The grass. Honestly, if we’re talking about the Eagles and Chiefs Super Bowl 2022 season climax, we have to start with the literal ground beneath their feet. It was slick. It was treacherous. Players were sliding around State Farm Stadium like they were on a localized ice rink, and for a game with such massive stakes, it felt almost amateurish. But that's the thing about Super Bowl LVII—it was a game defined by brilliance masked by weird, external frustrations.
You had Patrick Mahomes out there on one good ankle. Jalen Hurts was playing the game of his life, silencing every single doubter who thought he was just a "system QB." Most people remember the ending—the holding call heard 'round the world—but if you really look back at how that February night in 2023 (capping the 2022 season) went down, it was a tactical masterclass that shifted the hierarchy of the NFL.
The Mahomes Factor and that Relentless Chiefs Offense
Patrick Mahomes isn't human. We know this. But in the 2022 season, the narrative was different because he didn't have Tyreek Hill. Critics thought the Chiefs would take a step back. Instead, Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy turned the offense into a surgical, death-by-a-thousand-cuts machine. By the time they reached the Super Bowl against the Eagles, Mahomes was dealing with a high ankle sprain that would have sidelined most people for a month.
He limped. He winced. Then, in the fourth quarter, he ripped off a 26-yard scramble that basically broke the spirit of the Philadelphia defense. It wasn't about the arm talent that day; it was about pure, unadulterated grit.
The Chiefs' second-half adjustments were terrifyingly efficient. They trailed 24-14 at halftime. Most teams fold there. But Reid noticed something in how the Eagles' secondary was biting on motion. This led to those two wide-open touchdowns by Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore. It wasn't luck. It was the result of the Chiefs' coaching staff out-thinking one of the most talented rosters ever assembled.
Jalen Hurts Put the League on Notice
If you were an Eagles fan, that loss stung, but man, Jalen Hurts was incredible. He threw for 304 yards and ran for three touchdowns. He tied a Super Bowl record for rushing scores. He even converted a two-point conversion to tie the game at 35-35 late in the fourth.
✨ Don't miss: When Was the MLS Founded? The Chaotic Truth About American Soccer's Rebirth
The fumble. People love to point to that unforced fumble in the second quarter that Nick Bolton returned for a touchdown. Yeah, it was a disaster. It was a seven-point swing in a game decided by three. But looking at the totality of his performance, Hurts was the best player on the field for about 55 of those 60 minutes. He proved that the 2022 Eagles weren't just a product of a great offensive line. He was the engine.
The RPO (Run-Passive Option) game Philadelphia ran was a nightmare for Kansas City’s young secondary. Guys like Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson were being put in a blender. The Eagles dominated time of possession in the first half, keeping Mahomes on the sideline where he couldn't hurt them. It was the perfect plan, right up until it wasn't.
The Holding Call That Divided a Nation
We have to talk about James Bradberry. With less than two minutes left, on a third-and-8, Mahomes threw an incomplete pass toward JuJu Smith-Schuster. Then the yellow flag hit the turf.
"I tugged on his jersey," Bradberry said after the game.
He admitted it. He was a pro about it. But that doesn't change the fact that for many fans, seeing a classic end on a "ticky-tack" call felt like a robbery. It allowed the Chiefs to bleed the clock down to 11 seconds before Harrison Butker kicked the game-winning field goal.
🔗 Read more: Navy Notre Dame Football: Why This Rivalry Still Hits Different
Was it a hold? Technically, yes.
Was it called consistently all game? Probably not.
Did it decide the game? In a literal sense, it prevented the Eagles from getting the ball back with enough time to score. But the Eagles' defense also failed to record a single sack against a hobbled Mahomes. That’s the real reason they lost. You can’t have the "historic" pass rush that Philly had in 2022 and go invisible in the biggest game of the year.
Why the 2022 Eagles and Chiefs Rivalry Still Matters
This game wasn't just a one-off. It represented a shift. It cemented the Chiefs as a dynasty—the first real one since the Patriots. It also established the Eagles as a perennial powerhouse in the NFC, even if they’ve had some turbulence since then.
The Kelce Bowl was also a massive cultural moment. Travis vs. Jason. Donna Kelce in her split jersey. It was the first time two brothers played against each other in the Super Bowl, and it added a layer of human emotion to a game that is usually just about cold, hard stats.
Breaking Down the Second Half Collapse
Philly's defense was legendary heading into this game. They had 70 sacks in the regular season. Seventy! And yet, Mahomes stayed clean.
The Chiefs' offensive line, led by Orlando Brown Jr. and Creed Humphrey, played the game of their lives. They realized that the Eagles' wide-9 front could be exploited with quick hitters and interior runs. Isiah Pacheco, a seventh-round rookie at the time, ran like he was trying to break the floor. His angry running style was exactly what the Chiefs needed to keep the Eagles' pass rush honest.
💡 You might also like: LeBron James Without Beard: Why the King Rarely Goes Clean Shaven Anymore
Then there was the Toney punt return. 65 yards. The longest in Super Bowl history. It set the Chiefs up at the 5-yard line. You can't give Patrick Mahomes a short field and expect to survive. The Eagles' special teams, which had been a quiet concern all year, finally bit them at the worst possible moment.
Actionable Takeaways for Football Students
If you’re looking back at the Eagles and Chiefs Super Bowl 2022 showdown to understand modern football, there are a few specific things you should study:
- Study the "Corn Dog" Play: This was the play-call name for the motion touchdowns to Toney and Moore. It’s a masterclass in using "eye wash" to fool defensive backs into vacating their zone.
- Analyze the RPO Variations: Watch how Jalen Hurts reads the defensive end. If the end crashes, he pulls the ball. If the end stays home, he hands it off or throws the slant. It’s the most difficult thing to defend in the modern era.
- Clock Management: Look at how the Chiefs handled the final two minutes. Jerick McKinnon sliding down at the 1-yard line instead of scoring a touchdown was one of the smartest "low-IQ looking" plays ever. It guaranteed victory by preventing Philly from getting the ball back.
- Surface Tension: Always check the footwear. Many Eagles players changed cleats at halftime because of the slippery sod. In high-stakes games, equipment choice is just as vital as the playbook.
The Eagles and Chiefs Super Bowl 2022 season finale wasn't just a game; it was a blueprint. It showed that while talent wins games, discipline and second-half adjustments win championships. The Chiefs proved they could win without a superstar WR1, and the Eagles proved they had found a franchise cornerstone in Hurts.
To truly appreciate what happened, you have to look past the box score. Watch the way the Chiefs' offensive line moved in unison. Notice how Hurts never blinked, even after the fumble. This was football at its absolute peak, played on a field that was unfortunately at its lowest.
Next time you watch a replay, focus on the line of scrimmage during the second half. You'll see the Chiefs' offensive line consistently getting to the second level, taking the Eagles' linebackers out of the play entirely. That is where the game was won. Not on the flag, not on the kick, but in the trenches where the Chiefs simply refused to let Mahomes get hit.