The 2023 NFL season has officially come to a close. The Kansas City Chiefs are your Super Bowl LVIII champions. It took nearly every second of the NFL’s second-ever overtime period in a Super Bowl, but the Chiefs have established themselves as a dynasty under head coach Andy Reid and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In five quarters, Kansas City outdueled the NFC’s No. 1-seeded 49ers two weeks after dispatching the AFC’s top-seeded Ravens. 
Defense featured heavily early in this year’s season finale, with two drives ending in fumbles in the first half and the second half opening with Mahomes’ first postseason interception since the team’s 2021 AFC championship game loss to the Bengals. Both teams were able to shrug off the slow start of a 13-point first half by turning it on for a back-and-forth 25-point second half.
In Super Bowl LVIII, we got to witness the league’s shiny new playoff overtime rules for the very first time. Following the efforts of Frank Reich and Jon Ferrari, among several others, the NFL changed its longstanding sudden-death overtime rules following a shootout playoff game between the Chiefs and Bills. After a back-and-forth divisional-round matchup in 2021, the Chiefs drove down the field on the first overtime possession, scoring a touchdown and ending the game to prevent the Bills from touching the ball. The new rules allow for each team to possess the ball once, regardless of whether or not the first team scores a touchdown. The Chiefs would not need the benefit of that rule tonight, though, stopping the 49ers on the 5-yard line and forcing a field goal before driving down the field for the game-winning touchdown.
Despite the seeming dominance of the back-to-back Super Bowl champions, this was a year of overcoming in Kansas City. Earning the AFC’s No. 3 seed after finishing with an 11-6 record, the Chiefs sputtered through an uneven regular season — one that started with star defensive tackle Chris Jones staging a holdout in search of a new contract. The veteran defender went as far as to sit out the team’s season opener, a loss to the Lions. Less than a week later, the Chiefs rewarded Jones with a reworked deal, keeping him in place for the 2023 season. The team also had to overcome what seemed to be a drop off in receiving talent as the Chiefs led the league with 44 total dropped passes.
Kansas City also saw a number of key contributors from their previous Super Bowl run depart in the offseason. Starting tackles Andrew Wylie and Orlando Brown Jr.. would depart in free agency, as would key wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman. New tackles Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith would hit some bumps early on in the road but would eventually become the anchors of a Super Bowl-winning offensive line that faced off against one of the NFL’s most talent-laden defensive lines. Key rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice filled some holes in the offense nicely en route to earning a few Offensive Rookie of the Year votes, and Hardman found his way back to Missouri via trade.
Hardman’s return to the Chiefs did not produce much of consequence during the regular season, but it proved crucial tonight. While star tight end Travis Kelce did his usual lion’s share of the work, catching nine of 10 targets for 93 yards, Hardman came up with two of the biggest catches of the game: a 52-yard bomb that would go for naught due to an Isiah Pacheco fumble and the game-winning 3-yard overtime grab in the end zone.
The 49ers played their game plan, utilizing quarterback Brock Purdy to spread the ball out to their best playmakers. Star running back Christian McCaffrey accounted for 160 yards and a touchdown while wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel drew a healthy share of targets, as well. Jauan Jennings, usually playing in the shadow of Aiyuk and Samuel, got to steal to spotlight for a stretch, catching Purdy’s only touchdown pass and throwing one of his own in a trick play to McCaffrey.
Special teams played a crucial role in the NFL’s biggest of game of the year, showcasing how important it is to be efficient in all three phases of the game. Tonight saw the same record broken twice as rookie 49ers kicker Jake Moody opened up the scoring with a 55-yard field goal, the longest ever in a Super Bowl. He would hold that claim for only a short time, though, as Harrison Butker broke Moody’s record with a 57-yarder with five minutes to go in the third quarter. In addition to those big legs, the 49ers saw former Chiefs wide receiver Chris Conley make two big plays on punt coverage, pinning his former team on the two-yard line once and making a big tackle on another. The Chiefs would get their own big plays, recovering a punt that would hit the leg of a 49ers blocker for a turnover and blocking an extra point that would ultimately help them to tie the game and win in overtime.
