Super Bowl LIX Cheat Sheet: 25 Things to Know About Chiefs Vs. Eagles | The Ringer
3.The Eagles lost to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl two years ago for a number of reasons. Hurts had a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. And the Chiefs had a 65-yard punt return that set up a score. But the biggest reason for the loss? The Eagles defense didn’t stand a chance against the Chiefs offense. Kansas City delivered a 98th-percentile performance based on expected points added per drive and a 99th-percentile performance based on offensive success rate. The Chiefs had eight possessions in that game and scored four touchdowns and a field goal. Andy Reid and Mahomes put on a clinic against then–Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
4. So why might this time around be different? Because the Eagles are bringing a worthy adversary to the matchup in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Fangio took a defense that ranked 29th in efficiency in 2023 and turned it into arguably the best unit in the NFL.
15. QB Patrick Mahomes
Yes, he’s awesome. Obviously. But the Super Bowl résumé is slightly checkered. Mahomes, 29, is about to become the first quarterback to start five times on Super Sunday before his 30th birthday. Heading into Super Bowl 59, he’s already won the game three times and come away with the MVP trophy in each of those victories (only Brady has more). Yet Mahomes has also thrown five INTs (against 7 TDs), played heroically (but poorly) behind a tattered line versus Brady’s Bucs in Super Bowl 55 and wasn’t the best quarterback on the field in the Super Bowl 57 victory against the Eagles. His SB QB rating is an unimpressive 85.2. But he was his typically spectacular self late – meaning the fourth quarter and overtime – in last year’s win over San Francisco. Mahomes threw the game-winning TD pass and nearly accounted for 400 yards of offense, his 333 passing and 66 rushing both personal bests for the Super Bowl.
Anytime odds for Kansas City begin with veteran tight end Travis Kelce (+125). After a career-low three receiving touchdowns in the regular season, Kelce rebounded with nine catches and a touchdown across two postseason games. Even in the later stages of his storied career, Kelce remains a threat to score. The tight end corralled at least three postseason TDs in each of the last five years.
Reaching four straight games with a score, Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (+145) presents another formidable option. Hunt has 25 carries this postseason compared to only 10 from backfield counterpart Isiah Pacheco (+265) — clearly establishing himself as Kansas City’s lead back.
Rookie standout Xavier Worthy (+165) is at the top among Chiefs wide receivers. Scoring three TDs in his last five games, Worthy has steadily grown into Mahomes’ top weapon during the stretch run.
As of Sunday, the cheapest ticket at Vivid Seats for Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles was $3,346. The median ticket price is $6,304.
That’s pretty much right on track for how much it cost to attend the Chiefs’ 38-35 victory over the Eagles at Super Bowl LVII. Six days out from the game, the average ticket fetched $6,388.
The cost is lower in comparison to some other recent Super Bowls, though.
Super Bowl LV, which saw Kansas City lose 31-9 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is a clear outlier. The average ticket then was $11,681, which reflected the relative scarcity of seats at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The capacity was capped at 25,000 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
6 – Creed Humphrey
Kansas City Chiefs C
There is no better center in the game than Humphrey. He is good in the run game and does a great job in pass protection. How he blocks inside will be key to the Chiefs against the Eagles front.
7 –Zack Baun
Philadelphia Eagles MLB
In his first season with the team, he’s been one of the pleasant surprises. He moved from outside linebacker to off-the-ball linebacker and he’s excelled in Vic Fangio’s scheme and is about to get paid as a free agent.
Kansas City Chiefs CB
He is at his best when he plays nickel corner, but he was asked to play outside more this year because of injuries. No matter where he lines up, he is a tough matchup for any receiver.
Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Three-peat or not — and I’m predicting one here — this roster has some holes and question marks moving forward. Wide receiver remains a concern. Tight end and right guard could become priority areas if Travis Kelce retires and/or Trey Smith leaves in free agency. But the defense has long needed a running mate for Chris Jones at defensive tackle.
Grant is a massive prospect at 342 pounds but has the athletic tools to crash gaps and penetrate the backfield. Plugging Grant between Jones and George Karlaftis would automatically divert attention and give them more room to operate. Grant’s impact would also be felt immediately in the run game, where he can keep the Chiefs’ linebackers much cleaner from interior blockers.
The last of Gronkowski’s four Super Bowl titles came against the Chiefs during the 2020 season. Then, playing for the Buccanneers, his team was dominant on both sides of the ball in the Super Bowl LV victory at Raymond James Stadium.
“Man, I remember we were so prepared for that game,” Gronkowski explained. “We dotted all our I’s and crossed all our T’s. I could have called the play before the play was even called because we were just that prepared. We studied the set of plays we would go into the game with, and we knew them in the back of our heads like it was nothing. So, that’s what really separated us in that game: just knowing what we [were] going to do and just going out there and executing what we’re going to do, and that’s what we did. And the game plan was nothing short of spectacular.”
Basically any AFC contender
I could easily see the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills or Texans taking a run at Garrett. Heck, you could throw the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals in here, too — but the odds of the Browns trading Garrett to a team in their own division feel minuscule.
The reason I’ve lumped the Chiefs, Bills and Texans together here? If the Browns did deal Garrett, I believe they’d feel very strongly about sending him to an NFC team. That doesn’t mean the Chiefs, Bills, Texans, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers or any other AFC contender couldn’t get him. It just might cost that team more to do so than it would cost an NFC team, since the strong likelihood is that the Browns wouldn’t want to compete against Garrett in the same conference.
32 – Kansas City Chiefs
Ohio State · DT · Senior
Williams is a violent point-of-attack DT who is more than just a run-plugger — he’s a tackle-maker inside.
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Speculation over Garrett’s future in Cleveland had ramped up in recent months after he made comments saying he wanted to know the team’s offseason plans following a 3-14 season before further committing to the organization. The 29-year-old has two years remaining on the record-breaking five-year, $125 million extension he signed in 2020 but no more guaranteed salary.
In late December, Garrett said he did not want to go through another rebuild in Cleveland, which holds the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. At the conclusion of the sixth losing season he has experienced since entering the league in 2017, Garrett said the 2024 season was more disappointing than Cleveland’s 0-16 season in his rookie season. When asked if an extension this offseason would hinge on his talks with Cleveland’s higher-ups, Garrett said, “I mean, there’ll be something coming.”
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson made a timely and unexpected return to the lineup for the team’s Divisional round game against the Houston Texans.
Once thought to be done for the season after needing ankle surgery, Watson played 40 snaps (59%) against Houston, then another 52 (71%) against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship.
Despite Nazeeh Johnson starting in both matchups, Watson out-snapped him in each game, and he continues to trend in the right direction.
“We didn’t wanna throw Jalen in the fire after that much time off,” explained defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on Friday. “He was gonna go from walkthroughs and how our practices are — we don’t have any pads on or anything — so we thought we’d try to ease him in in that first game [against the Texans].”
Kansas City’s latest injury report indicated Watson was a full participant during the team’s Super Bowl bye week practices.
“[Waston] got more in this past game [against the Bills], and we would anticipate that the same thing would happen here [against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX],” added Spagnuolo. “But it’s like I tell all those secondary guys: ‘All hands on deck, we’re gonna need everybody.’
