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The Guardian - US
Sport
Hunter Felt and Tom Lutz (earlier)

Super Bowl LV: Kansas City Chiefs 9-31 Tampa Bay Buccaneers – as it happened

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown celebrates after catching a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl first-half
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown celebrates after catching a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl first-half. Photograph: Chris O’Meara/AP

Oli Connolly on Tom Brady

Final thoughts

Well, the game could have been more exciting, the whole thing basically turned into a coronation by the fourth quarter, but you can’t say that it wasn’t eventful. There’s a lot to say about today’s game and we’ll be talking about it over the next few days here at the Guardian. This is, however, the end of our live coverage of Super Bowl LV. For a succinct summary of Super Bowl LV, be sure to read through the Guardian’s game report linked at the bottom of this update. Thanks to everybody who followed along with our coverage today, particularly those who contributed. Ciao!

Tom Brady wins MVP

And here we have the trophy presentation. We go through the owners and head coach Bruce Arinas, but we all know who the man of the hour is.

Tom Brady is up and, in the least shocking moment of the day, is awarded his fifth Super Bowl MVP award.

Okay, there was absolutely no way I wasn’t going to post that Onion tweet. To be serious for a second, it should be reminded that this actually isn’t all about Tom Brady. The Buccaneers were able to lure Brady away from the Patriots and they built a whole team around him to maximize what they could get out of the veteran. In excahge, they won the second Super Bowl in team history.

True. Being rich is essential a superpower.

Patrick Mahomes

In the battle between youth and experience, experience was the clear victory. Despite a few thrilling moments, Mahomes wasn’t his usual self and he was the victim of a few slips by his receivers. A lot of this has to do with the Tampa Bay defense, obviously, but you could definitely see that Brady’s calm, methodicaly approach was the difference between the two quarterbacks.

Tom Brady

Tom Brady probably didn’t need another ring to solidify his status as the best quarterback of all time, but it does pretty much quiet all arguments for the time being. The fact that he could do it as his age and in his first year with a new team was even more impressive.

Buccaneers win!

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, FINAL

And that will do it, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers haved defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV!

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 1:40, 4th quarter

Mahomes’s throw is intercepted by Duke White and that is going to do it here.

Brady will now have more championship rings than the New England Patriots. That’s going to be the next argument: can the Patriots win without Brady?

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 2:00, 4th quarter

The Chiefs are methodically going up the field but it’s basically a long march to nowhere at this point. The Chiefs get to the Tampa Bay 25 right before we hit the two minute warning.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 3:41, 4th quarter

The Chiefs are here and they’re really just playing for pride/to possibly screw up betting lines.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 3:41, 4th quarter

The Buccaneers go three and out. Why is that important? Honestly it’s not, really.

The analysis here from the commentators is that eight Super Bowl wins are different from seven.

Thanks for that.

Are the Chiefs really going to be held touchdown-less here? Who had that in their pool?

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 4:08, 4th quarter

And Mahomes takes a huge hit from Suh on 2nd & 20. It’s 3rd & 33 now and that’s far from ideal. Hill goes on a long run but he’s still ten yards short. 4th & 33, Mahomes tries to connect on a long one but Tampa Bay breaks up the play. There’s a taunting call here on Tampa Bay but it doesn’t really matter because it’s still a turnover on downs.

We are basically done here.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 5:09, 4th quarter

It’s 1st and 10 for the Chiefs. Nope, sorry, make that 1st & 20 after a holding penalty. Mahomes tires to find Kelce again but the long throw is incomplete. They’re at the Tampa Bay 37 here.

Updated

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 5:43, 4th quarter

Here’s a roughing the passer penalty on the Bucs, so the Chiefs have a first down here. He goes to Kelce, his most reliable target right now, who gives him 12 yards. They’re at the Tampa Bay 40. Mahomes throws two more incompletions. On 3rd and 1, Mahomes gets Hill for a first down, but the hourglass is running out of sand.

Roger Kirkby:

The only way the chiefs can win this is if CBS cut away from the game and stick the Heidi movie on.

Quite possibly.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 7:44, 4th quarter

Here’s Ndamukong Suh making an appearance by sacking Mahomes for a loss of eight yards. If he thought the defense was going to let up here because of the lopsided score, he’s got another thing coming.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 8:06, 4th quarter

The punt’s a fairly good one, pinning the Chiefs to their own 7 yard line. Mahomes finds Kelce for a 33 yard gain.

Another take on Tom Brady, who is this much closer to a thoroughly untouchable record.

Updated

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 8:06, 4th quarter

This is certainly smart football albeit not really entertaining football. Fournette picks up four yards and then Brady gets it to Brate for another six yards. That’s yet another first down, he’s picked up a ridiculous number of them. Fournette picks up an additional yard. It’s 3rd and 1 and Brady throws to Gronk and finally, finally it’s a fourth down situation for the Bucs. They, of course, will punt.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 10:59, 4th quarter

1st & 10, it’s Jones again for eight more yards. They’re going to start devouring clock right about now. 2nd & 2, Jones gives them four. The longer their on the field the better, they don’t want to give Mahomes a single extra second.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 13:00, 4th quarter

Here is the time for the Bucs running backs to shine. It’s 1st & 10 at their own 12. Jones picks up four yards on first down and another seven that will take them to the Tampa Bay 23 and, more importantly, will give them another first down to play around with.

