As the end of the National Football League season looms, Super Bowl LVIII, featuring the San Francisco 49ers vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, is set to take place on Feb.11. This game finds fans with a severe case of déjà vu, as the same teams played in the Super Bowl four years ago. While the matchup may be the same, lots have changed both on and off the field from the original game.
Four years ago at the Miami Gardens Hard Rock Stadium, Patrick Mahomes won his first Super Bowl game and Most Valuable Player, leading the Kansas City Chiefs to a comeback win in the fourth quarter — the first time the team had won in 50 years.
Since then, the Kansas City Chiefs have starred in two Super Bowls and successfully won one of them.
On the other hand, the 49ers have not had as much luck. The team has not won a Super Bowl championship since 1994, where they beat the Los Angeles Chargers 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX.
This season, the 49ers have new players since their last Super Bowl matchup, including quarterback Brock Purdy, who has currently set a record for passing yards for a single season on the team. Defensively, linebacker Fred Warner is a key asset to the San Francisco 49ers defense, finishing the regular season with 132 tackles and four interceptions.
While the Chiefs lineup still has impressive players from the 2020 season including quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, they lack star wide receiver Tyreek Hill who was traded to the Miami Dolphins following the 2021 season. However, the Chiefs have added noteworthy players to their roster since the last matchup including cornerback Trent McDuffie and the aforementioned players.
If the Chiefs were to win the Super Bowl, they would win their fourth title and tie with the Packers and New York Giants for wins. However, if the 49ers win the game, it would be their sixth championship and they would be tied with the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers for the most wins in NFL history.
While the Kansas City Chiefs may have been victorious four years ago, this year’s game is a close match-up with both teams having been head-to-head for the victory.
