By Saya Alvares and Ella Marrufo

Sports Editors

The highly anticipated Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12, 2023, held in Glendale, Arizona, did not disappoint. The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles matched up well, playing an intensive game throughout. After a close first half, Rihanna’s captivating halftime show, and eventual heartbreak for the Eagles, the game drew to a close, certainly entertaining fans both at the stadium and at home. 

The Eagles attempted their first touchdown within the first five minutes of the game with running back Kenneth Gainwell gaining four rushing yards. Gainwell broke the plane ruling and after officials reviewed this play, it was reversed and turned into a first down. Eagles quarterback (QB) Jalen Hurts completed the touchdown attempt with a one-yard rush. Soon after, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes wasted no time passing to tight end Travis Kelce for 18 yards and a touchdown after six plays. Later in the first quarter, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker attempted a 42-yard field goal and missed, narrowly hitting the left pole. The rest of the first half included two touchdowns and a field goal from the Eagles, and two punts from the Chiefs. 

This year’s iconic halftime show was delivered by one of the most celebrated singers of the past several decades, Rihanna. Fans held high expectations for this performance and were elated to have her back on stage since Rihanna has not performed live since 2019. Surpassing all conjecture, Rihanna’s presentation was nothing short of show-stopping: she wowed the crowd in a stunning, ruby-red jumpsuit, and her backup dancers were equally well dressed in all-white streetwear. A few of her most popular songs sung during the show included We Found Love, Umbrella, and, for the finale, Diamonds. However, the most talked about aspect of the performance was not Rihanna’s vocal talent or the creative choreography, but whether or not she was pregnant after people noticed a slight baby bump. Fans flocked to social media to speculate until it was quickly confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter that Rihanna was indeed pregnant with her and rapper Asap Rocky’s second child. 

The second half started with the Eagles leading 24-14 before the Chiefs added a touchdown with 9:30 left in the quarter. The Eagles completed a field goal, making the score 27-21 as they moved into the fourth. In a game-changing punt return, Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney ran the longest punt return in Super Bowl history — 65 yards — deeming him a hero for Chiefs fans. This led to a quick touchdown for the Chiefs, moving the score to an even tighter 28-27. Receiver Skyy Moore then secured a pass from Mahomes to add seven more points to the Chief’s total. Eagles fans panicked as the clock ticked down to the final five minutes; however, Eagles’ Hurts persevered to score a touchdown, tying up the game with a successful two-point conversion with receiver Devonta Smith. The game then came down to the final seconds, with the Chiefs artfully running down the clock, securing a game-deciding holding penalty, as well as the win with a field goal from the 27-yard line.

The Chiefs would likely have limped home if not for their star QB, Mahomes, who received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the second time in his career. Super Bowl LVII went down in NFL history and surpassed expectations of a close game. Fans now look forward to September 1, 2023, when the NFL season starts all over again.

(Sources: ESPN, CNN, The Hollywood Reporter)