Email from Gary J Byrne:

Evening Hunter,

Is it safe for Tom Brady to go to Disney World during a deadly global pandemic?

Cheers,Gary

It’s probably open but lord knows that I wouldn’t do it if I were him.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 13:32, 4th quarter

4th and 9 and Mahomes almost makes a spectacular play. He scrambles for a long while and then lets it fly while he’s in the process of falling and, my lord, Williams almost, ALMOST, caught the darn thing. One of the most impressive incompletions you’ll see in your life but it only results in a turnover on downs.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 13:43, 4th quarter

Mahomes finds Kelce for a 17 yard gain that takes them to the Tampa Bay 12. Kansas City has something brewing here. Edwards-Helaire grabs another yard. It’s 2nd and 9 for Kansas City. Mahomes throws two straight incompletions. 4th and 9 at the Tampa Bay 11 and the Chiefs definitely have to go for it here to have any hope of winning this game. Chiefs take a timeout.

Email from Yas K:

Title: Fourth quarter Chiefs

Last year Chiefs won last quarter 21-0 though 10 adrift. Mahomes will spring to life.

Well, that’s what you’re hoping for here if you’re the Chiefs. While it’s not dark yet, it’s getting there.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, end of the 3rd quarter

Mahomes throws incomplete. 2nd & 15. Time for a big play here and Mahomes gets it, getting the ball to Hill for a 21-yard gain. Another first down which takes them to the Tampa Bay 29 which is where they will start the fourth quarter, after another incompletion.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 1:25, 3rd quarter

Mahomes gets the ball to Edwards-Helaire, a gain of five yard. 2nd & 5, the combo try it again. It’s a 7 yard gain and another first down. Then the Chiefs commit another penaty, this one’s a false start that will push them back five more yards.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 2:35, 3rd quarter

There’s less than three minutes left in the third quarter and the Chiefs have yet to score a single touchdown. This is very, very unexpected. Pinion’s kick goes into te end zone for a touchdown. On the next play, Mahomes tries to remedy the touchdown system right away, it’s a long throw to nowhere but he draws a defensive holding call on the Bucs for a first down.

Chiefs 9-31 Buccaneers, 2:46, 3rd quarter

On 3rd & 1, Jones gets the ball again and gets two more yards and that’s another first down. Brady’s not missing his targets. 1st & 10 at the Kansas City 19, Brady goes for the end zone, but it’s noting doing. 2nd & 1, Brady throws to Godwin, but that’s also incomplete. They’re stopped again on 3rd & 10 so they settle for a Succop field goal. The 52 yarder is good and the Bucs extend the lead.

Chiefs 9-28 Buccaneers, 4:57, 3rd quarter

Brady’s back on the field. He hits Fournette who picks up 15 yards. That’s another first down. Brady goes with Fournette again, this is right about when the running game is going to become key for Tampa Bay. The clock and the lead make that the wisest decision. 2nd & 4, Jones grabs 2 yards.

Email from Ian Johnston:

Whatever the sport, if the penalty is technically a penalty but is of a degree that is often ignored then the penalised team only has themselves to blame. You can only claim to be hard done by if there is no sign of foul play whatsoever. Chiefs are getting owned by a team playing the right side of the line.

Yeah at this point it’s beoming clear that they’re just being outplayed here and time is not on their side.

Chiefs 9-28 Buccaneers, 6:20, 3rd quarter

Pringle takes the kickoff to the Kansas City 25. On 1st & 10, Edwards-Helaire picks up another three yards. On 2nd & 7… oh man, Mahomes gets sacked by Shaq Barrett for a loss of six yards. 3rd & 13, Mahomes throws deep and this is trouble. Tampa Bay’s Antonie Winfield intercepts the throw and takes it to the Kansas City 45. There’s a holding penalty on the Chiefs but the Bucs wisely decide to decline it.

The echelon quarterbacks get calls. Mahomes will be there very shortly, I have to think.

At this point, however, it’s starting to feel like the fault isn’t entirely in the officiating for the Chiefs.

Touchdown (Buccaneers) Chiefs 9-28 Buccaneers

Fournette picks up 4 yards on first down. 2nd & 6. Brady finds Gronk and they connect yet again, it’s like they never spent any time apart. The Buccaneers are on the 27, but only for a brief note, because there’s Fournette one more time and he’s got it into the end zone for another Tampa Bay touchdown. This is in danger of getting out of hand.

The extra point is good, of course.

Updated

Chiefs 9-21 Buccaneers, 9:55, 3rd quarter

The Bucs start at their own 26. Fournette picks up a few yards. 2nd & 7, Brady finds Browns for an additional 3. It’s 3rd & 4 here and… there’s a big gain from the running back, it’s 12 yards to the Tampa Bay 44.

Commercials: a wizened Wayne & Garth return to remind us all of our mortality.

Updated

Chiefs 9-21 Buccaneers, 11:31, 3rd quarter

1st & 10, Mahomes finds Kelce for an eight yard gain. Edwards-Helaire gets another 10 yards. 1st and 10 once more, Williams gets 3 yards. 2nd & 7, Mahomes throws to Hardman but Hardman doesn’t pick up an yards. After an incomplete pass, Kansas City settles for another field goal and another three points. That’s great, but they can’t afford to keep answering touchdowns with field goals.

Updated

Start of the second half!

Chiefs 6-21 Buccaneers, 14:54, 3rd quarter

The Chiefs have the ball out of halftime, which is why they deferred in the first place. The Chiefs start on their own 19 after returning the opening kick. On 1st & 10, Edwards-Helaire picks up a nice chunk of yardage, 26 of them in all.

The analysts have asked how the Chiefs can get back into this game and their answer, the correct one, is just one word: Mahomes.

The Weeknd’s performance has just added to the paranoid air surrounding this Super Bowl, so how about some more conspiracy talk.

Email from Nick Porritt:

I do not know if there is a conspiracy but if the game was fixed, it would look a lot like this. Not just penalties but the inexplicable KC timeouts seemingly designed to give Brady time to score a TD at the end of the half.

I have no idea what I just watched.

Previously on The Umbrella Academy

And my Buccaneers fan brother checks in with us at the half here.

Now that Brady is no longer a Patriot I can come here: the dude gets a ridiculous number of calls. It’s just how it all works.

Meanwhile. the Weekend show now officially has strong “Eyes Wide Shut” vibes.

The Weeknd is doing a medley here of his hits, including “Can’t Feel My Face.” I have seen a lot of Super Bowl halftime performances in my life, so I feel confident when I say that that this is the best song about doing cocaine that has ever been sung at a Super Bowl halftime show.

This pretty much sums it up: we’re looking at a very consequential half of football here.

We’re at the halftime ceremony already? The time has been flying by.

For the best possible coverage of the Weeknd, you probably want to check out the Guardian’s supplemental Super Bowl liveblog which covers all the non-football stuff going on.

Henry C opens up a can of worms:

When Brady wins a Superbowl how many penalties does his team get in their favour? Are there any conspiracy theories?

Here’s the other side of the penalties: the officiating at least looks a little bit lopsided which means it’s time for one of my favorite things in all of sports: conspiracy talk.

Halftime thoughts

Here’s the thing: the Chiefs are very much in a bad spot here. That’s pretty obvious. The good news is that there is no other team better built for mounting second half comebacks. The Tampa Bay defense is not going to limit them to field goals in the second half.

The bigger problem here is the penalties, they have given Brady just too many opportunities.

End of the first half

Chiefs 6-21 Buccaneers, end of the first half

And the Chiefs don’t have any time to do anything else as the first half comes to an end. I can’t say I was expecting this kind of start from Tampa Bay.

Touchdown (Buccaneers)! Chiefs 6-21 Buccaneers

Antonio Brown celebrates scoring the Bucs’ third touchdown
Antonio Brown celebrates scoring the Bucs’ third touchdown. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Are you kidding me? Brady throws one away, it looks uncatchable to me but it doesn’t matter. There’s another defensive pass interference call. This is the worst possible outcome here for Kansas City: On the Kansas City 1, Brady finds Antonio Brown for the third and presumably final Tampa Bat touchdown of the half. Also, there’s an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Matthieu.

Updated

Chiefs 6-14 Buccaneers, 0:13, 2nd quarter

It’s 1st & 10 at the Kansas City 24. Fournette gets the ball and takes to the Kansas City 9. And we have a battle of the time outs as Tampa Bay and Kansas City give us back-to-back TOs.

Updated

Chiefs 6-14 Buccaneers, 0:24, 2nd quarter

Tampa Bay’s next possession starts at the Tampa Bay 28. Fournette gets the ball but can’t get anywhere. The Chiefs take a timeout. Out of that Brad throws to Chris Godwin for an eight-yard gain. Chiefs take another timeout. On the net one, Brady throws a long one that’s incomplete but it doesn’t matters. There’s a defensive pass interference call here that will hand them a first down.

Updated

Email from Henry C:

10:55 fumble?

Was that third down officially a fumble? It looked as though it was knocked out of the player’s hands. Can you clarify please.

It’s officially in the box score as a fumble and a recovery for Tampa Bay.

Chiefs 6-14 Buccaneers, 1:04, 2nd quarter

Mahomes throws to Hill but the Tampa Bay defense continues to give Hill fits. “The don’t want to let him beat him,” one of the announcers says. It’s 2nd and 11 and Mahomes goes to Kelce again. Kelce gives his quarterback a good five yards. Now it’s 3rd and 6 and Mahomes tries to go deep again but it’s destination nowhere. They will settle for another field goal, which ends up being good. Points are great, they beat nothing, but this feels like a huge squandered opportunity for KC.

