Following the two Championship games that took place on the 26th of January 2025, we now know which teams will go head to head in Super Bowl LIX. It has a familiar look about it too. Or very familiar in terms of the team from the AFC, at least.
On the 9th of February, the Kansas City Chiefs will face the Philadelphia Eagles at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. This will be a repeat of the clash that took place for Super Bowl LVII back in February 2023. The Chiefs won an absolute thriller then, sealing their third title by 38 points to 35.
They followed that up in 2024 by pipping the 49ers in a clash that was perhaps even more exciting and went to overtime. Kansas City prevailed 25-22 in the end, despite San Francisco scoring first with a field goal in over time. Amazingly, this will be the fifth time in six years that the Chiefs will represent the AFC in the showpiece game. If they win they will move to five Super Bowl victories overall, drawing level with big-hitters the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.
However, the bigger piece of history will see them become the first team in history to win three Super Bowls in succession, the so-called “three-peat”. They have already broken new ground by being the first two-time defending champion to make it to the Super Bowl to even have a shot at the hat-trick. Whilst several other teams have won two out of three, or made it to three in a row (or even four in the case of the Buffalo Bills, though they lost four in a row from 1990 to 1993), this is the first time in NFL history a franchise has had the chance to land the fabled three-peat. But can Kansas City get over the line?
Chiefs Start Game as Favourites
The Chiefs seemingly have this supernatural ability to get over the line, literally and metaphorically, when it really matters. They have demonstrated that ability to deliver in the high-pressure, clutch moments so many times in recent seasons that to some it is unimaginable that they would lose a big game.
Star Quarterback
Great quarterbacks throughout history have had the ability to drive their side down the field and score when the going gets tough. In Patrick Mahomes, they truly have one of the very best. He has now led his side to the AFC Championship showdown seven seasons running and early on in this campaign he set the record for most wins in a QB’s first 100 starts. His mark of 88 bested a certain Tom Brady, and Dallas Cowboys legend Roger Staubach, who both had 76.
Andy Reid
The Chiefs also boast an incredible Head Coach in Andy Reid, a figure Philly know all about given he was their top man for well over a decade between 1999 and 2012. During his long stint there he made the Eagles play-off regulars and they even made it as far as the Super Bowl in the 2004 season. Reid has three wins in the big game, all with the Chiefs, whilst he was assistant to Mike Holmgren when the Packers won Super Bowl XXXI back in 1997.
Worthy Favourites
The Mahomes-Reid axis, plus the many other superstars at the Chiefs disposal mean they are worthy favourites. In addition, they also have masses of experience and the bookies make them odds-on for glory at around 10/13, with the Eagles at 11/10.
Those odds indicate a degree of uncertainty among the oddsmakers and it is easy to see why many will be chancing their arm on the underdogs. The Eagles will still be hurting from that loss back in 2023 when they could so easily have won and they will be stronger for the experience. 12 months ago they were well beaten in the Wild Card play-offs, by Tampa, but they bounced back from that sub-standard season to record a record of 14-3 this time around, having been 2-2 after four rounds.
What’s more, they were exceptional in the NFC Championship game when they put a massive 55 points on the board against the Washington Commanders, conceding 23. That avenged a late-season loss to the same team and will have given them a boost heading to New Orleans as they look to clinch a second Super Bowl title after their win in Super Bowl LII in 2018 when they outscored the Pats 41-33 in another high-scoring encounter.
This one may well be too close to call but we have a sneaky feeling that the Eagles might just soar. The pressure of the three-peat is sure to weigh on the Chiefs and will be all anyone asks them about in the build-up. With the Eagles out for revenge the result is hard to call. We fancy it to be a tight game with plenty of points and loads of excitement and, at the odds, the Eagles are just about the value pick.
Route to the Super Bowl
As said, the Eagles started the campaign slowly, losing in weeks two and four against Atlanta and Tampa Bay, respectively. However, their record since was almost perfect, going 12-1 for the rest of the season to top the NFC East ahead of the Commanders. In the play-offs they have beaten Green Bay 22-10, then the Rams 28-22, before seeing off the Commanders 55-23, all of those games taking place at their Lincoln Financial Field home.
As for the Chiefs, they started the season fully expecting, and largely expected, to be back in the Super Bowl. With Mahomes excellent as ever, Travis Kelce giving Taylor Swift plenty to cheer and the likes of Chris Jones and Nick Bolton all excelling, they were strong all season. Rookie Xavier Worthy had a good campaign too, with nine touchdowns, whilst George Karlaftis produced an impressive eight sacks.
The Chiefs won their first nine games to make their intentions clear before going down to the Bills in mid-December. They did not lose again until the final game of the regular season to end with a 15-2 record, and even then they rested some players with top seeding already assured.
In the postseason they have come through two relatively tight games, first beating the Houston Texans 23-14. They then were pushed even closer, seeing off the Bills 32-29, this time at full strength. And so, all eyes will be on New Orleans when the Super Bowl takes place on the 9th of February.