It's finally Super Bowl week, which means football fans will spend these next couple of days predicting what could and should happen between the 49ers and Chiefs in Vegas. As fans and analysts count down to the 58th installment of the NFL's main event, here are five bold predictions for it.
No. 5: Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift DO NOT get engaged
While there's been a bunch of gossip about their relationship throughout the season -- with many hoping it reaches a fairytale ending once the Chiefs win another Lombardi Trophy -- everyone will have to wait. The magnitude of this moment won't be enough to force Kelce into making that emotional decision. They haven't been together too long, Swift has an overseas tour planned this week, and Kelce will want to unwind from what's been a long season.
Of course, neither celebrity is a stranger to the spotlight, but this season has been particularly unique with all of the attention on them and their high-profile relationship. Kelce and Swift will want more time together to make sure it isn't just a short-term fling, and the opportunity to unwind and relax.
Now, this isn't to say the engagement won't happen eventually. But expecting Kelce to be ready to pop the question on Sunday in Vegas is a tall order, given everything they’ve endured this season. As the couple appreciate the privacy with one another, they’ll wait to tie the knot until a more intimate time, when it can be better appreciated. Kelce dropping down to one knee, surrounded by thousands of people as confetti rains down, just isn't it.
No. 4: Christian McCaffrey is snubbed of Super Bowl MVP
For a second straight season, arguably the best player on the field won't win Super Bowl MVP. Why? Because they were on the losing end of the contest. Last season, it was Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts who racked up 374 yards with four touchdowns. This time around, expect the 49ers' star running back to have a huge game against a Chiefs defense that'll struggle to defend him.
Although 49ers pass-catchers Deebo Samuel and George Kittle factor in, and Brandon Aiyuk will see his fair share of touches too, McCaffrey should be the centerpiece of the game plan. McCaffrey will find pay dirt at some point, and a ballpark estimate of 150 yards from scrimmage doesn't sound too far off. It's easy to see him break off a few big gains when coming out of the backfield as a receiver, and if San Francisco's able to stick with its run game, he'll force his fair share of missed tackles as well.
McCaffrey's ability to handle a heavy workload -- he has 48 total touches in a pair of playoff games this winter -- will allow 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Brock Purdy to heavily rely upon him. In turn, McCaffrey will be the 49ers' go-to guy in sustaining drives. But he won't single-handedly be able to lift them to a win.
No. 3: Kyle Shanahan's ceiling will be in question
No, another Super Bowl loss won't put Shanahan on the hot seat. He's gone 64-51 as a head coach, including 8-3 in the playoffs, while firmly establishing the 49ers as one of the NFL's top teams. Not many head coaches have been to multiple Super Bowls with two different quarterbacks over a five-year span, or made three straight NFC title games, or turned Mr. Irrelevant into Mr. Lights Out the way he has.
Shanahan still has an asterisk next to his name before he can be considered elite. Just like Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who needed to get the monkey off his back in 2019, the son of former great coach Mike Shanahan must win the Super Bowl to be grouped in among the greats. He certainly deserves to be there, based solely on his accolades. But there's something extra special about being able to put hardware in the trophy case.
Two Super Bowl defeats as a head coach -- and one as offensive coordinator of the Falcons when he was up 28-3 against the Patriots in Super Bowl 51 -- will stick out that much more. At just 44 years old, Shanahan will get plenty of shots at redemption. He's certainly not going anywhere. But one only gets so many chances at winning a Super Bowl in an ultra-competitive industry where seeing is believing. Shanahan will be viewed as limited until he gets that win.
No. 2: Brock Purdy won't be why the 49ers lose
For some reason, nobody wants to give Purdy credit for the early accolades in his NFL career. Taking the 49ers to the NFC title game as a rookie and then carrying them to the Super Bowl the following year is a pretty good start. But Purdy's still being labeled as a "system quarterback." He's actually been solid in these playoffs, and should play well again in this Super Bowl.
Purdy also isn't the type of quarterback to outmatch the NFL's best in Patrick Mahomes, but fans can expect the second-year starter to avoid boneheaded mistakes and convert on several key first downs with some impactful passes. The 49ers will put points up in this game and stick around against the Chiefs' elite defense. Shanahan’s gameplan will revolve around methodically moving the ball downfield, while keeping the ball away from Mahomes and company.
It'll work well at times, but putting all the pressure on the 49ers is a huge task, especially since these Chiefs play keepaway better than them. So, in the end, the 49ers' unreliable defense -- something that's been called into question -- will end up costing them more than their offense. Those gripes about Purdy's shortcomings may begin once compared to Mahomes, but the stats and eye test will tell a very different story when it comes to his actual performance.
No. 1: Chiefs become first back-to-back champ since '03-04
Even during the Chiefs' most vulnerable state, they've still managed to play a cut above everyone else during the AFC playoffs. It may not have been in the dominant fashion they envisioned, but Kansas City somehow managed to be the last team standing in the AFC yet again. They redeemed themselves from a doozy loss to the Raiders on Christmas to winning five consecutive games, including two on the road in Buffalo and Baltimore to reach the Super Bowl. They still proved to be the team everyone expected them to be this season.
While the 49ers figure to put up a good fight, the Chiefs have far more talent and swagger on their roster. Superior depth at the skill positions will be a big difference in this one, and Kansas City has Isiah Pacheco, Rashee Rice, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to help propel its offense. Despite averaging 23.3 points over three playoff matchups this year, expect this to be the breakout performance we've all been waiting for.
The last time these teams battled in the Super Bowl, Kansas City rode three fourth-quarter touchdowns to a 31-20 win. While a similar score wouldn't be surprising, the manner in which the Chiefs win this weekend will be different. Expect a lot of scoring early on, with some second-half field goals to tack on points in the later going. It's now been 20 years since the Patriots won back-to-back championships, but the Chiefs will soon establish themselves as the NFL's dynasty of the 2020s with a third Super Bowl win in five seasons.