Updated

Patriots Fans Trying To Figure Out How They’re Feeling Right Now Department

Chiefs 3-14 Buccaneers, 2:00, 2nd quarter

2nd &3. Mahomes throws to Kelce who gets 11 yards. May we be seeing a tight end battle here rather than a quarterback one? We’ll see. It’s the two-minute warning with the Chiefs at the Buccaneers 18.

,

Chiefs 3-14 Buccaneers, 3:24, 2nd quarter

Mahomes is starting to feel himself here, you can tell. Mahomes throws to Kelce for a 12 yard gain. That’s another first down. Then he takes it himself for the next possession. Yet another first down, this is Borg-like efficiency. They are at the Tampa Bay 36. This time around it’s Edwards-Helaire who gets the ball, picking up seven yards on first down.

Chiefs 3-14 Buccaneers, 5:25, 2nd quarter

The good news for the Chiefs is that they are beyond able to make up large deficits. They can turn games around in a blink of the eye. They start at their own 35. Mahomes throws to Kelce, that’s good for 13 yards and a first down. They’re at the 38, Mahomes finds Hardman for anther four.

Think of this: Gronk was retired this time last year. Now he’s made two first-half touchdowns in the Super Bowl. We have an early favorite for game MVP.

Touchdown (Buccaneers) Chiefs 3-14 Buccaneers

Chiefs 3-14 Buccaneers, 6:05, 2nd quarter

Rob Gronkowski spikes the ball after scoring a 17 yard touchdown
Rob Gronkowski spikes the ball after scoring a 17 yard touchdown. Photograph: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

You just can’t give Tom Brady extra chances. You just can’t. Brady finds Gronk for the second time in his half! The extra point is good and this feels like an early turning point.

Updated

Chiefs 3-7 Buccaneers, 6:15, 2nd quarter

On 1st & 10, Fournette picks up a yard. 2nd & 9, Brady finds Fournette again, and this one will be for four. On 3rd & 5, Brady can’t connect with Evans so they have to settle for a field goal here. Ryan Succop’s kick is good but there’s a penalty on the Chiefs. That’s a five yard penalty that will hand Tampa Bay a first down. No settling for a field goal here.

Chiefs 3-7 Buccaneers, 7:47, 2nd quarter

Big break for Tampa Bay. Tyrann Mathieu gets a clutch interception that’s wiped out by a clear holding penalty. It’s still Tampa Bay ball and they are going to be on the Kansas City 27.

Chiefs 3-7 Buccaneers, 8:25, 2nd quarter

The Buccaneers are in a great spot here, obviously. Brady throws to Brown, but he gets hit for aloss. 2nd & 13, Brady throws to Gronk who gets a nine hard gain here.

Chiefs 3-7 Buccaneers, 9:09, 2nd quarter

Mahomes throws one incomplete, then follows it up with a throw to Darrel Williams, but he only gets two yards. Mahomes finds Kelce, a very good idea, but Kelce straight-up drops it. The Chiefs have to punt, and in fact have to do it twice thanks to a flag on the play. They will pin Tampa Bay at the Chiefs 38.

Chiefs 3-7 Buccaneers, 10:09, 2nd quarter

Now, of course, the Chiefs are buried deep here. On 1st & 10, Hill gets to the Kansas City 15. A good job, but there’s a lot more ground to cover.

Chiefs 3-7 Buccaneers, 10:55, 2nd quarter

The Bucs lead early in the second quarter
The Bucs lead early in the second quarter. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

The Buccaneers are on the two-yard line now. It’s 2nd & goal, Brady throws incomplete. 3rd & goal at the Kanas City 2… Jones can’t get anywhere and there’s even a fumble on the play. Tampa Bay recovers it at the one here, however. On 4th & goal, the Kansas City defense stops the Bucs. There’s a review, but it only confirms the calling on the field. Chiefs ball.

Updated

Chiefs 3-7 Buccaneers, 12:25, 2nd quarter

Ronald Jones picks up 8 yards. It’s 2nd & 3 at the Kanas City 45 when Brady find Mike Evans for a long play, 31 yards to the Kansas City 6. Buccaneers take a timeout. When they get back they have Ronald Jones go up the middle for four yards.

Chiefs 3-7 Buccaneers, 14:24 2nd quarter

Okay, they do have virtual fans here but they’re all cardboard. This feels like a metaphor but I can’t think of what for. On 1st & 10, Brady throws incomplete to Jones. On the net play we have another penalty here, it’s unnecessary roughness on the defense. Kansas City’s Chris Jones to be specific. It’s a 15 yard gain.

Updated

Chiefs 3-7 Buccaneers, 14:50, 2nd quarter

It’s 3rd & 4 for the Chiefs. The Buccaneers make another defensive stand here and Mahomes throws incomplete once again. They are going to have to punt here.

Chiefs 3-7 Buccaneers, end of the 1st quarter

Can the Chiefs counter here? Pringle takes the kickoff to their own 37. On 2nd & 10, Mahomes throws one incomplete before targeting Travis Kelce on 2nd & 10. Kelce picks up six yards and that’s the end of our first quarter.

This is absurd.

The Patriots fan in me doesn’t exactly know how to feel about this:

TOUCHDOWN! Chiefs 3-7 Buccaneers, 0:37, 1st quarter

Next play we have a flag on the defense. It’s for holding, on Bashuad Breeland. It’s 1st and 10 for Tampa Bay. Brady throws super-deep to Antonio Brown, a 16 yard gain that will take them to the Kansas City 39. Brady then finds Brate for 15 yards. They’re on their opponents’ 24. A very smart, methodical drive going here. Fournette picks up another eleven yards. Brady finds Brown for a five yard gain.

It’s 8 and goal and—wow it’s just like the old days; Brady finds Gronkowski for a touchdown! The extra point is good and the Bucs have a lead.

Updated

Chiefs 3-0 Buccaneers, 3:56, 1st quarter

Butker’s kick goes into the end zone, so that will be a touchback here. The Buccaneers are at their 20. Laurence Fournette gets the first two carries here, for Tampa Bay and he’s gets them to a 3rd & 1 situation. It’s Fournette’s ball again and he just manages to pick up the first down.

Chiefs 3-0 Buccaneers, 5:14, 1st quarter

Mahomes tries to find Hardman but can’t and then Edwards-Helaire gets pushed back a yard. Mahomes throws another near touchdown, but it’s just an incomplete pass. They do, however, get points on the board via a 49 yard field goal by Harrison Butker.

Updated

Chiefs 0-0 Buccaneers, 6:08, 1st quarter

Mahomes runs again for a first down, this is something he can do far better than the mostly immobile Tom Brady. He gets to the Buccaneers 41. Edward-Helaire picks up six yards, that’s 2nd & 4 and… whoa, the Buccaneers just barely manage to snuff out a near-touchdown pass from Mahomes. There’s also a flag on the play though, so that’s an automatic first down and they are at the Tampa Bay 30.

Chiefs 0-0 Buccaneers, 8:03, 1st quarter

Our first Tyreek Hill sighting of the day as he picks up 5 yards to start the Kansas City drive. On 2nd & 5, Clyde Edwards-Helaire picks up the remaining five yards to pick up the first down

Chiefs 0-0 Buccaneers, 8:41, 1st quarter

Bradley Pinion comes on to punt and it looks like the Chiefs will start their second drive here on their own 38.

Feels like a fair question.

Chiefs 0-0 Buccaneers, 9:22, 1st quarter

Roland Jones Jr is the running back with the first carry for the Bucs and he makes the most of it running off for 13 yards. Scotty Miller gets caught for a loss of three. He throws to Cameron Brate who gets five yards but Brady is sacked on the very next possession and that will do it for them.

Chiefs 0-0 Buccaneers, 11:29, 1st quarter

The punt goes into the end zone for a touchback so Tampa Bay will be starting at their own 20.

Chiefs 0-0 Buccaneers, 11:29, 1st quarter

On 1st & 10, Mahomes runs again, for a gain of 2 yards. 2nd & 8, Mahomes throws one long but it goes nowhere. 3rd & 8, Mahomes throws to a wide open Mecole Hardman but it’s nowhere near him. He tries again, and it’s another no-go so the Chiefs have to punt as well.

Chiefs 0-0 Buccaneers, 12:48, 1st quarter

On 2nd & 7, Mahomes throws incomplete. On 3rd & 7, he legs it out and picks up eleven yards for a first down.

Chiefs 0-0 Buccaneers, 13:33, 1st quarter

The Buccaneers punt which puts the Chiefs at their own 33. On 1st & 10, Mahomes throws to Byron Pringle for a 3 yard gain and you know once Pringle pops he just can’t stop.

Chiefs 0-0 Buccaneers, 13:48, 1st quarter

And it’s quickly a three-and-out. Well that’s a good start for my scoreless first quarter prediction.

Opening kickoff

Chiefs 0-0 Buccaneers, 15:00, 1st quarter

The Buccaneers will be starting at their own 28 after a short kickoff return.

Oh of course we have one more montage to go. This one’s narrated by Brad Pitt in a weirdly deep voice.

Coin toss

And we’re doing a salute to everyday heroes here before the coin toss. Kansas City wins the coin toss and the wisely decide to defer, so the Buccaneers will have possession first. We’re very, very close to actual sports here.

There’s already chatter online about the crowds possibly being larger than previously announced. Judging by the eye, it definitely feels that way.

Fireworks erupt before Super Bowl LV
Fireworks erupt before Super Bowl LV. Photograph: Kevin C Cox/Getty Images

Updated

National Anthem

Hey, Eric Church. I actually like him and he’s singing along with Jazmine Sullivan. We’re doing a mixture of country and soul here that shouldn’t really work, but actually does.

So that’s two impressive performances in a row, hopefully that ends up being a sign that this is going’to be a good one.

The H.E.R. performance was quite great. Also, this is a great tweet.

Oh hey, it’s the incredibly talented H.E.R. doing “American the Beautiful.” This is really, really lovely stuff.

H.E.R. performs America The Beautiful before Super Bowl LV
H.E.R. performs America The Beautiful before Super Bowl LV. Photograph: Kim Klement/USA Today Sports

Updated

The Super Bowl isn’t entirely about football. Some, in fact, would argue that it isn’t even mostly about football. On that note, the Guardian will also be keeping up a liveblog of the commercials and the halftime entertainment and everything else that goes along with this de facto holiday.

Oh, hey it’s the Chiefs war chant. That’s... that’s, uh, an interesting choice ...

Updated

There’s something else newsworthy about today: Sarah Thomas will be the first woman to ever officiate a Super Bowl. This feels like it probably should have happened before 2021, but it’s nice to see regardless.

The player introductions are about to begin, which is a sign that actual football will be coming soon.

Email from Oliver Wicks:

Hi Hunter, I’m enjoying your text stream. I’m Olly in Liverpool, England. Here’s my prediction.

Nobody thought the Bucs would beat the Saints in the play offs, let alone the Packers. But tonight, I think the TB12 fairytale will come to an end and the Chiefs will thunder to a second super bowl win in two years. If Mahomes, Kelce, and Hill all have an 8/10 game or better, you simply can’t stop them and can’t outscore them. That will happen tonight. They’re just too good.

This feels like a solid “most likely scenario” on my end, which doesn’t necessarily mean that I expect it to play out that way.

Well, we at the Guardian thank everybody who will be staying up with us. I won’t lie, these things tend to go a little long.

How did we get here?

The Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC after defeating the Buffalo Bills 38-24. Meanwhile, in the NFC, we had a much older quarterback battle as Tom Brady faced Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in what ended up being a 31-26 victory.

Updated

Predictions

From our good pal Roger Kirkby:

Hi Hunter, I’ve seen too many predictions that these two QB’s are gonna go toe to toe in a high scoring shootout. Therefore I predict 10-7 at the half, I’ve got no dog in this fight, but if I was a betting man I would go unders all the way. Love watching the SB to see a funky play that you don’t see often, the team that springs one will win.

I too am afraid that we sort of jinxed things here. Games very rarely play out as expected (I mean, obviously, or otherwise they wouldn’t play it.) I have predicted a scoreless first quarter partly because of that. We’ll see.

If anyone else has any predicitons, feel free to share it with us. The email’s hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian, the Twitter account is @HunterFelt (don’t worry this is the last time I’m going to repeat myself here at least until halftime).

I’m writing this from a very wintry Boston, MA. Since I’m snowbound here, you would think that I would get a pang of jealousy while watching these two teams playing in sunny, 60 degree weather. Funnily enough, not really. I mean, it’s not like there’s anywhere to go here in the New Abnormal.

My brother Travis actually lives in Southwest Florida and roots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (although I think he’s really more of a hockey guy). Let me tell you, it’s borderline-hilarious that he’s now rooting for Tom Brady while I’m not. Maybe it is all about the laundry. I’m going to attempt to get him to comment on how the Bucs are doing. In the NHL, the Tampa Bay Lightning just won the Stanley Cup, so we’re lookng at an abundance of riches here, potentially for Tampa.

Updated

Preamble

Hello all, this is Hunter Felt and I’m taking over this blog for the next few hours. Glad to be here and glad not be outside in the snow.

Sometimes we in the media need to manufacturer narratives where there aren’t necessarily there. That will not be the case today when the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers here in Super Bowl LV. The focus is going to be on the two quarterbacks. Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady (age 43) is looking for another ring to help solidify his case as the best QB in NFL history while Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (age 25) is hoping to be the player that eventually could challenge Brady.

Now, there are other things going on here than a quarterback battle for the ages. The Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in last year’s Super Bowl and are looking to win back-to-back championships. The Chiefs have done a fantastic job in surrounding Mahomes with a variety of dangerous offensive weapons, most notably tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill. They were 14-2 during the regular season, giving them the best record in the league and they are the favorites to win it all today.

Meanwhile, Tom Brady will be appearing in the tenth Super Bowl of his career—he has already won six—but this would be his first time winning a championship with a team other than the New England Patriots. Also, this is the first time that a team has ever had home court advantage in a Super Bowl, as this will all be taking place at Raymond James Stadium. This would be more of a help for Tampa Bay if it weren’t for the fact that this Super Bowl will have the lowest attendance in NFL history for reasons that should be quite obvious. As Tom noted earlier, there will only be 25,000 fans in a stadium that has a maximum capacity of 65,890 and who knows how many of those will actually be Bucs fans. (I still think it would be hilarious if they took their lead from the NBA and put virtual fans in the seats.)

