Super Bowl rematches are suddenly becoming a habit in the NFL

Super Bowl LVIII - San Francisco 49ers v Kansas City Chiefs
Super Bowl LVIII - San Francisco 49ers v Kansas City Chiefs / Ethan Miller/GettyImages
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This Sunday at Santa Clara, Andy Reid’s reigning NFL champions will take on the same team they knocked off in February at Allegiant Stadium. In Super Bowl LVIII, the Kansas City Chiefs got a three-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes to Mecole Hardman in overtime to overcome a three-point deficit and rallied to beat Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers, 25-22.

Now the teams meet again, which is actually become a semi-annual event in this interconference setting. Including their two Super Sunday encounters, the Chiefs and 49ers will actually clash for the fifth time in seven years dating back to 2018.

Should be a super contest at Levi’s Stadium

In case you’re wondering, this will be the 10th time that teams that faced each other in the Super Bowl squared off the following season. A look at a very interesting list, which has been dominated by the then-reigning Lombardi Trophy winners.

Super Bowl

Result

Following Season

Result

IV

Chiefs 23, Vikings 7

1970

Vikings, 27-10

XI

Raiders 32, Vikings 14

1977

Raiders, 35-13

XIII

Steelers 35, Cowboys 31

1979

Steelers, 14-3

XXVII

Cowboys 52, Bills 17

1993

Bills, 13-10

XXXI

Packers 35, Patriots 21

1997

Packers, 28-10

XLVIII

Seahawks 43, Broncos 8

2014

Seahawks, 26-20 (OT)

50

Broncos 24, Panthers 10

2016

Broncos, 21-20

LI

Patriots 34, Falcons 28 (OT)

2017

Patriots, 23-10

LVII

Chiefs 38, Eagles 35

2023

Eagles, 21-17

Both of these talented clubs should benefit from some extra time off. When last we saw the Chiefs, they were pushing around the New Orleans Saints on a Monday night in Week 5 at Arrowhead Stadium, 26-13. It was the first time Reid’s club won a game by double digits since beating the Dolphins, 26-7, in the 2023 AFC Wild Card Playoffs. Kansas City is off to a 5-0 start for the first time since 2018.

The 49ers have also had more than a week off. The team last played on a Thursday night in Week 6 in Seattle, and San Francisco got back to the .500 mark with a 36-24 triumph.

Shanahan’s team entered the week with the league’s second-ranked offense in terms of yards per game gained. Kansas City boasts the NFL’s ninth-ranked defense in terms of fewest yards per game allowed. Including last year’s postseason run, Patrick Mahomes and company have won 11 consecutive games dating back to Week 17 of 2023.

History says the Chiefs win, although that wasn't the case a year ago on a Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium when the Eagles got a little Super revenge.