Looking at some facts linking the Eagles and the Chiefs originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs have dominated the NFL this season.
Both teams are entering Super Bowl LVII having won their conference championships. They will meet in Glendale, Arizona for the big game at the Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium.
The two franchises have never met in the Super Bowl, but have met nine times in the regular season. Kansas City has beaten Philadelphia in their last three meetings (2013, 2017, 2021), but Super Bowl Sunday is a completely different kind of game.
What other connections do these two teams have? Here are 10 ties that connect the Eagles and the Chiefs:
Both teams were the No. 1 seed after going 14-3
The regular season was eerily similar for the Eagles and Chiefs. They were the only two teams to finish 14-3, each going 9-3 within their conference. The Eagles had a +133 point differential, the Chiefs were at +127. Both teams have won seven games at home and seven away.
Both teams have played (and won) at State Farm Stadium this season
When the teams step off their planes in Arizona, they will enter familiar territory. The Chiefs visited the Cardinals in Week 1 and walked away with a 44-21 win, while the Eagles defeated the Cardinals 20-17 in Week 5.
Miraculously, whoever wins the Super Bowl will finish the 2022 season with more wins at State Farm Stadium than the hometown Cardinals (who went 1-8).
Both teams have a brother Kelce
For the first time in NFL history, two brothers will face off in the Super Bowl. Eagles center Jason Kelce and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce aren’t just random players either. They are arguably the best players in the NFL at their respective positions. Each was named AP First-Team All-Pro this season, Jason’s fifth time on the team and Travis’s fourth.
The brothers each have a Super Bowl ring, so this matchup could spell lifelong bragging rights. Their mother, Donna, is sure to be in the crowd wearing her patented uniform uniform. Last year, she traveled from Tampa Bay to Kansas City to watch two playoff games on the same day. She won’t have to travel this year to see both of her children play.
Both coaches were employed by the opposing team
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni both have ties to their opposition.
Reid was the head coach of the Eagles from 1999 to 2012, winning a team record 130 games. He has never won a Super Bowl, but he did win the NFC title in 2004 and has only lost three seasons in 14 years. Reid, 64, took over the Chiefs in 2013 and has never had a losing season in KC.
Sirianni was an assistant coach with the Chiefs from 2009 to 2012, serving as offensive quality control coach, wide receivers coach, and assistant quarterbacks coach. He did not work under Reid, as he was not retained when Reid was hired in 2013.
Both starting quarterbacks are from Texas
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes are both Texas natives. Hurts was born in Houston and attended nearby Channelview High School. Mahomes has even deeper ties to Texas: He was born in Tyler, attended Whitehouse High School and attended Texas Tech University.
Both teams have played in one Super Bowl in the past five years
This isn’t the first rodeo for the Eagles and Chiefs. Philly has three previous Super Bowl trips and Kansas City has four, plus both have played in the big game for the last five seasons.
The Eagles are 1-2 in their first three trips, losing in 1980 and 2004 before winning in 2017. The Chiefs have two wins in four tries, winning in 1969 and 2019 and tumbling in 1966 and 2020.
Both teams led their conference in sacks
Both of these teams know how to rush the passer. The Eagles led the league with 70 sacks in the regular season, ranking third all-time. The Chiefs led the AFC and were second in the league with 55 sacks in the regular season. Their passing dominance continued into the postseason, with the Eagles posting eight sacks and the Chiefs seven in two games.
Both teams allowed equal points in the two playoff games
The Eagles have had far fewer problems in the postseason, amassing a +55 differential to the Chiefs’ +10. But both defenses have been consistent for two games. Philly allowed seven points against both the Giants and 49ers, while Kansas City allowed 20 points against both the Jaguars and Bengals.
Both teams were involved in star receiver trades this past offseason
There were a number of star wideouts traded this past offseason, and two of the biggest deals involved the Eagles and Chiefs: one team adding, one team subtracting.
The Eagles acquired AJ Brown from the Titans in exchange for two draft picks, a move that immediately paid dividends. Brown had 88 receptions, 1,496 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in a breakout season.
The Chiefs traded their star, sending Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins for five draft picks. Even without the fast weapon, the Kansas City offense didn’t miss a beat. Mahomes’ team is scoring 29.2 points per game this season, one point higher than in 2021 when they had Hill.
Both cities are famous for their iconic dishes
OK, this doesn’t exactly involve the two teams. But we had to talk about food when the two cities have such famous meals.
Philadelphia is known for the Philly cheesesteak, a sandwich of thinly sliced steak and melted cheese on a hoagie roll. Kansas City has its own style of barbecue, which includes a variety of slow-smoked meats seasoned with a thick, sweet sauce.