In the end, we saw a game for the record books. By the game clock, Super LVIII was the longest in NFL history, using all but three seconds of the first overtime period. We saw Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo become the NFL’s first ever offensive or defensive coordinator to win four Super Bowls. We also saw the Chiefs become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the Patriots did it in the ’03 and ’04 seasons. And, we saw Kansas City appear in its fourth Super Bowl in five seasons and win its third of those four. Those accomplishments, paired with eight straight AFC West titles and six straight appearances in the AFC Championship Game, have solidified this era of Chiefs football as a dynasty. 
Though little doubt existed, Mahomes earned Super Bowl LVIII MVP honors — his third such achivement. Despite a slow start and early struggles, Mahomes would complete 74 percent of his pass attempts for 333 yards and two touchdowns. He also led his team in rushing with 66 yards on nine dashes. After losing Tyreek Hill, Smith-Schuster and other trusty targets, Mahomes has continued to lead his team to the league’s greatest heights. Make no mistake, football is a team sport, and the Chiefs have many great players, but it almost always takes a top-tier quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Mahomes has made it clear: he is that man.
There’s plenty to look forward to as we turn the page to the 2024 NFL season. A number of key Chiefs players — cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, safety Mike Edwards, linebacker Willie Gay Jr., Smith, and Jones — will all be heading toward free agency. While the Chiefs want to re-sign both Jones and Sneed, GM Brett Veach acknowledged that will be difficult. Jones, one of the best defenders in Chiefs history, could command a $30MM-per-year contract on the open market; Kansas City was hesitant to authorize that last year. Many have questioned a potential Reid retirement, as well. Also, the Chiefs will have the 32nd pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft coming up this April.
For now, though, NFL fans can take a breath and relax. The Chiefs will bask in the glory of the franchise’s fourth Super Bowl title and get to work on earning the elusive threepeat. The rest of the league will get back to work in trying to figure out how to topple the king of the mountain.
From everyone at Pro Football Rumors, thanks for a memorable 2023 NFL season, and we’ll see you tomorrow with all the latest on news and transactions throughout the NFL.
LMAO NINERS LMAO
Why is it funny? They’re still gonna be the best team next year. Gotta be a cowboys fan right?
Nah just Shanny Jr chokes harder than Trevor Bauer
Man you’re so ingenious. Please tell me your team, I bet you’re a jerrah fan
Only 1 team is happy in the end.
Where they will lose in the Conference championship or the Super Bowl again. Most choke artist franchise in the sport right now living off the 80s
Hell of a game man!!
As long as Taylor Swift is happy, I’m happy.
Entertaining game.
First half was kind of boring but it really got good in the second half. Sure beats a blowout.
Only half as many as Brady and I still find them more annoying.
lol you got issues loser
Niners lost that game, but they never called holding on the chiefs even when it was obvious
There are those that complain about officials and the there are winners.
You mean like when Mahomes complained about the refs and a call to Josh Allen?
You’re talking about a regular season game from 3 months ago that has no relevance to the playoffs. Furthermore that is a very specific call. Big difference between complaining about one play then complaining about how the entire game was subjectively called.
There’s no difference at all
Every game has playoff relevance….. and he was whining like a little girl to Josh Allen….
Not as bad as you lol
@asdfgh You just further proved my point, Chiefs fans are insufferable.
How about those Chiefs?! Back to back champs
Kyle lost that game as much as your boys won it. Dude forgot cmc existed
CMC had a good game overall. SF is a great team.
He had 3.5 a carry. Chiefs had his number.
*chumps
I wish both teams could’ve lost
Then they would be almost as bad as that Raiders team you support.
#ChiefsKingdom all the hate and the team just does what it always does…win. Underdogs the last 3 games
Gotta give it to them with no star WR they win back to back.
Lost all pro lineman.
