Refusing to score a touchdown helped win the Super Bowl.
That’s right. Kansas City running back Jerick McKinnon has been praised for showing incredible game awareness with a surprising play in the dying stages of the Chiefs’ 38-35 comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
With less than two minutes remainingin the fourth quarter, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes handed the ball to McKinnon, who wove his way towards the end zone in the corner.
But instead of crossing for a touchdown, McKinnon slammed on the brakes, sliding down to the turf one yard short of the end zone.
While turning down an open touchdown may seem odd, the heads-up play actually helped the Chiefs kill time off the clock with another down, giving the Eagles less time to charge up the field to attempt a matchwinning play.
Stopping dead on the spot isn’t as easy as it looks, as former Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley showed in 2020 when he awkwardly stumbled over for a touchdown when he was trying to stop short of the end zone.
The Chiefs were certainly helped by a dubious holding penalty on the previous play — against Eagles defender James Bradberry on Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster as he began his route.
Replays showed Bradberry had barely made any contact with Smith-Schuster as many blasted the officiating crew for ruining what could have been an all-time classic.
The penalty effectively ended the game as kicker Harrison Butker slotted a 27-yard field goal that put the Chiefs ahead by three points and the result beyond doubt.
The passage of play and a masterclass from Mahomes meant the Eagles didn’t touch the ball in the last five minutes of the game, apart from a last ditch Hail Mary from quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Mahomes produced a flawless half as he led the Chiefs down the field, scoring on every drive despite raising serious concerns after he limped off the field towards the end of the second quarter after re-injuring his high ankle sprain.
He tore the Eagles defence apart as the Chiefs poured on 24 points to 11 in the second half to claim their second Super Bowl victory in four seasons.
Mahomes claimed his second Super Bowl MVP trophy after throwing three touchdowns in the contest.
