Chicago — Well, the day that football fans have been waiting for is almost here! Super Bowl LVIII takes place Sunday, featuring the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers, and the champions from the American Football Conference (AFC), the Kansas City Chiefs. For the 49ers, this is the second time they’ve made the big dance since 2019 (the first time against these very same Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV), and for the Chiefs it’s the fourth time in the last five years that they’ve made it to the Super Bowl.
The 49ers earned the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs, holding the best regular-season record in the conference at 12-5. They were led by their second-year quarterback Brock Purdy, who was the last pick in the draft in 2022. Despite this, he’s blossomed in the Bay with another strong year, throwing for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a QB rating of 113.0 (the best rating among starting quarterbacks).
Kansas City is (once again) back in the Super Bowl, finishing with an 11-6 record and holding the #3 seed in the AFC. After a roller coaster of a year in which the energy around the team had peaks and valleys to it, in the end they’re right back in the big game. They’re led by arguably the best quarterback in the league and (likely) future Hall-of-Famer Patrick Mahomes. Even in a “down year,” Mahomes still had a strong 2023 campaign, throwing for 4,183 passing yards, 27 TDs, and 14 interceptions.
Who will prevail in the 58th playing of the Super Bowl? Well, if you want my opinion, I’ve learned to never bet against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs.
This guest post is in partnership with True Star Media.