Patrick Mahomes threw two interceptions but made key plays with his legs, helping the Kansas City Chiefs remain the NFL’s only undefeated team after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 28-18 in a Super Bowl rematch on Sunday.
While the intensity and caliber of play were not as high as the previous encounter eight months ago—where Mahomes and the Chiefs edged the 49ers 25-22 in overtime for the championship—the outcome was the same. Kansas City has now won five consecutive games against San Francisco, including two Super Bowls.
The game took a toll on the 49ers, with star receiver Brandon Aiyuk being carted off the field after sustaining a right knee injury while making a catch late in the first half. The severity of the injury was not immediately known.
Aiyuk’s absence was felt during a pivotal moment in the third quarter when the 49ers were trying to overcome a 14-12 deficit. A miscommunication between backup receiver Ronnie Bell and quarterback Brock Purdy resulted in an interception by Chris Roland-Wallace. The Chiefs capitalized on this turnover, scoring a touchdown following a 33-yard scramble by Mahomes, marking his longest regular-season run.
Mahomes later scored on a 1-yard scramble on fourth-and-goal, his first rushing touchdown since the 2022 season. This was part of a total of four rushing touchdowns for Kansas City, with Kareem Hunt contributing two in the first half and Mecole Hardman sealing the win with an 18-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. This marks only the second time the Chiefs have recorded four rushing touchdowns in a game started by Mahomes, the previous instance being in the 2018 divisional playoffs against Indianapolis.
Mahomes completed 16 of 27 passes for 154 yards, bringing his season totals to eight interceptions and six passing touchdowns. This performance helped Kansas City become the 10th defending Super Bowl champion to start the subsequent season with six consecutive victories.
Brock Purdy struggled similarly, finishing with 17 completions on 31 attempts for 212 yards, along with two rushing touchdowns and three interceptions. His third interception occurred in the end zone during the fourth quarter while San Francisco was attempting to mount a comeback.
In a noteworthy development, 49ers rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall made his debut after being shot in the chest 50 days prior during a robbery attempt in San Francisco. Activated from the non-football injury list, Pearsall participated in San Francisco’s opening drive and caught his first career pass late in the second quarter. His presence was crucial as the 49ers played the second half without their top three receivers—Jauan Jennings, who was out with a hip injury, Deebo Samuel, who was limited due to illness, and Aiyuk, who was injured.
