MVP Mahomes shakes off his bad ankle to lift Chiefs to win

SUPER BOWL NOTES

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. ABBIE PARR — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) scores a two point conversion against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game, Sunday, in Glendale, Ariz.

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GLENDALE, Ariz. >> Patrick Mahomes and his ailing right ankle are headed for a Super Bowl victory parade.

After aggravating the sprained ankle he suffered three weeks ago Sunday, the All-Pro quarterback led the Kansas City Chiefs to a thrilling 38-35 come-from-behind victory over the Philadelphia Eagles to hoist his second Lombardi Trophy and earn Super Bowl MVP honors.

The league’s MVP finished with 182 yards passing and three touchdowns. He also had 44 yards rushing, including a 26-yard sprint with just over 2 minutes left in a 35-all game as Kansas City was driving for the winning score.

Harrison Butker put the Chiefs on top with his 27-yard field goal with 8 seconds to go.

Mahomes reinjured his ankle late in the first half when Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards spun him to the ground. He lay there before getting up and hobbling off the field in a scene reminiscent of earlier in the playoffs.

Mahomes no doubt benefited from some extra treatment thanks to a longer halftime to allow for Rhianna’s performance inside State Farm Stadium. And by the time the field was cleared of the stage, No. 15 was at the head of the pack as he led the Chiefs back to the field, facing a 24-14 deficit but knowing they would get the opening kickoff.

Mahomes proceeded to march them 75 yards and Isiah Pacheco crashed into the end zone to close within 24-21. When the Eagles answered with a field goal, Mahomes led another 75-yard march and this time hit Kadarius Toney for the score.

A 65-yard punt return by Toney set up Mahomes’ 4-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Skyy Moore that made it 35-27.

Mahomes’ final scoring drive was pure guts.

The Eagles had just scored and made the 2-point conversion to knot the game 35-all with 5:15 left. Mahomes hit JuJu Smith-Schuster for a first down, then hit Travis Kelce, before his long run got Kansas City into field-goal range. The Chiefs benefited from a defensive holding call on third-and-8, then got down to the goal line before killing the clock and sending Butker onto the field for the winner.

Mahomes’ ankle was a big question mark for the AFC championship game, when he only had a week to recover from the initial injury sustained in the divisional round against Jacksonville. But he insisted this week that he felt good on it, and Reid likewise said his star quarterback had no limitations.

Mahomes was moving around well in the first half Sunday, too. He scrambled for a big gain on Kansas City’s opening series and was doing a good job of buying time against the NFL’s top-ranked team in sacks this season.

Baby bonanza: Chiefs’ Allegretti welcomes twins on game day

The Kansas City Chiefs welcomed two new fans to the world on Super Bowl Sunday.

Chiefs offensive lineman Nick Allegretti’s wife, Christina, gave birth in the early hours to twin girls back home in Chicago, a team official confirmed to The Associated Press. Allegretti was able to watch everything unfold on FaceTime from the lobby of the team hotel while the rest of the Chiefs slept ahead of their game against the Philadelphia Eagles.