The Kansas City Chiefs needed extra time on Sunday to win the American football championship called the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is the National Football League’s championship game.
Football experts say the Kansas City Chiefs are now one of the best teams to have ever played the sport.
The Chiefs scored a touchdown late in the extra period to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25 to 22. The team has now won three Super Bowls in five seasons and appeared in four of the championship games since 2020.
Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback and the team’s most important player. He has won three Super Bowls. Only three other quarterbacks have won more championships. Mahomes, is only 28. He was voted the top player, or MVP, of the game.
But for many people watching the game on television, Kansas City’s win was only part of the story in Las Vegas, Nevada.
For a while, it seemed as if the halftime show, featuring the music performer Usher, was going to be the most exciting part of the game. At that point, San Francisco was ahead 10 to 3.
Usher, a singer who became well-known about 20 years ago, came out in sparkling, white clothes and performed along with a marching band and other musicians. He was joined during his show by Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Lil’ Jon and Ludacris. Usher performed parts of 12 of his most popular songs.
Throughout the game, cameras cut to another famous singer, Taylor Swift. Swift is the girlfriend of Travis Kelce, one of the Kansas City players.
Swift performed the last of four concerts in Japan on Saturday and flew to Las Vegas to attend Sunday’s game.
Kansas City, in the central state of Missouri, will celebrate the Chiefs during a parade on Wednesday.
The game changed at the start of the fourth quarter, when San Francisco scored a touchdown to take a 16 to 13 lead. However, the 49ers kicker, Jake Moody, had his extra point attempt blocked.
The failed play permitted Kansas City to kick a field goal, worth three points, to tie the game at 16 and then again at 19 in order to force overtime. It was only the second Super Bowl to require extra time.
In the overtime period, San Francisco only scored a field goal to take the lead 22 to 19. However, under NFL rules, both teams have at least one chance to score in extra time.
That meant Kansas City could win the game with a touchdown. That is exactly what happened, when Mahomes threw a short touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman to end the game with only six seconds remaining.
Kelce is one of the league’s best players at his position. He had a slow start but caught nine passes from Mahomes.
Swift joined Kelce for the Super Bowl celebration after the game. After getting a kiss from Swift, Kelce said “the goal has always been to get three (Super Bowls).” He went on to say the team wants to win again next year, to make it three in a row.
The Chiefs are the first team to win two Super Bowls one after the other, since the New England Patriots did it 19 years ago.
Mahomes said, “I’m proud of the guys” as he accepted his MVP award. “This is awesome. Legendary.”
I’m Dan Friedell.
Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press.
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Words in This Story
touchdown –n. the biggest score in American football given for reaching the “end zone” and which is awarded six points with the possibility of one or two extra points after
feature –v. to be offered as a main star or attraction in a performance
marching band –n. a large musical group usually linked to a high school or college, that has mostly brass instruments and which marches as it plays songs
proud –adj. to be very pleased and happy with something you have done
legendary –adj. very impressive and worth people’s attention
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