Eagles DL admits that Chiefs were own worst enemy before Super Bowl blowout

Every year, well-crafted storylines are weaved into the national coverage of the Super Bowl. While the narratives fill airtime during the two weeks preceding the championship, they quickly dissipate before opening kickoff. Eventually, as John Madden would often say, a game breaks out.

A media frenzy descended upon New Orleans as the Kansas City Chiefs attempted to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowl championships. In the days leading up to Super Bowl LIX, Kansas City was frequently discussed as an inevitability. 

Despite all of the hype and palaver, the Philadelphia Eagles proved to be more than a mere footnote in Kansas City’s dynasty. The Eagles soared to a 40-22 victory and hoisted the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. 

Eagles used Chiefs’ “three-peat” as motivation

After the game, multiple Eagles players told ESPN’s Tim McManus that they used talk of Kansas City’s “three-peat” as motivation. 

"That was motivation because it was kind of a slap to us," Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said. "It was like, they ain't seen us yet. So, we heard that all week. And when the game came, execution was on point and together."

Kansas City was favored to win by major most sportsbooks and casinos. The media was already mentioning Chiefs head coach Andy Reid in the same breath as Paul Brown and Bill Belichick, and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was prematurely hailed as the NFL’s all-time greatest quarterback. The NFL even preemptively reached a licensing agreement to use “three-peat” on merchandise.

"They were talking about getting the copyright and all that B.S.," Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams said. "Throw that s--- in the trash."

Philadelphia was partially responsible for Kansas City’s three-peat bid. The Chiefs’ championship streak began with a 38-35 victory over the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII two years ago, but Philadelphia didn’t squander the opportunity for redemption. 

The final score appears closer than it truly was — the Eagles walloped Mahomes and Co. from wire-to-wire at the Caesars Superdome. The Chiefs fell into a seven-point deficit in the first quarter, and the Eagles piled on to take a staggering 24-point lead into halftime. By the third quarter, the Chiefs were crying on the sidelines.