Super Bowl LVII is officially in the books, and brought a high scoring game, historic feats, new records, and plenty of excitement. 

The game was played on Sunday, Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona- the third ever Super Bowl to be played there- and featured a highly anticipated matchup between the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs and the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, both of whom were number seeds in their respective conference. The Eagles made their first Super Bowl appearance since winning their first Super Bowl in 2018, while the Chiefs made their first appearance since winning the Super Bowl in 2020. Both teams finished the regular season 14-3, and as number one seeds, both had a bye week in the playoffs. So in case you missed the game, here’s an overview of Super Bowl LVII, including the halftime show, game stats, and historic feats. 

First Quarter

The Super Bowl kicked off with multiple pregame performances, including “Lift Every Voice and Sing” sung by actress and singer Sheryl Lee Ralph. This was the first time in Super Bowl history that the “Black National Anthem” has been performed on the NFL’s biggest stage. America the Beautiful was sung by Kenny Edmonds (also known as Babyface) and singer Chris Stapleton performed the National Anthem. The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award was also presented to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott before the game. The Chiefs won the coin toss and elected to defer, meaning they would receive the ball after halftime. This is a very common and popular choice that many teams make both in the Super Bowl and during the regular season. 

The Eagles scored the first touchdown of the game on a 75 yard drive downfield, with quarterback Jalen Hurts scoring on a one yard run and kicker Jake Elliott to make the game 7-0. On the Chiefs first drive, quarterback and NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes threw an 18 yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce, and with a successful extra point by kicker Harrison Butker, the game was tied 7-7. On their next possession, the Chiefs attempted a 42 yard field goal, but missed as the ball hit the upright of the goal post. The game remained tied at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter. 

Second Quarter

On the first play of the second quarter, QB Jalen Hurts threw a 45 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver AJ Brown, and an extra point kick put the Eagles on top 14-7. After a Chiefs possession ended in a punt and the Eagles received the ball back, QB Jalen Hurts fumbled, and Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton returned the fumble for a touchdown. The game was tied again, this time at 14-14. 

On the Eagles next possession, QB Hurts scored his second rushing touchdown of the game for four yards, making the score 21-14. After the Chiefs failed to move the ball downfield, the Eagles regained possession of the ball and ended the second quarter with a field goal. The game was 24-14 at halftime. 

Third Quarter

The Chiefs began with the ball after halftime, and managed to complete a 75 yard drive with a one yard rushing touchdown by rookie running back Isiah Pacheco to cut the deficit to 24-21. The Eagles responded back with a field goal to extend their lead to 27-21, and the score remained the same as the third quarter came to a close. One of the most notable moments of the third quarter was when Chiefs head coach Andy Reid threw a challenge flag after a pass from Jalen Hurts to tight end Dallas Goedert was called as a complete pass. The call ultimately stood, and the Chiefs were charged with a timeout. 

Fourth Quarter

The Chiefs held possession of the ball entering the final quarter of the Super Bowl. Mahomes completed a five yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kadarius Toney to give the Chiefs their first lead of the game, 28-27. On their next possession, Toney returned a punt for 65 yards, setting up a first and goal for the Chiefs. After a couple more plays, Mahomes threw a four yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Sky Moore to extend Kansas City’s lead to 35-27. On the Eagles next possession, Philadelphia completed another 75 yard drive downfield, as QB Jalen Hurts scored his third rushing touchdown in the Super Bowl. After successfully converting the two point attempt, the Eagles tied the game at 35-35. On their final possession, the Chiefs ran down the clock and settled for the game winning field goal to take the lead 38-35. In the final seconds of the game, the Eagles attempted a hail mary, but ultimately came up short. 

In the end, the Kansas City Chiefs came out on top to win their third Super Bowl in franchise history. This was the Chiefs second Super Bowl win in the last four years. During the presentation of the Lombardi Trophy, QB Patrick Mahomes was declared the Super Bowl MVP. He finished the game with 21/27 pass completions for 182 yards and 3 passing TDs.

Halftime Show 

The halftime show was headlined by award winning barbadian singer Rihanna, and she sang many of her popular hits like “Umbrella,” “We Found Love,” and “Diamonds.” For the performance, she wore a bright red baggy outfit and had a matching red stage set. Unlike recent years, there were no special guest appearances during the halftime show. This was her first performance in seven years since going on a music hiatus. 

Historic Feats and Records

Super Bowl LVII not only brought excitement, but history was made with new records and achievements from both teams. Eagles’ center Jason Kelce and Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce became the first set of brothers to face off against each other in the Super Bowl. Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney set a new Super Bowl record for the longest punt return of 65 yards. The Chiefs scored on each of their possessions in the second half. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the first player to win NFL MVP and the Super Bowl in the same season since 1999. With three rushing touchdowns, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts set a new record for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in the Super Bowl, as well as the most rushing yards by a quarterback in the Super Bowl. 

Work Cited

“Super Bowl LVII 12 February 2023. htps://www.foxsports.com/?scrlybrkr=cb52e595. Accessed 14 February 2023.