Super Bowl 2024: Chiefs fight back to beat 49ers 25-22 in overtime for repeat Super Bowl title – as it happened (2024)

49ers 10-6 Chiefs, 4:11, 3rd quarter

The 49ers almost blocked that field goal, too. This game looks like it’s coming down to the margins, not the high-scoring affair most of us assumed it would be. Butker’s kick is a touchback.

Deebo Samuel is back in the game, for the record. Not sure how exactly considering the severity of the injury, but this is the Super Bowl and the 49ers definitely need him here. McCaffrey gets the first carry of the drive and he’s taken down at the line of scrimmage. 2nd and 10, Purdy’s throw to Aiyuk is incomplete. 3rd and 10, Purdy throws incomplete to Samuel and that’s another three-and-out.

The Chiefs defense has stepped up in this second half and now Kansas City has a golden opportunity to take a lead. They will be at their own 27 after James catches Wishnowsky’s punt at the Kansas City 20 and takes it seven yards.

A Super Bowl record has fallen (again). Earlier tonight Jake Moody eclipsed Steve Christie’s 30-year-old mark for longest field goal with his 55-yard make. But the San Francisco rookie’s reign atop the leaderboard lasted less than two hours after Kansas City’s Harrison Butker just split the uprights with a line drive from 57 yards. The updated list:

• 57 Harrison Butker, Kansas City v San Francisco, tonight

• 55 Jake Moody, San Francisco v Kansas City, tonight

• 54 Steve Christie, Buffalo v Dallas, XXVIII

• 53 Greg Zuerlein, LA Rams v New England, LIII

• 52 Harrison Butker, Kansas City v Tampa Bay, LV

• 52 Ryan Succop, Tampa Bay v Kansas City, LV

A commercial featuring Neil Diamond singing I Am I Said which features the immortal lyrics: “And no one heard at all / Not even the chair”.

This has nothing to do with football, but it’s just funny picturing Neil Diamond getting upset at the fact that chairs lack the mechanism of hearing, being inanimate objects.

Mahomes decided to do it himself again, running 22 yards to get to the 49ers 43. The next play, Pacheco picks up two yards. Mahomes throws incomplete on the next play. 3rd and 8 and what looks to be a huge potential stop for the Niners.

They manage to get it! Mahomes finds Hardman for just a two-yard gain after defensive pressure. The game pauses for a rare Super Bowl streaker who is just offscreen. The Chiefs decide to attempt a field goal, which will eclipse the earlier longest field goal attempt by Moody.

Townsend’s 57-yard field goal is good and easily! Wow! The Chiefs cut the 49ers’ lead down to four points.

49ers 10-3 Chiefs, 7:16, 3rd quarter

Mahomes finds Pacheco, who is getting a lot of carries here. He picks up three yards. They’re at their own 28. 2nd and 7. We get a Samuel update: it is indeed a hamstring injury and he’s listed as “questionable”. On the next play, Pacheco gets three yards. This time, Mahomes takes it himself and he pushes through defends to just pick up another first down at the Kansas City 35.

49ers 10-3 Chiefs, 9:02, 3rd quarter

Samuel left on the field on his own, but we’ll see if he’s able to return. Wishnowsky’s next punt pins the Chiefs at their 14. On the next play, Mahomes finds Kelce for a 11-yard gain and that’s finally a first down here in the third quarter.

This has not been a Super Bowl for the ages so far.

49ers 10-3 Chiefs, 9:15, 3rd quarter

Never mind, the starting position is not as good as Purdy gets harassed and after a pass to Jennings it’s an eight-yard loss. It’s 2nd and 18, Purdy finds McCaffrey for a seven-yard gain. 3rd and 11, Purdy’s pass to George Kittle is incompletion and, oof, Deebo Samuel leaves with what looks like a hamstring injury. A promising possession ends in disaster for San Francisco.

Email from Jack Chew:

Subject: How good is the Niners’ Aussie punter??

Just pointing out; Wishnowski has nailed two amazing punts that have pinned the Chiefs butts to their own goal line. Has been important in keeping Mahomes quiet.

Oh, absolutely. The Chiefs pretty much had no chance there after being stuck on their own 2. Now the 49ers have solid starting position on their next drive.

49ers 10-3 Chiefs, 10:53, 3rd quarter

On 3rd and 1, Pacheco gets pushed for no gain. The Chiefs can’t go for it here on their own 11 and Townsend is in to punt. McCloud catches at the San Francisco 36.

49ers 10-3 Chiefs, 11:46, 3rd quarter

Mahomes throws deep from his own end zone. 2nd & 10, Mahomes connects with Kelce for a nine-yard gain. 3rd and 1. The Chiefs take a timeout.

Beyoncé is in a commercial, because unlike Super Bowl half-time shows, advertisers are willing to shell out money to get superstars.

49ers 10-3 Chiefs, 12:39, 3rd quarter

Purdy’s first pass is incomplete. On the next play, a five-yard false start penalty puts them back five yards. On the next play, Purdy throws incomplete to Samuel. On 3rd and 15, Purdy scrambles for four yards and the Chiefs defense saves the Chiefs offense by forcing a three-and-out. They can’t even attempt a field goal here, so the 49ers punt. Wishnowsky’s punt pins the Chiefs at their own 2.

At the Kansas City 12, Mahomes throws deep and it’s interception by Ji’Ayir Brown at the Chiefs 44! Ooh my goodness what a disaster start to the second half for Kansas City.

49ers 10-3 Chiefs, 14:15, 3rd quarter

Mahomes almost fumbles away the opening possession but Pacheco saves it and it’s only a two-yard loss. Whew! It’s 2nd and 22, Mahomes finds tight end Noah Gray who picks up 10 yards.

