The Gryphon Gazette

By: Rikhav S. ‘26

Super Bowl 59 Recap:

The Super Bowl always features two of the strongest teams in the NFL, with one franchise looking to claim the title as the league’s very best. Super Bowl 59’s clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs was looked at as a very exciting matchup. This was a highly anticipated matchup due to the recent history of these teams, as the Chiefs bested the Eagles in the Super Bowl just two seasons ago. As for this year’s competition, on one hand, you had the already established dynasty of the Chiefs seeking an achievement that has never been done before in the Super Bowl Era: the coveted 3-peat. On the other hand, the Eagles were looking to crush these dreams and win their first Super Bowl since the 2017 season, with the hopes of kick-starting a dynasty of their own. 

As the game progressed, it seemed that the Eagles were on a steady pace to do just that. Philadelphia opened up the scoring in the first quarter with a 1 yard rush by Jalen Hurts (with the support of his O-line and the rest of the offense). Philly would score again thanks to a Jake Elliot field goal, giving themselves an early 10-0 lead in the second quarter. The Chiefs then got the ball, and they began their subsequent drive searching for an answer. However, this answer would not materialize as Patrick Mahomes threw an ill-advised pass that was intercepted by Eagles star rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean, who returned it for a touchdown. The Eagles now enjoyed a comfortable 17-0 lead over the back-to-back defending champs. This lead would increase further just before halftime, as another Patrick Mahomes interception would set up an Eagles score, this time being a 12 yard receiving touchdown by A.J. Brown. 

Coming out of halftime with a 24-0 lead, it would be understandable for most teams to subconsciously take their feet off the gas pedal. However, for Philly, this was not at all the case. The Eagles would take the score up to 34-0, thanks to another Jake Elliot field goal and a 46-yard receiving touchdown by DeVonta Smith. 

At this point, the game was seemingly over, and it was only a matter of time before Philly would be crowned NFL champs. The game would eventually end, and anyone watching the Super Bowl would know that the Eagles’ 40-22 victory does not nearly do their outstanding performance justice. Simply put, the Eagles absolutely destroyed the Chiefs.    

Philadelphia Eagles players celebrate with the Vince Lombardi Trophy following the Eagles’ Super Bowl 59 win against the Kansas City Chiefs on February 9, 2025.

What the win means for the Philadelphia Eagles:

Now it’s time to look at what this convincing Super Bowl win means for the Eagles. First of all, this win proves the Eagles’ 2024 offseason to be one of (if not the best) the best in the NFL’s history. In free agency, Philly was able to land Saquon Barkley, who finished as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year and had the most rushing yards in a single season (including playoffs) with 2,504, breaking Hall of Famer Terrell Davis’s record. The Eagles were also able to reunite with defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who finished the regular season with an impressive six interceptions. Additionally, Philly signed linebacker Zach Baun, who had the best season of his career, finishing as an NFL pro-bowler and first team all-pro. Baun also intercepted Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, setting up A.J. Brown’s score late in the first half. The Eagles were also able to re-sign key players of their team that would play an important role in their Super Bowl victory over the Chiefs. However, Eagles GM Howie Roseman’s stellar offseason did not end there, as the Eagles drafted Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo) and Cooper DeJean (Iowa) with their first and second round picks, respectively. Both players had incredible seasons and finished top 5 in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. They were instrumental in strengthening the Eagles defensive, and it showed in the Eagles’ defensive masterclass in the Super Bowl, where DeJean had a pick 6 off of Mahomes among other great plays by Philly’s defense. 

Additionally, thanks to Philly’s Super Bowl 59 win, quarterback Jalen Hurts has silenced his doubters. Many were questioning if Hurts was one of the elite quarterbacks in the league, and if he truly was the right guy to lead the Eagles to the NFL’s very top. However, Hurts put an end to this speculation as he led Philly to their Super Bowl victory in dominant fashion. Combining the NFC Championship Game as well as the Super Bowl, the Eagles outscored their opponents by a margin of 95 to 45 points. The offense truly came to play. In the NFC Championship, Hurts threw for 246 yards and one touchdown, while also contributing three rushing scores. Hurts was also named Super Bowl 59 MVP after throwing for 221 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 72 yards and one touchdown. Hurts’ playoff performances solidify him as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks heading into next season. 

The Eagles’ Super Bowl 59 win also means a lot for running back Saquon Barkley and head coach Nick Sirianni. As for Barkley, his move to Philly truly revamped his career. As mentioned before, Barkley was voted NFL Offensive Player of the Year for his outstanding 2024 season performance. He broke Terrell Davis’s single season (including playoffs) rushing yards record from the 1998 NFL season (2,476 yards) with 2,504 total rushing yards this season. Barkley also contributed to a staggering total of 20 touchdowns this season. Barkley’s move from the New York Giants to Philadelphia surely revives his case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame by the time he retires, as he looks to continue his momentum as one of the league’s best running backs for years to come. As for Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, his team’s Super Bowl victory also silences his doubters, who questioned his ability to lead a team to Super Bowl glory. He will now look to build off of the Eagles Super Bowl win in hopes of creating a dynasty in Philly.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrate with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl 59 win against the Kansas City Chiefs on February 9, 2025.

What the loss means for the Kansas City Chiefs:

Looking at the Super Bowl result from another point of view, what does the Super Bowl 59 loss mean for the Kansas City Chiefs? First of all, the player who seemed to lose the most due to the Super Bowl loss must be Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes was looking to lead the Chiefs to a 3-peat, something that no other quarterback, or team for that matter, has been able to do since the Super Bowl was established. Entering the game, Mahomes had already won three rings, two of them being Super Bowl 57 and 58. A third straight Super Bowl victory would surely establish Patrick Mahomes’ name firmly in the NFL’s greatest of all time (G.O.A.T.) debate, alongside the current GOAT, Tom Brady. However, the Chiefs’ embarrassing loss to the Eagles, coupled with Mahomes’ terrible performance—in which he threw two costly interceptions (one being returned for a pick 6), lost a fumble, and was sacked six times—seemingly put an end to Mahomes’s GOAT case as of right now. The Kansas City quarterback will need to add more trophies to his cabinet if he wants to even have a chance at taking Tom Brady’s title as the NFL’s greatest player of all time.

As for the Chiefs as a whole, their Super Bowl 59 loss raises questions about the future of their dynasty. Simply put, is the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty over? Can they bounce back? Looking ahead to next season, there are many teams in the NFL that can be considered solid contenders to win the Super Bowl. Teams like the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and of course the Philadelphia Eagles (among other teams), will pose real challenges to the Chiefs as they look to bounce back. The path will definitely be difficult for the Chiefs to regain their title as the league’s best franchise. Additionally, while the Chiefs did have an impressive 14-2 record this past season, many viewed this as one of the weakest Kansas City teams of their dynasty era. The future is uncertain for the Chiefs, and it may see them continue to fall in the ranks of the NFL’s best teams. 

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes greets Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts following the Eagles’ Super Bowl 59 win against the Kansas City Chiefs on February 9, 2025.

Overall, Super Bowl 59 saw the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs in dominant fashion with a 40-22 win. This result speaks volumes about the situations of both teams, as well as the future of the NFL as a whole.