touchdown with one of his own in the ending seconds of the third quarter, connecting with rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy in the endzone for a 24-yard touchdown pass and catch.
The last quarter was full of garbage time and stat-padding as some because it was clear the victory already landed in the Eagles’ hands. On the other hand, the Chiefs still did all they could, but the damage was already done.
The Chiefs managed to gain a total of 22 points at the end of the fourth quarter, but it still wasn’t enough as the Eagles finished with 40 points, resulting in a defeat 40-22.
Mahomes and his team’s mistakes, such as troubles with blocking on offense and the defense’s sluggish performance, led to a defeat in Super Bowl 59.
“It felt like justice,” said Victor Flores, a kinesiology student. “When I went to my friend’s house, we all had referee jerseys to say we’re rooting for the Chiefs. Just seeing that things didn’t go their way, or they didn’t get those controversial calls, it was a fair game pretty much.”
With the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory, they became two-time world champions as they hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy. This win for the Eagles was a revenge game as they lost to the Chiefs two years ago in Super Bowl 57.
Richard Pimentel, an architecture student, said the Eagles deserve this win because they dealt with a lot of ups and downs in the past couple years, especially as a franchise. He also mentioned how impressive it was for them to be in the Super Bowl three times within the last few years.
Feature image courtesy of David J. Phillip / The Associated Press
