The plays that won the Chiefs the Super Bowl

September 02, 2024

The way the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday night may have looked like a replay: Coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a play very similar to the famous “corn dog” that helped them beat the Philadelphia Eagles in last year’s Super Bowl.

But this year was different. The game-winning touchdown in overtime wouldn’t have been possible without defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, whose brilliant, blitz-heavy plan stifled the San Francisco 49ers’ explosive offense and keyed everything else.

The Chiefs’ biggest plays — a surprise blitz by Spagnuolo and “corn dog” redux — secured a 25-22 victory over the 49ers and cemented Kansas City’s modern dynasty.

Here’s how the plays broke down.

Play 1: Spagnuolo’s surprise blitz

The situation

Coming out of the two-minute warning, with the score tied at 16, the 49ers faced third and five from the Kansas City 35-yard line. This was it. If the 49ers got a first down, they were likely to win. They could milk the clock — the Chiefs had just two timeouts — and kick a field goal with little time left.

It was one of the biggest play calls of Coach Kyle Shanahan’s career. Everyone knew he was going to pass.

On the broadcast, CBS analyst Tony Romo predicted Spagnuolo would blitz. Spagnuolo’s philosophy is famously aggressive and blitz-heavy. He was the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants in 2007, when that approach helped him knock off the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

After the game, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed told reporters the Chiefs had blitzed a lot to slow down the 49ers’ elite running game. They wanted quarterback Brock Purdy to throw the ball.

Presnap

San Francisco came out in what’s known as “11” personnel, with one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers. It was a surprise; the 49ers usually favor heavier personnel groupings and use “11” at one of the NFL’s lowest rates. But in classic 49ers fashion, several players lined up in unusual spots — including tight end George Kittle in the backfield.

Kansas City countered with light personnel as well, a subpackage called “quarter” with two linemen, two linebackers and seven defensive backs. The Chiefs had used “quarter” on just 1.1 percent of their snaps this season, according to the website TruMedia.

For most of the game, Spagnuolo had blitzed Purdy. But the presnap picture this time — including just four defenders on the line of scrimmage in the tackle box — suggested he wasn’t going to blitz. He was going to drop seven and play coverage.

Post-snap

On the snap, everything changed. Spagnuolo blitzed both slot cornerbacks, pitting six defenders against five linemen. It was up to Kittle, a tight end playing running back, to pick up the last defender. But for some reason — maybe it was how the play was coached; maybe he didn’t see the hole open — Kittle went right, not left, and all-pro cornerback Trent McDuffie flew in unblocked.

Purdy started to throw to wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who was having the game of his life and had just won his matchup on a slant route. But McDuffie reached Purdy in 1.5 seconds and batted the ball down.

“It never looked like pressure the whole time,” Romo yelled on CBS. “At no point would you ever think it is [a blitz]. That’s why you have to understand the DNA of [Spagnuolo]. I just know, however they look, Spagnuolo’s not going down without bringing it.”

The stop forced the 49ers to settle for a field goal, and the Chiefs had time to drive for the kick that forced overtime. In overtime, San Francisco faced third and four at the Kansas City 9-yard line, and Spagnuolo used a more traditional blitz to hurry Purdy and force the 49ers to settle for a field goal.

Play 2: ‘Corn dog’ redux

The situation

After San Francisco’s field goal in overtime, the Chiefs trailed 22-19. They drove 72 yards down the field and faced first and goal from the San Francisco 3-yard line. The game clock was ticking down from 12 seconds, but the Chiefs didn’t have to call a timeout; if time had expired, there would have been a second overtime period.

Presnap

Kansas City came out in “12” personnel, with one running back, two tight ends and two wide receivers. They used a tight formation with the tight ends (Travis Kelce and Noah Gray) and one wide receiver (Mecole Hardman) on the right side.

The 49ers’ defenders probably expected a run because of the look and the Chiefs’ tendencies; on first downs inside the 5-yard line this season, Kansas City called runs 71 percent of the time, according to TruMedia.

But then Hardman started to run a jet motion across the formation.

Last season, the Chiefs often used speedy wide receiver Kadarius Toney on jet motions. Defenses countered them with “rock-and-roll” coverage bumps, meaning the cornerback would rock up to safety, and a safety would roll down to the line of scrimmage to pick up the jet. The tactic allowed defenses to keep good leverage on the player in motion.

In the previous Super Bowl, Reid countered rock-and-rolls with “return” motions, in which a receiver fakes a jet, then cuts back outside. The Chiefs used those motions to score two wide-open touchdowns. The one to Toney was called “corn dog.”

Toney was unreliable this season, so he was a healthy scratch for the Super Bowl. Hardman — who started his career with the Chiefs, signed with the New York Jets in March and was traded back to Kansas City in October — replaced him for this bit of déjà vu. Instead of Toney and Philadelphia cornerback Darius Slay, it was Hardman and San Francisco’s Charvarius Ward. Just as Hardman got level with Kelce, just as Ward shifted his eyes from his receiver into the backfield, Mahomes called for the snap.

Post-snap

As the ball flew back, Hardman planted his left leg and, essentially hiding behind Kelce, burst back outside in a return motion. Ward, seemingly fooled by the motion, switched from defending Hardman to Kelce, leaving Hardman wide open. Mahomes tossed him the ball to win the Super Bowl.

“The [play] call is different, but it’s like the same exact motion as ‘corn dog,’” Mahomes told CBS. “We brought it back at the right time. Coach Reid — he’s a legend, man. He’ll do that.”

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