Two weeks of Super Bowl hoopla have given way to what will hopefully be one great game.
With all that in mind, here are four bold predictions for Super Bowl 2025 from our staff:
Patrick Mahomes will have more rushing yards than Jalen Hurts
Only two quarterbacks – Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels – ran for more yards during the regular season than Jalen Hurts, the Philadelphia Eagles’ multi-tasking star. Hurts rushed for 630 yards in regular-season play, then in the postseason ran for 70 yards, including a 44-yard jaunt, in the divisional win against the L.A. Rams. Mahomes, meanwhile, didn’t run for half as many yards as Hurts during the regular season (307).
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But it’s the win-or-go-home Super Bowl stage. And Mahomes, as demonstrated during the AFC title game against the Buffalo Bills, will do whatever it takes. He ran 11 times for 43 yards and two TDs against the Bills, surpassing Josh Allen’s rushing output. His 10-yard TD run, Mahomes explained, came on a misdirection play around right end that he typically handed off to a running back for a play that flows off left tackle. With the AFC title at stake, Mahomes kept the football and dashed through a lane that he repeatedly saw available during the regular season.
With a potential three-peat crown in play, Mahomes undoubtedly won’t hesitate to make similar decisions while using his legs. And Chiefs coach Andy Reid probably won’t hold back, either. Remember the last year’s Super Bowl? Mahomes led the Chiefs in rushing with 66 yards and ripped off an 8-yard gain on a crucial fourth-down call in overtime that kept alive the winning touchdown drive.
– Jarrett Bell
Nikko Remigio wins Super Bowl MVP
“Who?” is a question you might be asking yourself. But the idea of a special teams player taking home Super Bowl MVP honors isn’t unheard of. The last time these two teams played in the Super Bowl two years, Kadarius Toney’s 65-yard return (a Super-Bowl record) in the fourth quarter was a major catalyst in the Chiefs’ victory. Remigio, who signed in Kansas City as an undrafted free agent in 2023, played in five regular-season games in 2024 but has emerged as an explosive returner in the postseason. Against the Houston Texans in the divisional round, he returned three kickoffs for a total of 110 yards (36.7-yard average), although he did cough up the ball once (Kansas City recovered). In the AFC championship game, he fielded one punt and returned it 44 yards. It feels like Remigio is on the verge of breaking one for a touchdown, and it could be the story of Super Bowl 59, considering he was promoted to the active roster Dec. 7 and spent the 2023 season on injured reserve. Maybe Patrick Mahomes finds him a few times while dropping back to pad the overall stat line. Nevertheless, Remigio would be arguably the most unlikely Super Bowl MVP ever.
The margins are so thin in these games and Chiefs coach Andy Reid has relied on special teams coordinator Dave Toub and his unit to provide an edge.
History has shown how much participants in that phase of the game can impact it all.
If the Chiefs win again, and in a fashion they have done all season with sufficient but not impressive offensive output, the voters could experience “Mahomes fatigue” and struggle to find another viable candidate. Vote Nikko.
– Chris Bumbaca
DeAndre Hopkins will have first 100-yard receiving game in Chiefs uniform
Hopkins hasn’t had a 100-yard receiving game as a member of the Chiefs. He hasn’t topped 100 yards receiving in a game since 2023. But that will all change Sunday in the biggest game of his career.
I predict Hopkins will have a vintage performance in his first ever Super Bowl. The 12-year veteran has waited his entire career to play in the Super Bowl and he’ll be ready to seize the moment.
The Eagles play a lot of zone defense. Philadelphia will try to contain tight end Travis Kelce and prevent explosive plays. The Chiefs are likely going to have to methodically move the football down field. Hopkins will become Mahomes’ security blanket on short and intermediate passes. He will use his instincts and experience to find open areas in the zone and create separation. But I expect Hopkins’ adrenaline to assist him in what will be a vintage D-Hop performance.
– Tyler Dragon
A.J. Brown goes for 150 yards and two touchdowns
I was going to push Brown as an MVP candidate, but that would hardly qualify as a bold prediction next to Chris calling his shot for Remigio. Therefore, let’s put some numbers on this. Yes, expecting any receiver to shine against a Steve Spagnuolo defense on the Super Bowl stage seems more than a little bit iffy. But Brown certainly didn’t back down from the moment two years ago, when he posted 98 yards and a score on six catches against Kansas City.
With Jalen Hurts playing more efficiently and faring better against the blitz this season, there’s reason to believe Brown could have several game-breaking opportunities if he can simply get the ball in his hands, especially with Kansas City likely intent on denying any big plays in the run game. The 6-1, 226-pounder is better built than DeVonta Smith to handle the jams and man coverage Spagnuolo seems destined to send, so Philadelphia’s hopes might hinge on him either reeling off a few big gains or consistently keeping the chains moving and delivering in the red zone.
– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