49ers 10-3 Chiefs, 15:00, 3rd quarter

Moody’s kick is a touchback and the second half begins!

Email from Thomas Burke:

Travis Kelce steaming in all mob handed on veteran head coach Andy Reid was a Gerald Ratner moment.

Will Kelce’s outburst be remembered as the Chiefs’ being on tilt or as a moment that inspired Kansas City to pull of a second half comeback? Only time will tell.

And we’re done here. I still wish they picked someone who brought a little bit more musical variety, but bringing the gang back together for Yeah! salvaged the show for me.

Now we can return to football talk.

Email from Oliver French:

Love how the non-football super bowl live blog has three authors and you’re alone covering the actual game. Keep up the good work and see you on draft night *Taylor swift heart hands*

Surely the Chiefs have to do a better job making halftime adjustments against a competent pass rush than they did against the Bucs? But on behalf of my friends and the Denver Broncos I’ll be hoping not.

I suspect that the Chiefs adjust and tie this up quickly in the third quarter and we’ll see.

I hope you do return for the Guardian’s NFL draft coverage even though I’ll be gone. I can tell you that I will not miss all the pre-draft homework I used to have to do!

Email from Peter Oh:

Hi Hunter,

As far as overall entertainment value goes, this has been Purdy good so far.

It’s better now. Here’s Ludacris reminding us that his verse on Yeah! is one of the greatest features in R&B history. This is just a highpoint in 00s pop.

Lil’ Jon is here to save the day. “Turn Down For What” segues right into “Yeah!”

OK, this officially rules now.

Alicia Keys is here and she’s playing a bright red piano that looks like a leftover prop from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Is she not at least as equally famous as Usher? I’m very confused, to be honest.

Usher’s half-time show

He comes out in a bright white suit, like he’s R&B’s Tom Wolfe.

“They said I wouldn’t be here today.”

To be fair, I did because I thought they would get someone with significantly more clout here in 2024 but that’s what happens when you expect performers to show up for free.

Email from Justin Kavanagh

In years to come, the sports part of pub quizzes will include this head scratcher: How did SF defensive lineman Dre Greenlaw suffer a non-contact injury on the sidelines of Super Bowl LVIII? Did he…

a/ Trip up over a pom-pom left around carelessly by a cheerleader?

b/ Step into a giant Gatorade-filled bucket prepared for the winning coach’s live TV interview, almost drowning?

c/Tear a calf muscle when his shoe became stuck on some discarded gum—at sprint speed?

d/Get distracted by Taylor Swift while stretching his glutes… and then couldn’t Shake it Off?

It’s a brutal, freak injury as it happened on the sidelines and not in the game. A bad update, it’s an Achilles injury so he will obviously not be returning to this game (or football for a very long time).

Email from Beau Dure:

Good evening, Hunter. So ... we were all expecting a punter’s duel in this game, right?

It’s been a low-scoring game in this first half but I strongly believe that the Chiefs will adjust in the second half. Keep in mind because they deferred at the start of the game, they will have the ball start the second half and that’s a golden opportunity to change the game’s momentum.

With Usher’s half-time show about to start, this is a perfect time to remind everybody that our Everything But the Game blog will be covering it in greater detail that we will! I will not be offended if you would prefer to switch over until the football game resumes.

Half-time thoughts

That trick play by the 49ers that resulted in the game’s sole touchdown was certainly the impact play of the first half. Should the 49ers hang on here, that will certainly be the play of the game.

However, the Detroit Lions could tell you that a lot can happen in a second half and a one-touchdown lead on a Patrick Mahomes-led offense is normally as good as a tie.

The Guardian won’t be spending $7m on a Super Bowl ad in 2024. (Probably not in 2025 either.)

If you’re enjoying our live coverage of Super Bowl LVIII, or any of our other brilliant sports writing, please consider supporting our journalism.

Unlike the 49ers and the Chiefs, we’re not owned by a billionaire – our coverage depends on readers like you.

Support the Guardian today – it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The 49ers have 20 seconds to work with here before halftime. Butker’s kick is a touchback. On the next play, McCaffrey picks up six yards and the 49ers decide to just let the clock run out.

Email from David Good:

Hi Hunter,

Hope you’re having a fun Super Bowl. Obviously, it’s early in the game, but if KC don’t score a TD in this game, they’d be the only team to not score a TD in the Super Bowl twice. The previous time was also with Andy Reid and Mahomes (and also had some drinks related mishaps in the build-up), their loss to Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay.

Cheers,
David

This is not going to happen but it’s a testament to San Francisco’s defense here that they’ve kept Mahomes from the end zone.

The TV people lied to me about the time. It’s really 1:09 left on the clock not 1:03. Oh wait, I guess the refs added six seconds. Whatever: the point is that it’s not my fault. On the next play, Mahomes finds Rice for a three-yard gain. They’re at the San Francisco 11. Rice picks up two yards. 3rd and 5. Oof, there’s another big play from San Francisco: Mahomes gets sacked by Arik Armstead for a yard. It’s 4th and 6. The 49ers take a timeout.

Harrison Bukner is out for a field goal attempt. The 28-yarder is good. The 49ers keep the Chiefs out of the end zone, but Kansas City is at least on the board.

49ers 10-0 Chiefs, 1:09, 2nd quarter

Rice picks up six yards. That’s good for a first down. Mahomes finds Rice again, who gets to the San Francisco 14. With a fresh set of downs in the red zone, the Chiefs will take a timeout.