Super Bowl LIX MVP: Jalen Hurts leads Philadelphia Eagles to crushing 40-22 win over Kansas City Chiefs

A ferocious Philadelphia Eagles defence tormented and frustrated Patrick Mahomes while Jalen Hurts made all the plays the offence needed.

So much for the Kansas City Chiefs’ quest for a Super Bowl three-peat.

It wasn’t even close.

Cooper DeJean got a pick-6 on his 22nd birthday, Josh Sweat pressured Mahomes all night and the Eagles routed the Chiefs 40-22 to secure the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship.

Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score on a tush push to earn MVP honours, and Vic Fangio’s defence was so dominant that Philadelphia didn’t need much from game-changing running back Saquon Barkley.

Barkley only had 31 yards rushing in the first half when Philly built a 24-0 lead and finished with 57, breaking Terrell Davis’ record for yards rushing in a season, playoffs included. Hurts threw for 221 yards.

Mahomes ended up throwing more yards (257) and more touchdowns than Hurts (three) but it was too little too late.

“This is the ultimate team game. You can’t be great without the greatness of others. Great performance by everybody — offence, defence, special teams,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.

“We didn’t really ever care what anyone thought about how we won, or their opinions. All we want to do is win.”

With Donald Trump becoming the first president in office to attend a Super Bowl, the Eagles outplayed Kansas City in every facet, delighting a raucous pro-Philly crowd that celebrated each score with a familiar rendition of “Fly! Eagles! Fly!”

Even Taylor Swift’s presence couldn’t help the Chiefs. They lost for the first time in 10 games this season with the pop superstar in a suite watching boyfriend Travis Kelce, who didn’t catch a pass until late in the third quarter.

Not in Kansas City’s worst nightmares could its fans have imagined such a lackluster performance. The Chiefs had won three of the previous five Super Bowls, losing 31-9 to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers four years ago.

Mahomes was 8-0 against Fangio’s defences before the longtime coordinator and former Denver Broncos head coach outcoached Andy Reid, capping his first season with his hometown team. Reid fell to 3-3 in Super Bowls, including a loss with the Eagles.

Philadelphia sacked Mahomes six times, the most of his career, and they did it without Fangio calling a single blitz.

“Defence wins championships,” Hurts said.

“We saw how they played today. We saw the difference they made in the game. They gave us opportunities, gave us short fields. And we’re able to do what we do.”

The Chiefs were aiming to become the third team in NFL history to win three straight championships and the first to three-peat in the Super Bowl era.

Hurts nearly led the Eagles to victory against the Chiefs two years ago in Arizona, but Mahomes led a comeback and Harrison Butker kicked the game-winning field goal in the final minute for a 38-35 victory. Mahomes rallied Kansas City to an overtime victory over San Francisco last year for the Chiefs’ second straight title.

“That’s a great football team and we had to come out and play our best, and we did,” Sirianni added.

The Green Bay Packers are the only NFL team to win three championships in a row, doing it from 1929-31 and 1965-67.

The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers from 2000-02, led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neill, are the last team in the major American professional leagues to win three straight titles.

BY THE NUMBERS

Jalen Hurts: 17/22 passes for 221 yards, 2 touchdowns and a interception. He also had 11 carries for 72 yars and a rushing touchdown.

Patrick Mahomes: 21/32 passes for 257 yards, three touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Rushed four times for 25 yards.

Eagles passing: DeVonta Smith had four receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown.

Chiefs passing: Xavier Worthy had 8 receptions for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Eagles run game: Saquon Barkley had 11 carries for 72 yards.

Chiefs run game: Isiah Pacheco had 12 carries for 58.

Crowd attendance: 73,208 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Celebrities in the stand: Taylor Swift, Jay Z, Adam Sandler, Bradley Cooper, Kevin Costner, Paul Rudd and, ofcourse, President Donald Trump.