Patrick Mahomes was hobbled and hurting but wasn’t going to be denied.
With one of the most impressive and gritty performances in Super Bowl history, the two-time most valuable player led the Kansas City Chiefs to a come-from-behind, 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium on Sunday.
Mahomes, showing little evidence of an ankle injury that had him hobbled at halftime, threw a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to guide the Chiefs to their second Lombardi Trophy in four years.
To do so, Kansas City had to knock off the mighty Eagles, who have a smothering defense and the best offensive line in football.
The fourth quarter was a coaching clinic by Kansas City’s Andy Reid, who was head coach of the Eagles from 1999 to 2012. He is the only coach in NFL history with at least 100 wins for two franchises.
Kansas City, which trailed by 10 at halftime and faced the sobering reality of a reinjured Mahomes, outscored the Eagles in the second half 24-11.
The Chiefs claimed their first lead in the fourth quarter when receiver Kadarius Toney caught a five-yard touchdown pass that included some razzle-dazzle.
Toney fooled the defense by pretending to go in motion from right to left, then stopping and popping back outside. He caught a short pass from Mahomes and walked into the end zone with no defenders near him.
The play worked so well that the Chiefs tried it from the other side on their next possession.
After Toney returned a punt a Super Bowl-record 65 yards, the Chiefs scored on a four-yard touchdown reception by Skyy Moore, who again fooled the Philadelphia defense. He faked going in motion from left to right, then popped outside for another unchallenged touchdown.
The Eagles were looking to win a second Lombardi Trophy after claiming their first at the end of the 2017 season.
They got outstanding play from Jalen Hurts, who ran for three touchdowns — a Super Bowl record for a quarterback — and threw for a fourth score.
Watching from a suite with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was Donna Kelce, mother of Jason (Philadelphia center) and Travis (Kansas City tight end), the first brothers to play against each other in a Super Bowl. Also in that suite was Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills safety who nearly died of cardiac arrest in a Jan. 2 game at Cincinnati.
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