No matter what happens, we probably couldn’t have hoped for a more intriguing matchup than the one we’re getting today. This could be quite a fun one. f you feel like you want to join us here in this liveblog we’ll be taking your thoughts, questions and whatnot. Just email them to us (to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com) or tweet them (to @Hunter Felt). We’ll post those here on the blog over the next few hours. It’s the Kansas City Chiefs vs the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. The game’s scheduled to start at 6:30pm, but I’ll be back well before that to get you prepared for the final NFL game of the season.

Updated

Tom Brady goes for his seventh Super Bowl title today at the tender age of 43. And, in a stupidly successful career, this season may be his finest yet:

Meanwhile, the Puppy Bowl was broadcast earlier today and we have today’s sporting hero already. The mental tenacity and physical toughness to overcome injury and compete in the sport Jett loves is why he’s the best in the game:

Patrick Mahomes’ arm is looking decent in the pre-game warm-up.

How good is Mahomes? Our NFL columnist Oliver Connolly thinks the Chiefs quarterback is chasing Jordan rather than Brady:

“Mahomes is chasing that rare space that puts an athlete at the center of pop culture; that makes them both indivisible from the sport they play but allows them to exist a step removed, the same way that Jordan still hovers over everything in the NBA. Jordan hasn’t played in the NBA for 17 years. But the NBA economy – from debate show culture to documentaries to shoe deals to marketing to ownership groups – still runs on Michael Jordan.

“To put Mahomes near that class so early in his career may sound hyperbolic or blasphemous but consider this: no quarterback in NFL history has gotten off to the same sort of start to a career as Mahomes. And no single position holds such a spot in the US sports landscape as that of a starting NFL quarterback.”

Sidenote, his teammate Travis Kelce has thought hard about his wardrobe today:

“Evening, Tom,” emails Matt Dony. “I don’t tend to follow American Football, but I love watching almost any sport when it’s played well. Most years, I stay up and watch the Super Bowl (or, most of it, anyway) because it’s such an ‘Event’. This year, though, it’s awkwardly coinciding with an England cricket match that’s being broadcast on terrestrial tv from the early hours of the morning in the UK. So, my quandary is, do I stay up late and watch this? Or go to bed, and get up early to watch the cricket? I’m genuinely stumped...”

Hmmmm. I’d probably watch both and sleep through tomorrow.

Our quarterbacks have arrived. Tom Brady is looking more casual than his younger counterpart, Patrick Mahomes. Like a very wealthy dad on holiday in Florida. Which he is, in a way:

The Raymond James Stadium will be at a third of its capacity today, with a third of the tickets given to health workers to acknowledge their tireless and vital work during the pandemic.

A Chiefs fan behind cutouts of fans in Raymond James Stadium
A Chiefs fan behind cutouts of fans in Raymond James Stadium. Photograph: Gary Bogdon/EPA

Unlike the stadium, the bars of Tampa will be crowded today, despite the pandemic. They’ll be allowed to operate at 100% capacity, as long as customers are seated and masked. You can read more about the city’s preparations for the game here:

The Buccaneers have homefield advantage today and the most successful quarterback of all time, but they are up against a terrifyingly dangerous offense, led by arguably the most talented NFL player of all time. How do they win? Our writers give their thoughts:

Shorten the game. The Bucs have proven they can swap between a number of styles this season. They can win with their exceptional defense. They can rely on Tom Brady to hang in a shootout. Against the Chiefs, though it won’t be as entertaining, they will have to rely on the run-game to extend drives against a weak-ish Chiefs front in order to contain the scoreline. Get Brady to the final drive with a chance to win the game, that should be the plan. Oliver Connolly

Sic Jason Pierre-Paul, William Gholston and Ndamukong Suh on the Chiefs’ backup tackles. Mix it up a little on first down. (The handoffs to Leonard Fournette & Co are so predictable.) And capitalize on every opportunity to connect with receivers downfield, a point of emphasis for Bruce Arians all season. If Antonio Brown is looking for a time to shine, this is it. Andrew Lawrence

Brady’s doesn’t want to get into a throwing contest with Mahomes at this point of his career. His edge will lie in his experience. He doesn’t want to be a pure game-manager here, he’s going to have to connect on a few long-balls to win, but if he focuses on making the right play over trying for the big play, his team have a solid chance. Hunter Felt

Tampa must play to their strengths and blitz early and often. They have the pedigree – nine sacks and two wins against Rodgers this season – and can slow down Mahomes by attacking an offensive line missing both its starting tackles. You run the risk of death by a thousand Tyreek and Travis-shaped cuts but Todd Bowles must be brave to limit Kansas City’s scoring. Graham Searles

You can read more game predictions here:

The teams are arriving and the Chiefs are looking pretty sharp:

Meanwhile, Buccaneers center Ryan Jensen is wearing an infamous photo of his quarterback:

Little-known 576 year-old quarterback Tom Brady is starting for the Buccaneers today, so we asked another hall of famer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to write about playing into your 40s (OK, Brady is 43). These are the fantastic results:

“I was 42 when I retired from the Lakers. After 20 seasons, I had a lot of NBA records and very little hair. Some of those records have since been broken, some remain to be broken at a time to be decided. I did learn some lessons about being a middle-aged athlete in a league where the average age is 26, which is also the age of the average NFL player. Some of those lessons were about playing, some were about being a player – two very different things.