Beat 4 teams and 3 of them analyst gawked on in Miami, Bills, and SF. I thought Ravens were best team in NFL and they beat all 4.
Butker robbed of MVP
Butker was fantastic!
Literally. The difference between winning and losing this game was the kickers. Same can pretty much be said for the Bills game. Dude had a hell of a season
I was thinking if sf didn’t get that fg to start ot and butker ending it on a fg would they give him the MVP ? Prolly not but it be a Solid debate
Great… another year with as much talk about Taylor queef during hilites as there is talk about football.
Well Kelce is closer to retiring so we should only have 2-3 more years if they stay together that long. I rather KC have won than having to listen to Niner fans for a longer time.
He’s 34… Probably has another 2 ish years left at a productive level. She’s the same age (somehow) with another 20 years of money production coming her way for shyte music being fed our way. What would SF fans bring?
Little easier for a musician. I mean Cher is like 90 and still performing.
I live in CA so I would have to hear the fans non stop if they had won.
First I’m hearing of this
Another Kyle Shanahan masterpiece on the biggest stage
I can’t imagine losing three superbowls that were pretty much locked up. Dude is an elite choker.
Now that I think about it there was an eight point swing based on his players screwing up, not really his decisions. But the game still should have been iced anyways. And the play calling was definitely part of their problem.
Oh but he’s a genius…
Well, he did have the last player taken in the draft lead the league in QBR, so I’d say he’s pretty smart…or are you the type of guy that gives all the credit to the quarterback when they’re good but blame the coaches when they’re bad. People are still making excuses for Fields and Pickett
This script was written months ago. Entertaining nonetheless and they were able to even sell additional inflated advertising spots.
It sure beats the WWE pushing Roman Reigns down everybody’s throat.
Pretty much we knew how it was gonna end.
0 offensive pass interference calls and 0 holding calls against KC was pretty obvious. Could have made it appear less obvious by calling 1 or 2 but when Taylor Swift makes the NFL almost half a billion dollars in new revenue only makes sense they’d want to see her during Super Bowl celebration.
Personally I’d like to see rappers/artists get together
Dre
Snoop
Jay Z
Beyoncé
Etc
Buy the panthers from David Tepper and get involved in the nfl. Or Chargers from Spanos in LA.
NFL needs some new blood in ownership.
And clearly music artists are a selling point.
Been a while since I heard Tony Romo do his shtick for an entire game and the word “sickening” only comes to mind. Between saying “he does a good job” every play to calling virtually every player “among the NFL’s best” he would lead you to believe he was related to guys like Shanahan, Spagnolo, Wilkes and Reid. The love fest was nauseating. You were treated to more blather about them and their genius than the players themselves.
And I thought Collinsworth was bad
I disagree. I think Romo is the best color commentator in the league. I thought the broadcast team did a great job.
When he began years ago, I had hope
But his commentary in this one made me want to turn the sound off. I’d love to see a count of how many times he said the names “Spagnolo” or “Shanahan” as I stated above. Or how many times he reminded us about the lineage of players and coaches.
I didn’t have a dog in this race…didn’t care who won. But his continued shilling and name dropping was nauseating
Romo does a better job in my opinion than Aikmen, who I don’t mind but would like to see without Joe Buck and I think Olsen is good too.
Nance is better than Buck. Charles Johnson needs to do a Super Bowl. Al Michaels is classic but I don’t care for Collingsworth.
I tend to watch most of the “A-Teams” on mute Olsen and Burkhardt, Collinsworth and Tirico, Nantz and Romo, Troy and Buck(I listen a few times), Al & Herbie I have on more than the others.
My favorite is Ian Eagle and Charles Davis, they are the least annoying pair every week.
The 49ers losing that game is absolutely pathetic. They should have won that by 20 plus points. That’s the definition of losing a game, rather than getting beaten.
Sometimes you fans are delusional. Chiefs haven’t given up 30 points this year and rarely get scored on in the second half. If not for the first bogus call, the 49ers would have scored like 15 ppoints at most in regulation. That chief defense was good and underrated this year. Every bit the equal of the Ravens except they didn’t get as many turnovers.
