LAS VEGAS (AP) 鈥 The first Super Bowl in Las Vegas has everything the imaginary NFL scriptwriters could鈥檝e wanted.
There鈥檚 Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs (14-6) aiming to become the first repeat champions in 19 years and trying to solidify their claim to a dynasty with a third Super Bowl title in five years.
There鈥檚 Brock Purdy returning from a significant injury after rising from 鈥淢r. Irrelevant鈥 to now lead the San Francisco 49ers (14-5) to the brink of a record-tying sixth Super Bowl title that would etch his name alongside Pro Football Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young.
Of course, there鈥檚 the glitz and glamour of America鈥檚 showcase city and the irony of playing a Super Bowl in this gambling capital, an idea that used to be taboo for the NFL.
Did we mention Taylor Swift yet?
Make room for the Grammy-winning superstar to jet into town just in time to see her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, try to win another ring. Swift is expected to fly in for Sunday鈥檚 game at Allegiant Stadium from Japan after her concert on Saturday.
Kelce, the four-time All-Pro tight end, is focused on limiting the distractions despite fielding numerous questions this week about Swift and their relationship that has captivated millions and attracted a new audience of football fans.
鈥淪how up every day thinking about the now and not too much the future,鈥 Kelce said. 鈥淥bviously, you gotta prepare for what鈥檚 ahead but not harp on the past is the biggest thing ... I think we would never try and tie in what we did last year to this year. Every single year is really its own journey.鈥
For the Chiefs, nothing less than hoisting another Vince Lombardi trophy is acceptable so they have the most pressure.
鈥淭hat expectation has become a demand at this point,鈥 Kelce said. 鈥淚 know the years that we haven鈥檛 won since we won our first one have felt like the biggest losses of my life. So it鈥檚 just having that mentality year in, year out, and putting the expectations on yourself, making sure that no one puts higher expectations on us more than us. We鈥檙e here to win this thing, baby. That鈥檚 for sure.鈥
Mahomes, the two-time NFL and Super Bowl MVP, is already drawing comparisons to Tom Brady, who won seven Super Bowl rings. Brady won three in his first four seasons as a starter. Mahomes is going for No. 3 in his sixth season.
Even if he wins, it鈥檚 too early to have the conversation.
鈥淚鈥檓 not even close to halfway, so I haven鈥檛 put a lot of thought into it,鈥 Mahomes said. 鈥淚 mean, your goal is to be the best player that you can be. I know I鈥檓 blessed to be around a lot of great players. And so, right now, it鈥檚 doing whatever I can to beat a great 49ers team and try to get that third ring. And then if you ask me that question in 15 years, and I鈥檒l see if I can get close to seven. But seven seems like a long ways away still.鈥
This is a rematch of the game the Chiefs won four years ago to give coach Andy Reid his first championship. Niners coach Kyle Shanahan has been close to winning twice before only to see his teams blow big leads.
He was Atlanta鈥檚 offensive coordinator when Brady and the Patriots rallied from a 28-3 second-half deficit to win the Super Bowl in 2017. His 49ers team led the Chiefs 20-10 entering the fourth quarter only to watch Mahomes rally Kansas City to a 31-20 win in Miami in 2020.
鈥淏oth of them are heartbreaking,鈥 Shanahan said. 鈥淭hose things last awhile. But it鈥檚 all about getting back there again, and that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 excited for.鈥
Shanahan鈥檚 dad, Mike, lost two Super Bowls as an offensive coordinator with Denver before going to San Francisco and winning one in 1995. He then won two more as the head coach of the Broncos.
鈥淚 remember seeing my dad after those Super Bowls when he was a coordinator in Denver when I was younger and how hard it was on him,鈥 Shanahan said. 鈥淪o I think anytime you get that close and you lose the last one, that鈥檚 definitely the hardest.鈥
Jimmy Garoppolo was the team鈥檚 quarterback last time around. Now, it鈥檚 Purdy, an AP NFL MVP finalist who overcame all the odds and continues to .
Purdy isn鈥檛 concerned with proving doubters wrong. He has rare maturity for a 24-year-old that helps him play with confidence and maintain his composure.
鈥淚t comes down to how do I do my job really well for three hours against the Kansas City Chiefs鈥 defense,鈥 Purdy said.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 where my mindset鈥檚 at. I want to do everything I can to help my team win. I鈥檓 focusing on the plays. I鈥檓 focusing on what we鈥檙e trying to do for this week, not getting caught up in all the paparazzi and all that kind of stuff outside.鈥
___
AP NFL:
