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Super Bowl LVIII: Chiefs beat 49ers 25-22 in overtime

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes passes while under pressure from the San Francisco 49ers in the third quarter of Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Photo by Jon SooHoo/UPI
1 of 6 | Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes passes while under pressure from the San Francisco 49ers in the third quarter of Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Photo by Jon SooHoo/UPI | License Photo

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Patrick Mahomes rolled out of the pocket, flicked his wrist and glided a pass into Mecole Hardman's hands to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to an overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Super Bowl LVIII.

The Chiefs, who became the first team to win consecutive Super Bowl titles since 2005, were dominated early on, but weathered rabid momentum shifts late to pull out the 25-22 triumph at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

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Their latest championship seals their status as a modern-day dynasty -- with three titles in the last five years.

"It's the start of one," Mahomes said on the CBS broadcast. "We're not done. We're going to celebrate tonight and in Kansas City, but we're not done.

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"We've got a young team. We are going to keep this thing rolling."

Mahomes -- the Super Bowl MVP -- completed 34 of 46 passes for 333 yards, two scores and an interception. The Chiefs, out-gained 125-16 in the first quarter, held a 439-247 edge in total yards for the remainder of the game.

"There was a ton of adversity we dealt with this year," Mahomes said. "The guys never faltered. I give God the glory. He challenged us. ... This was legendary."

49ers defenders mauled their offensive counterparts throughout the first quarter, but the Chiefs adjusted quickly and turned the second half into a blow-for-blow bout.

The 49ers took an initial 3-0 lead on a 55-yard field goal by Jake Moody 12 seconds into the second quarter.

Mahomes threw a 52-yard bomb to Hardman to get the Chiefs deep into 49ers territory on the next drive, but defensive back Deommodore Lenoir stripped running back Isiah Pacheco on the next play, ending the possession.

Star tight end Travis Kelce and Chiefs players showed obvious signs of frustration amid the early struggles. Kelce displayed his anger by shouting at and running into coach Andy Reid.

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The 49ers added to their first half lead on a trick play 4:23 before halftime. Quarterback Brock Purdy took the snap at the 21-yard line to start that sequence. He then tossed left to wide receiver Jauan Jennings. Jennings snagged the catch and threw to his right, finding Christian McCaffrey. The star running back navigated through blockers and found the end zone for a score.

The Chiefs finally got on the scoreboard when kicker Harrison Butker made a 28-yard field goal with 20 seconds remaining in the first half. The 49ers carried a 10-3 lead into the break.

Safety Ji-Ayir Brown intercepted Mahomes on the third play of the second half, snatching back momentum for the 49ers. But they again failed to turn that turnover into points when the Chiefs forced a punt.

Butker made a Super Bowl record-long 57 yard field goal with about five minutes left in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 10-6.

The Chiefs defensive forced a 49ers punt on the next drive. That kick bounced off of the heel of cornerback Darrell Luter Jr., who was on the coverage team. Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson recovered the ball to give possession back to the Kansas City offense.

Mahomes threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the next snap, giving the Chiefs their first lead of the night.

That score resulted in a streak of points on every possession for the remainder of regulation.

The 49ers answered the Valdes-Scantling score by stitching together a 12-play, 75-yard drive. Purdy threw a 10-yard touchdown toss to Jennings for a 16-13 lead, but the 49ers had their extra-point attempt blocked.

Butker tied the score for the first time with a 24-yard field goal about 5:30 later. The 49ers responded with a 7-play, 40-yard drive, ending with a 53-yard Moody field goal to take back their 3-point edge.

But Butker answered with yet another field goal, splitting the uprights with three seconds remaining to send the game to overtime.

The 49ers leaned on McCaffrey to march down the field on the first drive of overtime. They ended that possession with 27-yard, go-ahead field goal from Moody.

Mahomes responded by leading the Chiefs on their 13-play, 75-yard, title-winning drive.

Kelce led the Chiefs with nine catches for a game-high 93 yards. Pacheco logged 92 yards from scrimmage on 24 touches. Hardman totaled three catches for 57 yards, including the game-winning score.

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By beating the 49ers for their second-consecutive title, the Chiefs broke the longest streak in NFL history without a back-to-back champion. They are the ninth team to win Super Bowls in consecutive years.

"The goal has always been to get three," Kelce said. "We couldn't get there without getting to two and having that target on our back all year."

Purdy completed 23 of 38 passes for 255 yards and a score in the loss. McCaffrey totaled 160 yards and a score on 30 touches for the 49ers.

Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LVIII in overtime

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on February 11, 2024. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

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