Super Bowl LIX has officially ended, leaving NFL fans worldwide confused. How was the Chiefs’ performance so underwhelming for fans? How did the Eagles secure the win before the match even ended? Viewers were left with mixed emotions as many expected a much more intense game between these two seemingly perfect teams. The hype behind the Chiefs was second to none, with football fans worldwide eagerly waiting for the three-peat. How was the momentum not enough to create a game where fans are on the edge of their seats after the halftime show?
Our own Eagle’s Eye writers predicted a much closer score, which reflected public opinion at the time. Their call of 27-24, with the Chiefs winning, was based on the stats and seemed like. But Patrick Mahomes threw two interceptions, one leading to a pick-six. Before the big game, Mahomes hadn’t thrown an interception since November, with many believing that his consistent and game-winning stats would win the Chiefs the Super Bowl. During the game, though, he had only completed six out of fourteen passes and only acquired 33 yards from those passes before halftime.
“I really didn’t expect there to be such a big blowout. Seeing the Chiefs’ past two seasons and even this season, I expected a closer game. Mahomes definitely didn’t play his best,” said Aarav Vyas ‘28. His reaction was similar to many Chiefs fans regarding the game’s unexpected results.
Many of the wildcards for both teams, including Saquon Barkley and Patrick Mahomes, didn’t play at their best. Barkley, the Eagles’ running back, didn’t show the same performance during the Super Bowl compared to his previous games. With his 2,500 (regular and postseason) rushing yards, fans expected him to score one or two touchdowns, but he didn’t even score. The defense’s focus on Barkley allowed Jalen Hurts, the Eagles’ quarterback, to focus on other open receivers like DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, with both scoring a touchdown each and securing over a hundred yards in total. Hurts himself had one of the best games of his career, having over a 75% completion rate and 221 yards in total. He threw two touchdowns and had 72 rushing yards and even a touchdown himself, surpassing the stats of any other player in that game, earning him Super Bowl MVP.
“Watching the Super Bowl, I hoped for the Eagles to win, and Jalen Hurts to get the MVP. I wasn’t disappointed, but I did expect more from Barkley,” said Tanush Kandpal ‘27.
An estimated 127.7 million viewers were tuned in to Super Bowl LIX, making it the most-watched single-network telecast in television history. Super Bowl LIX will be remembered by many as a game that defied expectations, but not in the way fans had hoped. While the Eagles dominated, many expected a more competitive showdown between the two powerhouse teams, similar to years prior. The Chiefs’ performance left fans questioning what went wrong, especially given their history of clutch plays and comebacks.
“I thought that the Super Bowl was underwhelming because the game wasn’t that close between the Chiefs and Eagles,” said Dhariya Joshi ‘28. “I stopped watching after the halftime show.”
Looking ahead, fans are eager to see how the Chiefs are going to bounce back from this disappointment. Will Mahomes and his team use this loss as fuel to reclaim their dominance or is this the start of a shift in power in the league and the decline of the Chiefs altogether? Meanwhile, the Eagles have set the bar high, proving they have what it takes to remain a top contender for future seasons. Future Super Bowls will undoubtedly bring new narratives, but fans will always expect nothing less than down-to-the-wire action on the NFL’s biggest stage.
