The Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) displayed all gas and no brakes in their Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs (15-2) 40-22 on Feb. 9 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
The win stopped the Chiefs from obtaining their third straight Super Bowl victory, something never done before in the history of the NFL.
Over 135 million people watched Super Bowl LIX, making it the most viewed game in the league’s history. However, chances are they did not stick around for long as the first half was all Philly.
Lifelong Eagles fan Larry Jackson, Indianapolis, was one of the millions of viewers glued to the action.
“We were not favored, which is understandable, seeing that it is against a juggernaut like the Chiefs,” Jackson told the Indianapolis Recorder.
After a scoreless drive and controversial penalties resulting in a punt from both teams, the Eagles turned up the heat.
Then, it happened.
Jalen Hurts connected with Jahan Dotson for a 28-yard passing touchdown, lighting up the scoreboard for the first time in Super Bowl LIX.
Philadelphia continued terrorizing the Chiefs, especially on defense.
Rookie Cooper DeJean intercepted Patrick Mahomes’s short pass intended for DeAndre Hopkins, returning the interception for a touchdown.
DeJean did something many corners can’t seem to do: pick off a Mahomes pass on one of the world’s biggest stages, bringing the score to 17-0.
It was also DeJean’s 22nd birthday, making him the youngest person to have a pick-six in Super Bowl history.
“I don’t think there is a better gift than this,” DeJean said following the win.
He wasn’t the only one celebrating a birthday, as teammate Saquon Barkley turned 28.
Barkley finished the contest with 57 rushing yards on 25 attempts. In his first season with the Eagles after being acquired from the New York Giants, Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards, 100 yards short of Eric Dickerson’s record set in 1984.
“You dream about these moments as a little kid, and it is amazing to have your family and friends who have been with you through all of the ups and downs, and here we are: world champs,” Barkley said. “It was a hell of a year; all of the records and stats were cool, but the best feeling is to hold that Lombardi Trophy.”
Jackson echoed Barkley’s sentiments:
“The x-factor was definitely Saquon Barkley this season.”
It was like the Chiefs game-planned for Barkley so extensively that they forgot about the remainder of the Eagles.
A.J. Brown, who had a tirade with Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, seemingly about not receiving the ball, would get what he asked for only a few plays later, scoring on a 12-yard Hurts pass.
Brown finished the contest with three catches for 43 yards and the aforementioned touchdown.
Mahomes’ misfires would continue as Zach Baun snagged an interception right before halftime.
The City of Brotherly Love seemed impenetrable as the lead ballooned to 24-0 at halftime, one point shy of the most significant Super Bowl lead in history.
Philly came out of halftime picking up where they left off, continuing the onslaught.
Jake Elliot notched his second field goal for the Eagles, bringing the score to 27-0 to open the second half. Elliot finished the contest with four field goals.
Hurts connected with Devonta Smith on a dart downfield for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Whatever hope left within Kansas City winning Super Bowl LIX was slowly waning.
The Chief did not score a single point until the third quarter, thanks to a Mahomes pass deep right to Xavier Worthy for 24 yards.
Kansas City’s failed two-point conversion brought the score to 6-34.
Mahomes and company attempted to make a late-game ‘comeback,’ connecting with Hopkins on a 7-yard red zone strike.
Despite this, everyone knew it was too late.
With 1:48 left in regulation, Mahomes threw a deep pass to Worthy for a 50-yard touchdown, bringing the final score to 40-22.
Following the game, Mahomes expressed disappointment in the loss.
“They played great from start to finish; there is no way around it,” Mahomes said. “Anytime you lose a Super Bowl, it sticks with you for the rest of your career. You only get so many of these. It hurts. It is going to hurt for a while.”
Mahomes, who said he played “to his standard,” finished the contest with 21/32 passes for 257 yards, three touchdowns and two picks.
Conversely, Hurts, the Super Bowl MVP secured his first championship.
“It has been a long journey of ups and downs and highs and lows, and I have always stayed true to it,” Hurts said. “I have always found a thrill in any doubt, questioning or opinions, and I don’t want it to change now because of the results.”
Hurts finished the Super Bowl LIX with 17-22 for 221 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Sirianni, still goopy from the traditional Gatorade bath, is ready for the next season.
“I think we just stuck to our process,” Sirianni said. “The outside world had an opinion on everything going on and we just stuck with our process and got better from it.”
Sirianni, already looking ahead towards the next season, had one thing on his mind.
“Let’s run this s**t back,” Sirianni said.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on TikTok @3Noral. For more sports, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
