This Kansas City Chiefs receiver has nothing but happy memories of games vs. 49ers

For a wide receiver with four receptions in the 2024 season, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman will hardly go unnoticed by this week’s opponent, the San Francisco 49ers.

The last person to touch the ball in Super Bowl LVIII, Hardman made history for being on the receiving end of a walk-off touchdown as the Chiefs defeated the Niners 25-22 in overtime. It was the first time a Super Bowl ended on a touchdown reception.

That wasn’t Hardman’s only contribution. Earlier in the game, he caught a 52-yard pass, the longest completion by Patrick Mahomes in his four Super Bowls.

But Hardman’s happy memories against the 49ers aren’t limited to the Super Bowl. In the teams’ previous regular-season game, in 2022 at Levi’s Stadium, Hardman turned in one of the most productive games of his six-year career.

He scored the first two touchdowns for the Chiefs in their 44-23 victory, and finished with three: two rushing and one as a receiver. Hardman is one of just 12 NFL receivers — and the only Chiefs player — to score multiple rushing touchdowns in a game.

“Is that right? Make sure you put that out there,” he said. “I remember having a big day at San Francisco.”

Big enough to be the only multi-touchdown game of Hardman’s 20-touchdown career in the regular season.

Hardman looks to keep things humming in the next meeting with the 49ers, and he likely will be called upon in a bigger way. Multiple injuries have shuffled the Chiefs’ receiver depth chart.

Those four catches for Hardman this season? They all came in the Chiefs’ final game before last week’s bye, against the New Orleans Saints.

Hardman is used to heavier workloads — he caught 100 passes combined in 2020 and 2021. He has also been the team’s primary return specialist this season, averaging 7.2 yards per punt return and 26.7 yards on kickoffs.

Now, he finds himself in a position similar to the end of last season. Hardman signed with the New York Jets after the 2022 season, but the Chiefs brought him back in a trade finalized one year ago this week. He appeared in seven of KC’s final 12 regular-season games.

But his playing time increased in the playoffs. Hardman caught a pass in three of the Chiefs’ four postseason games, and his three catches against the 49ers matched a season best.

That game-winning touchdown in the most recent Super Bowl was his first in two seasons and turned him into a hero.

“That was a dream come true,” he said. “It’s something you think about as a kid, and it happened to me.”

The Chiefs brought Hardman back on a one-year contract for 2024 to bolster their depth at receiver. But after season-ending injuries to Marquise Brown in the preseason and Rashee Rice in a Week 4 win at the Los Angeles Chargers, Hardman’s number is likely about to be called more often.

“I had an indescribable moment (in the Super Bowl),” he said. “I enjoyed it, but I got back to reality. Hopefully we can get back and get another one.”