Patrick Mahomes led another comeback in the Super Bowl on Sunday. The Kansas City Chiefs eked out a thrilling 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers to win their third NFL championship in five seasons.

The ending couldn't have been written better. It was like something out of a film script. In front of a crowd of celebrities in Las Vegas, including pop idol Taylor Swift, Mahomes found Mecole Hardman in the end zone with just three seconds left in overtime. It sealed a dramatic victory in the longest Super Bowl in history.

"[Mahomes] is the best. He is the standard. Michael Jordan wins it again." #SBLVIII pic.twitter.com/EgLchylxSA

— NFL (@NFL) February 12, 2024

The win makes Kansas City the first team to win back-to-back Lombardi Trophies since the New England Patriots in 2003-2004. It also cements the franchise's claim as the NFL's new dynasty.

"It means a lot," said Mahomes. After the win, he was named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player for the third time. "With the adversity that we faced this year and how we overcame it. The guys never faltered," the idol explained, as reported by AFP.

This triumph seems to mark the way forward. As Mahomes himself recalled. "We're not done yet," he said. "We have a young team. We will continue with this."

Despite coming out on top, the truth is that Kansas City seemed to struggle against San Francisco's ferocious defensive front. It was a nightmare start for Chiefs star Travis Kelce, whose romance with Swift has captivated the NFL this season. 

There was a moment when he exploded on the Kansas City bench with head coach Andy Reid. But thanks to Mahomes rallying his team, the Chiefs, got through it all.

It's the third time Mahomes has led Kansas City back from a double-digit deficit to win the Super Bowl. He's sealed his reputation as the heir apparent to the legendary Tom Brady.

It is also the third time that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has been on the losing side of a Super Bowl after seeing his team blow a lead of 10 points or more. "A saddened Shanahan said after the loss: "We're all hurting. "Everybody knows the feeling. I don't have a lot of words to say. We're in a lot of pain and our team is hurting. That's what happens when you expose yourself."

After San Francisco struck first with a 55-yard field goal by Jake Moody and a brilliantly executed trick play that ended with a touchdown by running back Christian McCaffrey, the Chiefs found themselves trailing 10-0 in the first quarter.

Kansas City could only manage a Harrison Butker field goal in the first half to a 10-3 at the break. Then came the Kelce meltdown and the overtime drama took place. Kelce went berserk on the Chiefs' bench, with the tight end shouting at head coach Andy Reid in apparent frustration at being kept off the field. It came just as a quick Kansas City drive ended with a fumble by Isiah Pacheco. 

The Kansas City offence didn't fare much better after the restart: Mahomes threw an interception to 49ers safety Ji'ayir Brown after an overthrown pass intended for Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

However, San Francisco could not convert the possession into points. The defence held firm, forcing punts on their next three possessions. Kansas City added to their tally with a monster 57-yard field goal from Butker. The kick sailed over the uprights to eclipse Moody's first-half record.

With San Francisco on the defensive, Kansas City needed a stroke of luck. They got it when a botched punt between 49ers defenders Darrell Luter and Ray-Ray McCloud allowed the Chiefs to recover deep in the red zone. Mahomes wasted no time capitalising, finding Valdes-Scantling in the end zone from 16 yards out. Butker's extra point made it 13-10.

However, the 49ers came back on the next drive. Purdy showed great composure to lead a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ended with a Jennings score. A potentially costly missed extra point gave San Francisco a 16-13 lead. The Chiefs responded with Butker's third field goal to level the score at 16-16. Moody kicked a 40-yard field goal to give San Francisco a 19-16 lead.

That set the stage for Mahomes. He led the Chiefs to another Super Bowl comeback with just 1:53 left on the clock. As the tension mounted, Mahomes found Kelce for a 23-yard gain to put the Chiefs in kicking range. They were unable to get the ball into the end zone again. Butker stepped up with three seconds remaining to tie the game at 19 and force overtime.

San Francisco scored a Moody field goal to make it 22-19. But Mahomes wasn't done yet. The quarterback calmly marched Kansas City to the three-yard line. He then completed the winning pass to Hardman to seal the victory. "I'm proud of those guys. They kept believing. And I'm proud of the coaches for calling the plays that got us that touchdown at the end," Mahones said.

With three championship rings in the last five seasons, the Chiefs are becoming the new dynasty of the American football league and Mahomes, 28, is following in the footsteps of Tom Brady's record seven trophies.

On the other hand, Taylor Swift led a host of celebrities in the crowd. They included singer Lana Del Rey and Kelce's parents and brother Jason, who is also an NFL player. Swift was cheered on by the 61,629 fans in attendance. 

She appeared on the giant screens alongside actress Blake Lively. The 49ers have not won the title since 1995. But since Brady won the title with the New England Patriots between 2003 and 2004, Kansas City is the first defending champion to win back-to-back titles.

Swift's romance with Kelce has also generated remarkable audiences and data. Marketing and advertising campaigns have brought in unprecedented numbers. It is estimated that a quarter of the US adult population has placed a bet, generating more than $20 billion.

The last 10 Wuper Bowl finals:

2024: Kansas City Chiefs - San Francisco 49ers (25-22).

2023: Kansas City Chiefs - Philadelphia Eagles (28-35).

2022: Los Angeles Rams - Cincinnati Bengals (23-20).

2021: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Kansas City Chiefs (31-9).

2020: Kansas City Chiefs - San Francisco 49ers (31-20).

2019: New England Patriots - Los Angeles Rams (13-3).

2018: Philadelphia Eagles - New England Patriots (41-33).

2017: New England Patriots - Atlanta Falcons (34-28).

2016: Denver Broncos - Carolina Panthers (24-10).

2015: New England Patriots - Seattle Seahawks (28-24).

The most decorated teams in history:

6: Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots.

5: San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys.

4: Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs.

3: Oakland Raiders, Washington Football Team and Denver Broncos.

2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams.