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Rarely does a rematch for this year's Super Bowl happen for just the 10th time in NFL history when the Kansas City Chiefs meet the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m. ET (FOX) at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
And it's even rarer for it to happen so soon after the first fight. This rematch between the Chiefs and Eagles marks the fifth time in Super Bowl history that a rematch has taken place within five seasons of the first meeting, with the winner of the first matchup having a perfect 4-0 record in the rematch.
Many of the key players and coaches from two years ago will meet again in Super Bowl 59, but both sides have also undergone significant changes since their meeting in Super Bowl 57.
Super Bowl rematch between Chiefs and Eagles: What changed in Kansas City?
All of the key pieces from the Chiefs' 38-35 victory over the Eagles in Super Bowl 57 are back for another showdown with Philadelphia ahead of Super Bowl 59.
That includes star quarterback Patrick Mahomes - the favorite for Super Bowl MVP - and his star tight end Travis Kelce, who threw an NFL-record 17 touchdowns in the postseason. Head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo still lead the two-time champions.
But Kansas City, preparing for its second Super Bowl meeting with the Eagles, has a lot of new faces, especially on offense.
Key additions to the Chiefs since Super Bowl 57
Player/coach | Key stat | Where did they come from? |
---|---|---|
Kareem Hunt, RB | Most rushing yards on team (728) | Cleveland Browns (signed 1-year, $1.2 million contract with Chiefs) |
DeAndre Hopkins, WR | Third-most receiving yards on team (437) | Tennessee Titans (traded to Chiefs for conditional fifth-round pick) |
Xavier Worthy, WR | Most touchdowns on team (9) | 28th overall pick in 2024 NFL Draft (Chiefs traded up from 32nd pick) |
Hollywood Brown, WR | Third-most targets in playoffs (7) | Arizona Cardinals (signed 1-year, $7 million contract with Chiefs) |
Jawaan Taylor, OT | 37 pressures allowed | Jacksonville Jaguars (signed 4-year, $80 million contract with Chiefs) |
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE | Sixth-most pressures on team (14) | 31st overall pick in 2023 NFL Draft |
Drue Tranquill, LB | Tied for third-most defensive stops on team (29) | Los Angeles Chargers (signed 3-year, $19 million contract with Chiefs) |
Chamarri Conner, NB | Tied for third-most defensive stops on team (29) | 119th overall pick in 2023 NFL Draft (Chiefs traded up from 134th pick) |
Jaden Hicks, SAF | Leads team in interceptions (3) | 103rd overall pick in 2024 NFL Draft (pick acquired in trade for Worthy) |
Matt Araiza, P | 15th in NFL in net average (41.8) | Buffalo Bills (signed 1-year, $795,000 contract with Chiefs) |
Todd Pinkston, RB coach | Offense ranked 13th in EPA per rush | Austin Peay (WR coach) |
Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach is fortunate to have one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history in Reid and a quarterback in the thick of the Tom Brady/Patrick Mahomes controversy, so he hasn't had to make high-profile acquisitions to stay competitive.
Still, it's not easy to retain talent after winning two straight Super Bowls, and he's managed to do just that by bringing in veterans like Kareem Hunt, Drew Tranquill, DeAndre Hopkins and Hollywood Brown. He also made some high-profile moves, such as signing Jawann Taylor, that may have fallen short but ultimately didn't hurt the team.
However, the most impressive thing Veach and Reid have done since the last Super Bowl against the Eagles are several successful draft picks. As explosive as first-round pick Xavier Worthy was for the team, shopping Chamarri Conner and fourth-round pick Jayden Hicks in consecutive years is how great teams stay dominant.
It's also a credit to his coaching staff, particularly Spagnuolo and secondary coach David Merritt, for developing the young players selected on Day 3 into impact players. Perhaps the biggest difference between the Chiefs and Eagles was that Kansas City retained staff members like Spagnuolo and Merritt.
Those two, along with special teams coordinator Dave Toub, offensive line coach Andy Heck and defensive line coach Joe Cullen are among the most respected coaches in the NFL. Surprisingly, none of them have been poached for a higher position (or contract).
Chiefs' major losses since Super Bowl 57
Player/coach | Key stat | Where are they now? |
---|---|---|
Chad Henne, QB | Came in for injured Mahomes to lead scoring drive in playoff win over Jacksonville Jaguars | Retired |
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB | 453 yards from scrimmage, six TDs | Free agent |
Jerick McKinnon, RB | 803 yards from scrimmage, 10 TDs | Free agent |
Kadarius Toney, WR | TD catch and longest punt return in Super Bowl history (65 yards) | Free agent |
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR | 42 receptions, 687 receiving yards, 2 TDs | Signed 1-year, $1.1 million contract with New Orleans Saints |
Andrew Wylie, OT | Started 20 games (including playoffs) | Signed 3-year, $24 million contract with Washington Commanders |
Khalen Saunders, IDL | 15 pressures, 20 defensive stops | Signed 3-year, $14.5 million contract with New Orleans Saints |
Carlos Dunlap, EDGE | 32 pressures, 24 defensive stops | Free agent |
Frank Clark, EDGE | 45 pressures, 24 defensive stops | Free agent |
Willie Gay, LB | 40 defensive stops, 9 TFLs | Signed 1-year, $3 million contract with New Orleans Saints |
L'Jarius Sneed, CB | 39 defensive stops, 89.2 QB rating allowed | Traded to Tennessee Titans, signed 4-year, $76.4 million contract |
Juan Thornhill, SAF | 8 defensive stops, 83.7 QB rating allowed | Signed 3-year, $21 million contract with Cleveland Browns |
Tommy Townsend, P | 50.4 AVG, 22 inside 20 | Signed 2-year, $6 million contract with Houston Texans |
Eric Bieniemy, OC | Offense ranked first in EPA per play | Out of coaching (UCLA OC last season) |
Greg Lewis, RB coach | Offense ranked 10th in EPA per rush | Baltimore Ravens WR coach |
The Chiefs have clearly lost several significant players since their last game against the Eagles in the Super Bowl. But as this team has proven time and time again, as long as it has Mahomes, Reid, Spagnuolo, Kelce and Chris Jones, it can survive the loss of even the NFL's most dynamic players. (See: Hill, Tyreek).
Without a doubt, the biggest loss since Super Bowl 57 is L'Jarius Snead, who Kansas City traded to the Titans. Losing a versatile lead cornerback of his caliber would have hurt most teams, but the Chiefs barely felt his loss thanks to their ability to develop secondary players like Trent McDuffie, Conner and Jalen Watson.
With the departures of Frank Clark, Carlos Dunlap and Halen Saunders, Veach has managed to keep the defensive line intact. This is once again a credit to the team and Jones' dominance. Many of the Chiefs' defensive players are locals, and they are growing into useful players like Tershawn Wharton and Mike Danna on the defensive line.
Even the loss of Bieniemy, who transferred to the UC Washington Commanders last year, had little impact. Reid already had a replacement - Matt Nagy was already on staff as QB coach, and Nagy was the head coach of Kansas City before becoming head coach of the Chicago Bears.
Again, when you have a Hall of Fame inducted head coach, QB, quarterback, defensive coordinator and one of the best defensive coordinators of all time, holes are easy to plug. But it's interesting to see how much Kansas City and Philadelphia differ in terms of roster and turnover.
Super Bowl rematch between the Chiefs and Eagles: What changed in Philadelphia?
Like their rivals, the Eagles still have the same head coach, quarterback and general manager that they had when these teams met in Super Bowl 57.
Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts are the only head coach and quarterback to have been to two Super Bowls, though both are still in search of their first Lombardi Trophy. They'll have another shot at it, thanks to the work Howie Roseman has done in assembling another NFC Championship-winning squad.
Major additions to the Eagles since Super Bowl 57
Player/coach | Key stat | Where did they come from? |
---|---|---|
Saquon Barkley, RB | Eighth-most rushing yards in NFL history (2,005) | New York Giants (signed 3-year, $37.75 million contract with Eagles) |
Jahan Dotson, WR | Fifth-most targets on team (33) | Washington Commanders (traded to Eagles for conditional third-round pick and two seventh-round picks) |
Mekhi Becton, OG | 25 pressures allowed | New York Jets (signed 1-year, $2.75 million contract with Eagles) |
Jalen Carter, IDL | Ninth-most pressures in NFL by IDL (53) | 9th overall pick in 2023 NFL Draft (Eagles traded up from 10th pick) |
Bryce Huff, EDGE | Sixth-most pressures on team (20) | New York Jets (signed 3-year, $51.1 million contract with Eagles) |
Nolan Smith Jr., EDGE | Most single postseason sacks in team history (4) | 30th overall pick in 2023 NFL Draft |
Zack Baun, LB | Most defensive stops in NFL (69) | New Orleans Saints (signed 1-year, $3.5 million contract with Eagles) |
Oren Burks, LB | Team-leading 11 postseason defensive stops | San Francisco 49ers (signed 1-year, $1.12 million contract with Eagles) |
Quinyon Mitchell, CB | Second-most forced incompletions in NFL (15) | 22nd overall pick in 2024 NFL Draft |
Cooper DeJean, NB | Sixth-most coverage stops in NFL by CB (18) | 40th overall pick in 2024 NFL Draft (Eagles traded up from 50th pick) |
Braden Mann, P | 10th-highest net average in NFL (42.1) | Pittsburgh Steelers (signed 2-year, $4.2 million contract with Eagles) |
Kellen Moore, OC | Offense ranked sixth in EPA per play | Los Angeles Chargers (offensive coordinator) |
Doug Nussmeier, QB coach | Offense ranked eighth in EPA per dropback | Los Angeles Chargers (QB coach) |
Vic Fangio, DC | Defense ranked third in EPA per play | Miami Dolphins (defensive coordinator) |
Clint Hurtt, DL coach | Defense had 41 sacks | Seattle Seahawks (defensive coordinator) |
Christian Parker, DB coach/pass game coordinator | Secondary accounted for 11 interceptions this season | Denver Broncos (DB coach) |
Roy Anderson, CB coach | Defense ranked third in EPA per dropback | Seattle Seahawks (secondary coach) |
Unlike Veach and the Chiefs, Roseman seems to always be on the lookout for the next move. Whether it's acquiring draft picks, signing flashy free agents or bringing in players that other franchises have given up on, there's a reason the former Reid general manager is still in Philadelphia.
The most important move since the Eagles last went to the Super Bowl was the acquisition of Saquon Barkley, which in retrospect seems pretty obvious.
However, with running backs depreciating in value and big stars at the position failing to live up to their contracts, I think Roseman deserves credit for the move - especially because he's one of those GMs who focuses most on positional value when it comes to the draft.
While Barkley was a successful acquisition - many thought he would be a star in his home state - Roseman also managed to land two of the most lucrative deals in free agency.
Everyone gave up on Mekhi Becton, the former No. 11 pick, until he became a high-end quarterback for the Eagles. Meanwhile, Zach Baun moonlighted as an edge defender and special-teams ace for the New Orleans Saints, and is now an All-Pro halfback.
As with the Chiefs, the coaching staff deserves a lot of credit for those two strokes. No matter what you say about Sirianni, he has a knack for determining what works and what doesn't when it comes to his coaching staff.
Jeff Stoutland has stayed in Philadelphia since the days of Chip Kelly and is one of the greatest offensive line coaches in soccer history. He deserves all the credit for bringing Becton to his potential.
But Sirianni deserves credit for keeping him and bringing in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who suggested Baun move to the linebacker position off the ball. And in turn, Roseman gave Fangio the players who made his defense one of the best in the league.
Roseman's selection of Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith Jr, Quinnion Mitchell and Cooper DeJean - all of whom play very important positions - early in the draft may seem like an obvious move in retrospect, but it's not for nothing that social media is rife with statements about how the league continues to allow Roseman to go unpunished during the NFL Draft.
This is a Hall of Fame GM who makes sure his roster is as good as it can be at any given moment, regardless of who his head coach is.... This Super Bowl is Reid vs. Roseman, not Reid vs. Sirianni.
Eagles' major losses since Super Bowl 57
Player/coach | Key stat | Where are they now? |
---|---|---|
Boston Scott, RB | 2 playoff TDs | Free agent |
Miles Sanders, RB | 1,269 rushing yards, 11 TDs | Signed 4-year, $25.4 million contract with Carolina Panthers |
Quez Watkins, WR | 354 receiving yards, 3 TDs | Signed 1-year, $1.17 million contract with Arizona Cardinals |
Zach Pascal, WR | 150 receiving yards | Signed 2-year, $4.5 million contract with Arizona Cardinals |
Isaac Seumalo, OG | 20 pressures allowed | Signed 3-year, $24 million contract with Pittsburgh Steelers |
Fletcher Cox, IDL | 37 pressures, 20 defensive stops | Retired |
Javon Hargrave, IDL | 57 pressures, 30 defensive stops | Signed 4-year, $84 million contract with San Francisco 49ers |
Linval Joseph, IDL | 3 pressures, 7 defensive stops | Signed 1-year, $2.5 million contract with Dallas Cowboys |
Ndamukong Suh, IDL | 9 pressures, 6 defensive stops | Free agent |
Haason Reddick, EDGE | 68 pressures, 30 defensive stops | Traded to New York Jets |
Robert Quinn, EDGE | 14 pressures, 4 defensive stops | Free agent |
Kyzir White, LB | 110 tackles, 46 defensive stops | Signed 2-year, $10 million contract with Arizona Cardinals |
T.J. Edwards, LB | 159 tackles, 51 defensive stops | Signed 3-year, $19.5 million contract with Chicago Bears |
Marcus Epps, SAF | 17 defensive stops, 141.2 QB rating allowed | Signed 2-year, $12 million contract with Las Vegas Raiders |
Arryn Siposs, P | 45.6 AVG, 15 inside 20 | Free agent |
Shane Steichen, OC | Offense ranked third in EPA per play | Indianapolis Colts head coach |
Brian Johnson, QB coach | Offense ranked seventh in EPA per dropback | Washington Commanders assistant head coach/pass game coordinator |
Jonathan Gannon, DC | Defense ranked fourth in EPA per play | Arizona Cardinals head coach |
Tracy Rocker, DL coach | Defense had 69 sacks | Tennessee Titans DL coach |
Nick Rallis, LB coach | Defense had 97 TFLs | Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator |
Denard Wilson, DB coach/passing game coordinator | Defense had 17 INTs | Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator |
The way Roseman is running the Eagles has a lot of turnover. Miles Sanders' departure seems genius now, but it wasn't at the time.
The same can be said for Isaac Seumalo, T.J. Edwards, Marcus Epps and Kezir White. But all five of those players played at less valuable positions, and once their value increased, Roseman let someone else pay for them and replaced them with inexpensive free agents or players on rookie contracts (Barkley is a notable exception).
No matter how much well-deserved praise he receives, the level at which Roseman runs the organization remains underappreciated. He's only 49 years old and already has a resume that puts him on par with some of the greatest GMs in NFL history.
Equally impressive is the way he has replaced talented players on a defensive line that was the strength of an Eagles team that went to the Super Bowl two years ago.
Aging star Fletcher Cox, disgruntled veteran Haason Reddick, and star looking for a bigger paycheck, Javon Hargrave - all three were replaced by first-round picks from Georgia: Carter, Smith and Jordan Davis. Roseman should send Kirby Smart a bottle of champagne.
Sirianni deserves his flowers, too, for losing both of his coordinators after Super Bowl 57 and replacing them with Brian Johnson and Sean Desai - and he had the foresight to walk away from both of them after one season knowing he could do better.
Were either of them a problem last year? Probably not. But would the Eagles be on that stage again against the Chiefs if they hadn't replaced them with Fangio and Kellen Moore? That's a great sliding door moment, and it's what got Philadelphia to this point.