Mahomes is on his way to passing Brady and becoming the GOAT
Brady is 7-3 with 5 SB MVPs and 3 regular season MVPs plus he has the longevity stats
Mahomes is already 3-1 with 3 SB MVPs and 2 regular season MVPs.
Payton Manning is 2-2 in the Super Bowl and only has 1 SB MVP but has 5 regular season MVPs.
Joe Montana is 4-0 in the Super Bowl, with 3 SB MVP’s and 2 regular season MVPs.
It’s only going to get harder for him as players leave for the money like Tyrek did, Chris Jones might be next. Andy Reid he might hang around as long as Bill Belicek did for Brady and Travis Kelce also isn’t going to last forever.
Still he’s got plenty of time and I’m looking forward to seeing how high he can raise the bar.
Shanahan wins all season by running the ball and then just abandons the run in the postseason. If he had kept pounding away with Mostert in SB 54 they would’ve won that one as well. It’s like his brain abandons him in February.
With you on 2020 although when the Chiefs got rolling back then, it came in a blink of an eye, but tonight, the Chiefs had that running game bottled up. It’s why Jennings was the guy making the plays for them. Spagnolo had a good plan for the rest of their weapons.
Yeah, keep pounding something that didn’t work. McCaffrey had 80 yards rushing all night on 22 carries. Over half of that was the first drive. They shut him down after the first drive.
Kyle Shanahan wrote the book on coaching not to lose!
Defense wins championships. Kittle and Samuel were nonfactors, and they held McCaffrey in check. Never bet against a team with a QB like that paired with a defense like that.
“OT classic” that game was miserable and boring everyone knows it
For people who hate defense. I saw two excellent defenses play like old school football.
Kittle 2 catches 4 yards. Debo 3 catches 33 yards. That isn’t going to get it done. Ball game. Maybe talking so much trash caught up to them. Humble pie.
Agreed…. but they did get injured. Still they have one less super bowl win than Cox, Kelce, Graham, etc….. I have faith we can turn it around next year. Go Birds.
It was an alright game in my personal opinion. Definitely not the worst I’ve seen, definitely not the best. There were a LOT of mistakes by both teams (this one was a fumble fest), and while I prefer a good defensive game, Mahomes seemed like he was making a lot of bad mistakes. Shanahan didn’t call a good game either. Neither coach wanted to run the ball, which I suppose was influence by the fumbles, but a lot of it seemed more like a preseason game in terms of mistakes than the championship.
But there were highlights. Jennings deserves a raise, for San Fran. He, Kittle, and Samuel all played through injury the whole night. Mahomes finally did what he should have done all along in the first half and used his legs. McDuffie made some amazing plays, namely that pass breakup and his pressure late. Warner made a great stop on Pacheco and a great coverage play on Kelce. The kickers were great. So it wasn’t a bad game overall, but I’d probably put it somewhere closer to the upper middle.
Maybe it was nerves but yeah, there was a lot of mistakes and unfocused play. I think Trent Williams got called twice for false starts and a holding penalty early on and that should never happen with a Pro Bowl caliber player. The Chiefs got involved in some extra curricular play after the whistle and attempted a dopey horse collar tackle on Purdy. Looked like a preseason game from time to time but that’s likely what can be expected if the league keeps extending the length of the regular season (as it surely will).
This. Between reduced practice times and the growing regular season the quality of the product continues to decrease. Goodell doesn’t care though. He’s just there to harvest from the golden goose that previous commissioners raised.
I’m just here for all of the “its rigged” comments
I just hope Mahomeys old man wasn’t out booze cruising with Andys kid!!!!
MVP should have been Kris Jones.
Almost every critical play from the D started with him!!!
So we’re calling that game a “classic“? Ok.
There’s generally a long passage of time that has to occur before something can correctly be referred to as a classic and I don’t think 24 hours qualifies.