LAS VEGAS: Patrick Mahomes threw a touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman in overtime to give the Kansas City Chiefs a 25-22 win over the San Francisco 49ers in a ‘Sin City’ Super Bowl thriller on Sunday, cementing their status as an NFL dynasty.
The blockbuster finish in Las Vegas was worthy of the biggest show on the Strip, as the Chiefs won a third Super Bowl in five years and became the NFL’s first repeat champions since the New England Patriots in February 2005.
After 49ers rookie kicker Jake Moody had booted a field goal to open overtime Mahomes marched the Chiefs down the field and, with a sold-out Allegiant Stadium on the edge of their seats, ended the drama with a three-yard strike to Hardman in the final seconds of the first overtime period.
The win made pop queen Taylor Swift’s mad dash from Tokyo, where she performed on Saturday, to Las Vegas to watch boyfriend Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce all worthwhile.
The pop superstar showed no signs of jetlag, jumping up and down and cheering throughout the entire contest before joining Kelce on the field where they embraced under a shower of confetti.
While viewership numbers will not be known until Monday, broadcasters expect the combination of Swift and the NFL to have produced the biggest TV event in the U.S. since Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon in 1969.
The Apollo 11 moon landing was the most-watched U.S. television event in history, drawing nearly 150 million viewers.
Kelce, who caught nine passes for 93 yards, said he always believed quarterback Mahomes would lead the Chiefs victory.
“Never a doubt in my mind,” said Kelce.
“We got the best quarterback in the league, the best offensive mind (coach Andy Reid) in the league and we got the most determination out of any team in the NFL.”