“Playing on a professional level against well-trained athletes 20 years younger is a challenge. The court seems much longer, the legs seems heavier, the hoop seems smaller. That’s when you come face-to-face with what philosophers call the mind-body problem: the relationship between the consciousness of the mind and the stubborn bag of meat that is your body.”

You can read Kareem’s full column here:

Joe Biden has been interviewed by CBS about the Super Bowl. The president is asked if he thinks we will be able to watch next year’s game in front of a full stadium.

“It’s my hope and expectation ... that we will be able to watch the Super Bowl with a full stadium [in 2022]. He also advises people not to pack into Super Bowl watching parties this year: “If you’re watching, be careful,” he says.

He is also asked if he’d prefer to be thrown to by Mahomes or Brady (Biden was a receiver back in the day). He opts for Mahomes who, he notes, has some “potential”, a mild understatement. Then Biden remembers he is a politician and says they are “both great quarterbacks”. A change from his predecessor who probably would have nominated himself as the greatest player of all time.

The build-up to this game has been overshadowed by a horrible car crash involving Chiefs linebackers coach Britt Reid that left a child in serious condition. And the latest news is not good:

Britt Reid is the son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, so who knows how he must be feeling right now (and that’s before we get into the parents of the injured child).

Britt Reid is also in hospital with unspecified injuries and, according to a police report, said he had had two or three drinks on the evening of the accident.

Updated

Miss the day when players could smoke on the sidelines? (LEGAL NOTE: The Guardian does not endorse smoking - even the low tar ones.) Then take a stroll through our gallery of Super Bowls past (also featuring the Giants dressed as Shirley Temple, which is as terrifying as it sounds):

Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce has appeared on CBS and talked about his offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy.

“I think it’s disrespectful that he hasn’t found a head coaching job yet,” said Kelce. “But I’ll reap the benefit of him being here every single year and we’ll just keep making the Super Bowl as long as we’ve got him.”

Bieniemy has been one of the masterminds of one of the most explosive offenses in NFL history. And, yet, despite the dearth of coaches of a colour in a league where the majority of players are black, Bieniemy has been unable to find a head coaching job while LOTS of guys who look like Sean McVay are put in charge of teams.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is asked about the NFL’s lack of black coaches. He says he takes the issue “very seriously” and admits the league “didn’t do as well as we wanted”. It’s easy to put the blame on Goodell and the league office – and there’s plenty to blame the commissioner for! – but the fact is that the white billionaires who own NFL teams are the ones choosing not to employ black coaches.

Andrew Lawrence has more on the coaching situation in the NFL below:

Hello and welcome to coverage of [checks Roman numerals] Super Bowl 55, between the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs and the hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers (the first team to play in their own stadium in Super Bowl history). Usually the Guardian would be in the stadium, but with the pandemic this year the NFL could only promise us a desk in the media center in the stadium carpark, so we’ll be in front of the TV too. No matter, let’s face it, NFL is better on TV than live anyway.

The most obvious question is: who is going to win? Four of our writers had their say, and their thoughts are below:

Chiefs 31-24 Buccaneers. The combination of Brady and Bowles is about as good as you can hope for in trying to knock the Chiefs off their perch. No one is capable of stopping the Chiefs, but all the Bucs require is a defense that slows Mahomes-Andy Reid machine down, even for a possession or two. Tampa have the talent and staff to be able to pull off such a plan. I have the Bucs giving Brady a chance on the final possession but coming up just short. The Chiefs’ offensive power, even with all the Bowles goodness, is just too overwhelming. And even when plays break down, nobody is better off-script than Mahomes. The Chiefs go back-to-back and Mahomes takes home a second successive MVP. Oliver Connolly

Chiefs 30-29 Buccaneers. As exposed as Mahomes figures to be on the edge, one could easily see the Bucs defense forgetting about the QB’s wheels until it’s too late. Whether it’s by picking up chunk yardage or buying time to fire darts to Cheetah & Co, eventually, Mahomes will take their heart. Andrew Lawrence

Chiefs 34-17 Buccaneers. Look for the teams to keep it close for a while but by the fourth quarter, the Chiefs will have the lead and salt it way with one of those Mahomes bursts where he rattles off two touchdowns in the blink of an eye. Hunter Felt

Chiefs 30-33 Buccaneers. I said it mid-season and I will say it again, Tom Brady and the Bucs will win the Super Bowl. Picking against Brady is a fool’s errand especially now he is an underdog. Six titles and your team not being favourite is testament to how good the Chiefs are but Brady will have the last word in the game with a last-minute drive and possibly on which QB is truly the greatest. Same time next year, Tom. Graham Searles

You can read the predictions in full below:

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