NEW ORLEANS — With history at their fingertips, the Kansas City Chiefs are familiar with holding the Lombardi Trophy and growing more accustomed to getting the Birds.
Two-time defending champion Kansas City draws the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday at Caesars Superdome, the ninth overall rematch and the second in a three-year span in Super Bowl history.
The Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII 38-35 over the Eagles, overcoming a 10-point deficit early in their run of dominance. The Chiefs are 49-11 — 9-0 in the playoffs — since the start of the 2022 regular season.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes team up for their 21st postseason game boasting a record of 17-3, four previous Super Bowl appearances and three rings.
All that winning has led to a sentiment among fans and media that maybe someone else should get a turn now.
“I get it,” Kansas City defensive end Chris Jones said. “If I was on the outside looking in, I would be saying the same thing, ‘I’m sick of the Chiefs.'”
To add a fourth ring and become the first team to accomplish a three-peat in Super Bowl history, the Chiefs have to contend with Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Philadelphia’s top-ranked defense.
Mahomes, 3-1 in the Super Bowl, was MVP of Super Bowls LIV, LVII and LVIII. He has seven touchdowns and five interceptions in his four Super Bowl appearances. A fourth Lombardi Trophy would pull Mahomes even with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for second on the all-time QB Super Bowl wins list. Tom Brady is at the top with seven and played in 10 Super Bowls during his 23 NFL seasons.
Mahomes (43 postseason TD passes) could also pass Montana — and Aaron Rodgers, both of whom have 45 — for second in all-time playoff TDs thrown. Brady is the leader with 88.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is 0-8 against Mahomes since he was head coach of the Denver Broncos, losing twice as coordinator of the Miami Dolphins. But this Fangio defense led the NFL in passing defense at 174.2 yards per game.
“Every time I’ve played Coach Fangio, there’s been different changeups and different things that he’s thrown at us,” Mahomes said. “I think that’s what makes him so great is he’s not going to just do exactly what you saw the last time. I’m sure there will be blitzes during the game, I’m sure there will be times where they play coverage. It’s going to be a chess match.”
Reid doesn’t mind a good game of chess.
No NFL head coach has more playoff games than Reid. He’ll hit No. 45 on Sunday, and he has 28 career postseason victories, trailing only former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick (31).
Barkley is not among the 27 holdover starters between the two teams from their Super Bowl shootout two years ago.
Barkley has 2,447 rushing yards this season, including 442 in the postseason, on the verge of the all-time single-season record held by Terrell Davis. The former Broncos running back gained 2,476 rushing yards in 1998.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had three TD runs and passed for 304 yards and a TD in the loss to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVII. He logged a career-high 387 passing yards in a 42-30 defeat to Kansas City in the 2021 regular season.
“It’s had a great driving force,” Hurts said of the Eagles’ runner-up finish in 2023. “It lit a flame, lit a fire in me, and to have this opportunity again is exactly what you work for.”
In Philadelphia’s 21-17 win over the Chiefs in the 2023 regular season, Hurts was sacked five times, intercepted once and completed 14 of 22 passes for 150 yards but rushed for two touchdowns.
Philadelphia has leaned heavily on a large, athletic offensive line to help break Barkley for huge plays. The Eagles attempted 536 passes, 544 runs in the 2022 regular season en route to the Super Bowl. The imbalance skewed toward Barkley and Hurts running the ball in the 2024 regular season, as Philadelphia logged 448 pass attempts to 621 rushing plays.
Barkley averaged 2.64 yards before contact this season and led the NFL with 46 carries for gains of 10 yards or more and seven of 40 or more.
“He’s just a total running back,” Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill said. “He can make you miss in tight spaces. He can also run you over. He’s got a good stiff-arm. He’s got a good spin move. He’s got a good jump cut. And he can go the distance. He’s got the speed to take it.”
All Chiefs players were full participants at practice on Wednesday, with Mahomes’ passing performance being described as “sharp.”
Philadelphia defensive end Brandon Graham (elbow) and tight end C.J. Uzomah (abdomen) were designated to return from injured reserve last week. Uzomah was a full Wednesday practice participant, while Graham was limited. Also limited for the Eagles were defensive tackle Jalen Carter (illness), running back Kenneth Gainwell (concussion, knee) and wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring).
“They’re doing everything they can to get themselves ready to go,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.
–Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media
