By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Patrick Mahomes threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to erase a 10-point deficit, and the Kansas City Chiefs won their first Super Bowl title in 50 years, defeating the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs strong safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) celebrates after defeating the San Francisco 49ers and winning Super Bowl 54 on Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, center, celebrates with wife Tammy, right, and Travis Kelce after the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Kansas City Chiefs won 31-20. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs fans celebrate after the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce celebrates after the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Kansas City Chiefs won 31-20. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, rear, puts his arm around San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan after the Chiefs defeated the 49ers in the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, left, and Tyrann Mathieu celebrate after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce celebrates after the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Kansas City Chiefs won 31-20. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is kissed by his girlfriend Brittany Matthews, after the Chiefs' won the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Chiefs' defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-20. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Armani Watts (23) celebrates his team's victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 54, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-20. (AP Photo/Doug Benc)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs' Frank Clark, left, and Patrick Mahomes celebrate after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins (14) celebrates with his family after a victory over the San Fransisco 49ers in Super Bowl 54, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-20. (AP Photo/Doug Benc)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs players celebrate a win over the San Francisco 49ers after the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Kansas City Chiefs won 31-20. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, rear, celebrates with Frank Clark after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs' players pour a cooler of Gatorade on head coach Andy Reid, during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Chiefs' defeated the 49ers 31-20. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is doused on the sideline during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs fans celebrate the team's Super Bowl win in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (11) celebrates his team's victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 54, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-20. (AP Photo/Doug Benc)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs' Frank Clark celebrates after the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Kansas City Chiefs won 31-20. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) celebrates after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Adam Hunger/AP Images for NFL)
Super Bowl 2020 Kansas City Chiefs' James Winchester, left, and Armani Watts celebrate after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Mahomes, named the game’s MVP, hit Sammy Watkins on a 36-yard pass, then scrambled for 6 yards before hitting Damien Williams for the go-ahead score with 2:44 remaining. Mahomes was 5-for-5 on the drive, and while Williams’ score was reviewed, the play was upheld and the Chiefs led 24-20.
Williams clinched the victory with a 38-yard touchdown run around left end with 1:12 to play, giving the Chiefs their second Super Bowl title in three appearances. Kansas City appeared in the first Super Bowl in January 1967.
Mahomes, the league’s most valuable player, outdueled San Francisco’s Jimmy Garopollo to give coach Andy Reid his first Super Bowl title. Mahomes completed 26 of 41 passes for 286 yards and two touchdown passes. He was intercepted twice.
Garopollo was 20-for-31 for 219 yards and two touchdowns.
Kansas City pulled to within 20-17 with 6;13 left in the fourth quarter, aided by a pass interference call against the 49ers. Mahomes found Travis Kelce for the 1-yard score.
San Francisco took the lead early in the third quarter with a field goal and an interception that led to a touchdown, Robbie Gould’s second field goal of the game gave the 49ers a 13-10 lead with 9:29 left in the third quarter. The 49ers capitalized minutes later when Fred Warner intercepted Mahomes with 5;23 left in the third quarter. Garopollo took advantage, directing the 49ers on a six-play, 55-yard drive that culminated with Raheem Mostert’s 1-yard plunge off right guard, giving San Francisco a 20-10 lead with 2:35 left in the period.
The 49ers defense came up big with its second interception of Mahomes when Tarvarius Moore picked off a pass with 11:57 left in the fourth quarter.
The game was billed as a matchup of quarterbacks, with Kansas City’s Mahomes set to duel San Francisco’s Garopollo. The first half lived up to the hype, as each quarterback led his team to 11 first downs, a touchdown and field goal.
Garopollo was nine of 11 for 89 yards and a touchdown, but had one interception. Mahomes, meanwhile, completed 12 of 18 passes for 103 yards.
The 49ers won the opening toss and elected to defer. After holding the Chiefs on their first series, the 49ers moved downfield and scored on a 38-yard field goal by Gould to give San Francisco a 3-0 lead with 7:57 remaining in the first quarter.
The Chiefs came right back, converting a key fourth-and-1 play inside the 5-yard-line. Mahomes then bootlegged to the right, faking a pitch, before scoring on a 1-yard run with 31 seconds left in the period. The extra point made it 7-3 Kansas City.
An interception by the Chiefs’ Bashaud Breeland led to Kansas City’s second score, a 31-yard field goal by Harrison Butker that made it 10-3 with 9:32 remaining in the half.
The 49ers tied the game at 10 when Garopollo hit Kyle Juszczyk for a 15-yard touchdown with 5:05 remaining before halftime.
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Super Bowl 2020: Chiefs vs. 49ers game action Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes reacts after Kansas City picks up a first down during the first quarter. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)