Super Bowl LVII Champions

Lore & Background

Super Bowl LVII was the fourth Super Bowl hosted by the Phoenix metropolitan area, and the third at State Farm Stadium, after Super Bowls XLII in 2008 and XLIX in 2015. Both teams finished the regular season with a league-best 14–3 record. The Chiefs won the game 38–35 on a game-winning field goal by Harrison Butker, set up by a defensive holding call on Philadelphia cornerback James Bradberry. The 73 combined points made this the third-highest scoring Super Bowl game, and the 35 points scored by the Eagles tied for the most by the losing team in the Super Bowl (matching the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII). Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP, completing 21 of 27 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns. The three touchdowns and two-point conversion scored by Jalen Hurts tied the record for most points scored by a player in a Super Bowl with 20. The game was remembered for the use of signature plays: the Chiefs scored two touchdowns on plays using the Corn Dog misdirection route and the Eagles scored twice using the Tush Push. Fox's broadcast became the most-watched program in American television history at the time, with an average of 115.1 million viewers. The halftime show, headlined by Rihanna, peaked at 121 million viewers. This was the last Super Bowl that George Toma served as groundskeeper for, having served as groundskeeper for every Super Bowl since the event's creation. Kansas City and Philadelphia would meet for a rematch two years later in Super Bowl LIX, in which the Eagles avenged their loss against the Chiefs, 40–22.

In Their Own Story

The air inside State Farm Stadium was thick with tension as the clock ticked down. Mahomes limped slightly on his left foot, a grimace hidden behind his helmet, yet his eyes remained locked on the field. The crowd noise was a distant roar compared to the pounding in his ears. He took the snap, rolled right, and saw the lane open up just enough. With a surge of adrenaline that defied pain, he scrambled forward, buying precious seconds. The throw left his hand—a perfect spiral cutting through the Arizona heat—landing squarely in the hands of Kadarius Toney to secure the critical first down. The stadium erupted, not just for the points, but for the sheer will it took to get there before Harrison Butker sealed the victory with a field goal.

Reader's Guide

The Chiefs' offense was led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who won his second NFL MVP award, leading the league with 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdowns. Tight end Travis Kelce was the team's leading receiver with 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns. Rookie running back Isiah Pacheco led the rushing attack with 830 yards and five touchdowns. The offensive line featured three Pro Bowl selections: guard Joe Thuney, tackle Orlando Brown Jr., and center Creed Humphrey. Defensively, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones led the team with 15.5 sacks. Linebacker Nick Bolton led the team with 180 combined tackles. The secondary was led by cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (three interceptions, 108 tackles) and safety Juan Thornhill (three interceptions).

Did You Know?

• The Chiefs traded star wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins in the offseason but still finished as the NFL's best offense, leading the league in yards (7,032) and points scored (496).
• Patrick Mahomes set the NFL record for most combined passing and rushing yards in a season with 5,608.
• The field conditions were criticized by players, particularly for slipperiness, despite the NFL spending two years preparing the Tahoma 31 grass.
• This was the first Super Bowl where an Indigenous artist (Lucinda 'La Morena' Hinojos) was commissioned to create the official artwork.
• Norma Hunt, the widow of Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, attended the game; she was a member of the Never Miss a Super Bowl Club and died in June 2023.

Game Overview and Scoring Records

Super Bowl LVII determined the National Football League champion for the 2022 season, pitting the American Football Conference champion Kansas City Chiefs against the National Football Conference champion Philadelphia Eagles. Both squads entered the contest with identical league-best regular-season records of fourteen wins and three losses. The game took place on February 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, marking the fourth Super Bowl hosted by the Phoenix metropolitan area. In a high-scoring affair that produced seventy-three combined points, the Chiefs emerged victorious with a final score of thirty-eight to thirty-five. This total ranked as the third-highest scoring game in Super Bowl history. Notably, the Eagles set a record for the most points scored by a losing team in the event's history with their thirty-five points. For Philadelphia, this was their fourth appearance, having previously won one title and lost two others. The Chiefs made their fifth overall appearance, securing their third championship within a four-year span after winning Super Bowls IV and LIV.

Key Performances and Signature Plays

The contest featured standout individual performances that defined the narrative of the game. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was awarded Super Bowl Most Valuable Player honors after completing twenty-one of twenty-seven passes for one hundred eighty-two yards and three touchdowns. On the opposing side, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts tied a record for the most points scored by a single player in a Super Bowl, accumulating twenty points through three touchdowns and a two-point conversion. The game concluded on a dramatic note when Harrison Butker kicked a game-winning field goal for Kansas City. This opportunity was created following a pivotal defensive holding call on Philadelphia cornerback James Bradberry, a decision that drew mixed reactions from observers but was supported by the player himself. Offensively, both teams utilized signature plays repeatedly; the Chiefs scored two touchdowns using the Corn Dog misdirection route, while the Eagles successfully executed the Tush Push play twice during their offensive drives.

Venue Logistics and Social Controversies

Hosting this event marked a shift in league procedures, as Arizona was the first location selected under a new system where the league unilaterally chooses sites rather than accepting city bids. The official branding included artwork by Lucinda Hinojos, marking the first time an Indigenous artist created the official Super Bowl image. Several Native American communities were named Host Committee Partners, and a land acknowledgment ceremony occurred prior to the game. However, the event faced significant controversy regarding Arizona state legislation concerning voting restrictions and gender-affirming care, prompting petitions from religious leaders to move the venue. Additionally, the Kansas City Chiefs' presence sparked protests against their use of Native American imagery. Field conditions also drew criticism; despite two years of preparation using Tahoma 31 grass, players complained about slipperiness, with some changing cleats mid-game. This was groundskeeper George Toma’s final Super Bowl after serving since the event's inception.

Broadcast Records and Future Rematch

The television broadcast of Super Bowl LVII set a significant milestone for American media history at the time. Fox's coverage averaged one hundred fifteen point one million viewers, becoming the most-watched program in U.S. television history upon airing. Viewership peaked even higher during Rihanna’s halftime show performance, reaching one hundred twenty-one million people. Although these records were subsequently broken in following years, they highlighted the massive cultural footprint of the event. The rivalry between these two franchises extended beyond this single championship game. Kansas City and Philadelphia met for a rematch exactly two years later in Super Bowl LIX. In that subsequent encounter, the Eagles avenged their previous loss by defeating the Chiefs with a score of forty to twenty-two. This victory secured Philadelphia’s second Super Bowl title, coming seven years after their initial win in Super Bowl LII. The original LVII game thus remains a pivotal chapter in the ongoing competitive history between these two NFL powerhouses.