Super Bowl Takeaways

For some the Super Bowl is just another football game, for football fans the Super Bowl is well their “Super Bowl.”

The 58th Super Bowl was certainly one for the books, marking only the second to go into overtime.

Let’s look at some of the biggest game’s biggest takeaways:

49ers Outplayed The Chiefs

Congratulations to the Chiefs, three superbowl wins in five years. Impressive to say the least and they deserve lots of credit for the dynasty they are creating.

However, the Niners looked better all across the board on Sunday Night.

For most of the game, the odds seemed to be in San Francisco’s favor and although we know to never count out Mahomes, the 49ers looked better out there.

The Niners will be back, mark my words.

The Niners Didn’t Have An Overtime Plan

The Niners made two big mistakes in the Super Bowl. The first one would be deciding to receive the ball first in overtime. The second would be settling for a field goal leaving the door wide open for Mahomes, knowing if the Chiefs scored a touchdown they would take the Superbowl title right out from under them.

Given how it was a defensive battle all game, this might have seemed like the right decision by Shanahan. But ultimately these were two back-to-back mistakes that arguably cost them the game.

As most football plans know, the playoff overtime rules have recently changed. Both teams get a chance to possess the ball. Some of the Niners players stated that they were unaware of the new overtime rules.

However, Andy Reid and Mahomes made clear that if they were to win the coin toss their strategy would be to defer or kickoff so they would know what they needed to do. People assumed the Niners’ strategy would be the same.

Mahomes Is On Pace To Be The Goat

Third Super Bowl ring. Third Super Bowl MVP. 28 years old.

If you haven’t accepted Mahomes’ greatness yet, it's about time you start.

Maybe he wasn’t clutch all season, but he shows up when it matters most.

Mahomes is the first quarterback with three 10+ point comeback wins in Super Bowl history.

If there is one thing about Mahomes, he always finds a way to get the job done.

Historical Kickers

Super Bowl history was made and then it was made again.

49ers kicker Jake Moody kicked a 55-yarder, the longest field goal in Superbowl history.

Only for Kansas City’s kicker Harrison Butker to break his record two quarters later with a 57-yard field goal.

Both kickers had record breaking and impressive nights.

For the Chiefs, they owe a lot of their credit to Butker as he carried Kansas City straight to victory.

Jauan Jennings & Christian McCaffrey = MVPs

If the Niners won the Super Bowl, they would’ve had some really good cases for MVP and quite honestly it would’ve been a callous decision.

Jauan Jennings tallied a pair of touchdowns - one throwing and one receiving.

Jennings became just the second player in NFL history to throw and catch a touchdown in the same Super Bowl, alongside Super Bowl LVII MVP, Nick Foles.

As for CMC, he has proved himself more than valuable game in and game out all season. In Super Bowl 58 he made history of his own by being the first player to record 80+ receiving yards and 80+ rushing yards and tallying a touchdown on top.

These two might have not walked away with the Lombardi but they certainly made Super Bowl history.

Gia Sabatino is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email gms6168@psu.edu.