49ers lose Super Bowl heartbreaker to Chiefs in overtime

The San Francisco 49ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl or the second time in five years. It was an absolutely brutal, 25-22 overtime loss that will leave the 49ers lamenting a mountain of wasted opportunities.

It was a brutal repeat, in which the 49ers were the better team, but did not make good on their chances. When you let Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs hang around for that long, you invite disaster.

It began with a first-half mess that featured multiple fumbles, Dre Greenlaw tearing his Achilles on the sideline, and a Brock Purdy-to Jauan Jennings-to Christian McCaffrey trick play touchdown. The play was there for the 49ers early, but the production wasn't.

The 49ers' defense was outstanding. They sacked Patrick Mahomes three times in the first half, and nearly had a fourth from Nick Bosa that Arik Armstead turned into a short run.

The Chiefs' best chance on offense came from a 52-yard completion to Mecole Hardman that only came to fruition off the back an illegal forward pass from Rashee Rice. The pass was only completed because Tashaun Gipson Sr. lost track of the ball in coverage.

The next play, Isiah Pacheco ran left, and was stripped by Deommodore Lenoir. Javon Hargrave recovered it, and Travis Kelce immediately blew up on the sidelines, bumping into and yelling at Andy Reid.

Kansas City had 157 total yards in the first half.

The second half opened with near disaster for the Chiefs. A pitch to Pacheco was a fumble, which Pacheco recovered, but was quickly pounced on by Bosa. Two plays later, Mahomes stepped up and wildly overthrew Kelce for a Ji'Ayir Brown interception. It was Mahomes' first interception in 218 postseason pass attempts, the third-longest streak in NFL history.

The 49ers had their own issues. Purdy had to scramble from pressure on the ensuing first down, then Aaron Banks false started (Trent Williams had a hold and a false start in the first half). Purdy then missed Deebo Samuel on a shallow crosser, and scrambled for four yards.

The 49ers had to punt, but Mitch Wishnowsky and Chris Conley pinned the Chiefs at the one.

After a nine-yard completion to Kelce set up a 3rd-and-1, Kansas City looked absolutely lost. They burned their first timeout with 11:46 remaining in the third quarter, then ran up the middle with Pacheco, who got stuffed. Tommy Townsend, who was excellent all game, responded with a 53-yard punt to the 49ers' 36.

The 49ers still looked stuck in mud. Purdy escaped pressure on the ensuing first down. He found Jauan Jennings, which resulted in an 8-yard loss, then found McCaffrey for a 7-yard gain. Once again, a long third down, this time for a 3rd-and-11. He overshot George Kittle down the left sideline for another incompletion. They were 1-of-6 on third downs. To add injury to insult, Deebo Samuel came up limping, holding his hamstring.

Wishnowsky had to punt again, and again, Conley came up huge. He immediately tackled Richie James Jr. at the 14-yard line.

But the Chiefs started cooking (and getting away with holding). Mahomes found Kelce for a first, then scrambled (while Javon Hargrave was held) for a first down. The next play, Mahomes ran for 22 yards on a designed run.

It came down to a 3rd-and-8, when Steve Wilks threw a Cover-0 blitz at Mahomes. Mahomes found Jerick McKinnon short, setting up a 57-yard field goal attempt from Harrison Butker, who just barely knocked it home, despite a high snap. 10-6.

But the 49ers couldn't get anything. A first down run from McCaffrey got stuffed. A second-down throw to Brandon Aiyuk was broken up. A third-down attempt to Samuel bas nearly intercepted by Trent McDuffie, who shut down everything.

It was all defense, though. The next Chiefs possession came down to a 3rd-and-2, and a Nick Bosa pressure. Instead of jumping inside, Bosa held contain and pressured Mahomes into an incompletion.

... Then, disaster struck. A punt bounced off Darrell Luter Jr's ankle, and Ray-Ray McCloud tried to scoop the ball rather than dive on it. Immediately, Mahomes found a wide-open Marques Valdes-Scantling for a touchdown.

13-10 Chiefs. The 49ers' first three drives of the second half were all three-and-outs. Could they finally snap out of it?

Purdy's first pass, a play-action, was swatted at the line of scrimmage. The next play, at long last, was a positive run, a 5-yard gain by McCaffrey.

When they needed a third down, after being 1-of-7? Who else but third-down icon, Jauan Jennings. He rattled off 17 yards. Then Samuel ripped off nine on a screen, and Kyle Juszczyk dove forward for a first down conversion.

The fourth quarter began with the 49ers down three points, at the Chiefs 42-yard line.

It opened with Brandon Aiyuk's second reception of the day, a 20-yarder down to the Kansas City 22-yard line.

The next few plays were legacy-defining for Kyle Shanahan.

The first down was a would-be touchdown to Samuel. It went incomplete thanks to a Chris Jones pressure on Spencer Burford, who had just come in for an injured Jon Feliciano. An 8-yard run from McCaffrey set up a 3rd-and-2 which was stopped for a loss of 1 yard.

Anyone who has ever watched Kyle Shanahan expected him to take the points. Instead, he dialed up a one-on-one man beater to George Kittle, who secured the catch and reached for the first down, on his first catch of the day.

Two plays later, Purdy threw an inch-perfect ball to Jauan Jennings for a lead-taking touchdown. Shanahan's decision not to kick was immediately validated, especially after Jake Moody's extra point attempt was blocked because of a low, pulled kick, leaving the score at 16-13.

But the Chiefs came right back. A coverage bust from Logan Ryan on Kelce allowed a 3rd-and-10 conversion. The Chiefs kept driving, and leaned on Pacheco for a couple power runs to get down to 4-yard line.

The effort from the 49ers' defense at that point was outrageous. They stifled the Chiefs, and forced a game-tying 24-yard field goal from Butker. 16 all.

5:46 remaining in the fourth quarter, each team with two timeouts.

San Francisco was 2-for-9 on third downs going into that final drive. The first play? Who else, but Jauan Jennings, for 23 yards over the middle.

The next play was a fake run, then pitch to Samuel, who ripped off 9 yards. Aiyuk may have gotten away with a hold, but so did the Chiefs. It's the Super Bowl. Holding doesn't get called all that often.

Shanahan kept it simple on 2nd-and-1. McCaffrey up the middle for 3 yards. Then McCaffrey left for 5 yards.

He followed it up with a play-action boot, complete to Kittle for only a yard. That took it to the two-minute warning, and a 3rd-and-4.

The Chiefs dialed up a zero blitz, leaving McDuffie in Purdy's face. Incomplete pass.

That set up a 53-yard Moody field goal. The rookie kicker no one felt good about absolutely nailed it. 19-16 49ers.

But no one celebrated. It left 1:53 with two timeouts for Mahomes and the Chiefs. It was an absolute grinder. The Chiefs went 64 yards on 11 plays, and took a field goal after a Fred Warner pass breakup on Kelce.

Butker knocked through a 29-yard field goal. 19 all, 3 seconds left. That missed Moody extra point loomed large. Overtime.

The 49ers made the surprising decision to receive under the new overtime rules, which allow both teams to possess the ball, barring a defensive score.

It was a brutal start, and with George Kittle sidelined. Purdy threw a low ball to Samuel that was bobbled and nearly intercepted. Then Aiyuk had a false start, setting up a 2nd-and-15. Shanahan dialed up a tricky screen to McCaffrey, but it was swallowed up by Chris Jones.

3rd and 13. Purdy dropped back, pumped, then had a 50-50, near throw/fumble situation. It didn't matter. McDuffie held Jennings. First down 49ers.

Two McCaffrey runs set up 3rd-and-2. Dart. Aiyuk. First down.

They kept feeding McCaffrey at that point, opening with a 4-yard run.

On 2nd-and-6, it was magic. Purdy, under pressure, stepped back and found McCaffrey on a screen to left. McCaffrey rumbled for a gain of 24 yards.

McCaffrey ran for 8 on the next play, then came out for a much-needed rest. A first down from Elijah Mitchell was negated by third-string tight end Brayden Willis. Immediately after, Kittle re-entered the game, in a brutal twist of fate.

2nd-and-12. Again, Purdy came up with magic. He felt pressure, scrambled, backed out to the right, then found Kyle Juszczyk on the run to the right. Juszczyk dove for the first down.

McCaffrey returned for a 6-yard gain, then got stuffed on 2nd-and-4. It was 3rd-and-4.

3rd-and-4 at the Kansas City 9-yard line. Incomplete. Both Jennings and Aiyuk were open, but Purdy had to throw the ball away with pressure from Chris Jones.

Once again, Jake Moody came through, hitting the chip shot, 27-yard field goal to make it 22-19. It concluded a 13-play, 66-yard drive.

But now Mahomes and the Chiefs had a chance to win it, with 7:22 left to score a touchdown and win it.

That set up a chance for the 49ers' overtime bet to pay off: that rest for their defense would be worth going first. That bet completely backfired.

Kansas City ran to Pacheco, threw a short ball to Rice, then had a 3rd-and-1 run by Pacheco stuffed. 4th-and-1, with the Super Bowl on the line. The Chiefs called time out.

Of course, it went to Mahomes. He had an option to Kelce, or to run. He ran, and got it.

Then, Valdes-Scantling had a mind-boggling error. He had a guaranteed 5-yard gain, then tried to run for it, and ended up losing 4 yards on the play. They went back to him to set up a 3rd-and-6.

Wilks opted to send everyone, instead of running zone, and a Rice shallow crosser made them pay, for 13 yards. After a 4-yard gain for Pacheco, the 49ers burned their first timeout.

None of that mattered. After a Pacheco screen, Mahomes scrambled for 18 yards, down to the 49ers 14-yard line. The Chiefs got 3 yards with Pacheco to open.

Then, Mahomes ended it. Sprint right, touchdown to Mecole Hardman. It was a 13-play, 75-yard drive to win it. The 49ers' inability to take advantage of their early success bit them in absolutely brutal fashion.