Chiefs’ Fourth Quarter Rally Wins Super Bowl LIV, 31-20
The Kansas City Chiefs trailed by ten points with just under nine minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
But this Chiefs' team has been used to playing from behind during the playoffs.
Patrick Mahomes rebounded from a sub-par three quarters with a pair of fourth quarter touchdown passes and Kansas City added a late touchdown to defeat the San Francisco 49'ers 31-20 to win Super Bowl LIV.
They are the third team to win the Super Bowl when trailing by at least ten points in the fourth quarter.
Mahomes, named the Super Bowl MVP, was 5-5 on what proved to be the winning touchdown drive as KC drove 65 yards in seven plays. The big play in the drive was a 38 yard completion to Sammy Watkins that gave the Chiefs the ball at the SF 10 and Mahomes hit Damien Williams on a third down play to give the Chiefs the lead.
Kansas City then held on fourth down and two plays later, Williams scampered 38 yards for the touchdown that put the game out of reach.
WIlliams finished the game with 104 yards on 17 carries.
San Francisco scored on its first possession, driving 62 yards to set up a 38 yard field goal by Robbie Gould. But Kansas City came right back on a 15 play, 75 yard drive with Mahomes scoring from a yard out. The Chiefs converted a fourth and one from the five yard line to set up the touchdown.
Kansas City got the game's first turnover on the next series as Jimmy Garoppolo was intercepted by Baushaud Breeland at the Chiefs' 44 yard line. Kansas City got into the red zone but had to settle for Harrison Butker's 31 yard field goal to take a 10-3 lead.
The 49'ers struck right back, getting their ground game going for the first time and driving 80 yards in seven plays. Garoppolo hit Kyle Jusczyk for a 15 yard touchdown to tie the game. San Francisco had one more chance, but a 42 yard completion deep into Kansas City territory was nullified on an offensive pass interference call against tight end George Kittle.
The first half ended 10-10, only the fourth time in Super Bowl history that the game was tied at the half.
San Francisco got a field goal on their first possession of the third quarter, then made a big defensive play when Fred Warner intercepted a Mahomes pass intended for Tyreke Hill, giving the 49'ers the ball at their 45. Garoppolo hit Deebo Sanders for 16 yards and Kendrick Bourne for 26, setting up Raheem Mostert's one yard touchdown run to give San Francisco a 20-10 lead.
It looked like the Chiefs were headed for a score on the next possession, but on third and six at the 'Niners 23, Mahomes' pass went off the hands of Hill and into the arms of Tarvarius Moore at the 13 yard line.
But the Chiefs got the ball back and drove 83 yards on ten plays. Mahomes' 44 yard pass to Hill set up a one yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce to get the Chiefs within three, 20-17 with just over six minutes remaining.
Garoppolo finished the game 20-31 for 219 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions.