When is the Super Bowl? Here are the basics for 49ers vs Chiefs (if you’re not a usual fan)
Die-hard football — and Taylor Swift — fans already know Super Bowl LVIII is on Sunday, Feb. 11.
Here are the basics for those of you who haven’t been following along:
Who is playing in Super Bowl LVIII?
The San Francisco 49ers, of course.
They’re taking on the Kansas City Chiefs who have been on an AFC Championship streak since 2019 and defeated the 49ers 31-20 at the Super Bowl LIV in 2020.
The quarterback-coach duo of Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid has already led Kansas City to three championship games — bringing home two of the team’s total three Super Bowl wins since the 1969 season. This is the Chiefs’ fourth trip in five seasons.
Of pop-culture note: Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is dating megastar Taylor Swift, who will be touring in Tokyo the first weeks of February. The general consensus favors the possibility of her making it to Las Vegas in time for the big game but we likely won’t know until it’s gametime.
The 49ers are coming in hot, too, led by quarterback Brock Purdy, “Mr. Irrelevant,” last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. But the 24-year-old “is a stone-cold killer who refuses to accept that he doesn’t belong,” sportswriter Michael Silver wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday.
San Francisco nominated defensive lineman Arik Armstead — a Sacramento native — for the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. Kansas City nominated Mahomes. The winner will be announced on Feb. 8 at the NFL Honors ceremony.
When was the last time the 49ers played in the Super Bowl?
This is their second Super Bowl appearance since 2019 (though they haven’t won the championship since 1995). It’s a rematch against the Chiefs.
Where is the Super Bowl 2024?
Vegas, baby.
The 49ers and Chiefs will play at the home of the Raiders, Allegiant Stadium (OK, technically that’s Paradise, Nevada, but it all bleeds together in Sin City.) It’s a fairly new venue, opened in July 2020 for the Raiders’ move from Oakland.
When is kickoff for the Super Bowl this year?
Have your snacks ready by 3:30 p.m. That’s when the game begins.
Who is favored to win?
USA Today reports that the 49ers are favored by 2½ points for the 58th Super Bowl. But you never know: The Niners have not beat the spread this postseason while the Chiefs have aced its three lines in the playoffs.
How to watch the Super Bowl
The game will play on CBS, locally on Ch. 13 (KOVR) and stream on Paramount+ (which is about $6 a month). You can also use the NFL+ app on your cellphone or tablet.
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