Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, Nevada, showcased the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs defeating the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers, 25-22. The game, hosted in Allegiant Stadium, kicked off at 6:30 p.m. with the Chiefs kicking off to the 49ers. Due to a costly fumble on the first drive of the game by Pro Bowl RB Christian McCaffery, the 49ers were unable to score in the first quarter of regulation. However, Kansas City was also unsuccessful in the first quarter, making the score after quarter one, 0-0.
During the second quarter, San Francisco K Jake Moody kicked a Super Bowl record 55-yard kick through the uprights to give the 49ers a 3-0 lead. On Kansas City’s next drive, RB Isiah Pacheco fumbled the ball, which was recovered by the 49ers. With that momentum, San Francisco marched down the field and scored the game’s first touchdown off a 21-yard trick play pass from WR Jauan Jennings to Christian McCaffery. On the next drive, the Kansas City Chiefs scored a field goal to close out the first half.
The yearly Super Bowl halftime show featured 8-time Grammy winner Usher along with Co-stars Alicia Keys and Ludacris, who sang hits like “Yeah!” and “Love in This Club.” The third quarter was opened by a San Francisco interception off of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, but neither team would score until Chiefs K Harrison Butker blasted a 57-yard field goal which broke the Super Bowl record set earlier in the game. Although both teams had to punt on their next drives, a special teams error by San Francisco gave Patrick Mahomes and the offense great starting field position for the next drive, which led to a touchdown catch by WR Marquez Valdez-Scantling which gave the Chiefs their first lead of the game.
With the score at 10-13, the 49ers scored another touchdown on their next drive but had the extra point attempt blocked which gave San Francisco a 16-13 lead. Both teams would then exchange field goals to set up a potential game-winning drive with 1:53 seconds. Down 19-16, Kansas City’s offense was able to tie up the game with another Harrison Butker field goal to send the Super Bowl into overtime for the first time since 2017.
San Francisco won the coin toss and had the opportunity to score first. After a seven-minute drive, the 49ers had to settle for a field goal. The Kansas City offense would convert on a fourth down early in the drive to set up the Super Bowl-winning 3-yard touchdown pass to WR Mecole Hardman. Patrick Mahomes was eventually named Super Bowl MVP and cemented his name as one of the greatest players of all time.
