Dark Brandon Super Bowl Reaction
President Joe Biden had conspiracy theorists in a tizzy after posting what appeared to be his reaction to the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl win on Sunday night. “Just like we drew it up,” Biden posted on X alongside a photo of “Dark Brandon,” the meme created by hardcore—and very online—supporters of Donald Trump that Biden and his team loved so much they adopted it as their own. The post was apparently referencing far-right conspiracy theories which posit the NFL and high-level government operatives conspired to rig the Super Bowl in Kansas City’s favor to give maximum exposure to a yet-to-be-announced endorsement from Chiefs star Travis Kelce and his girlfriend Taylor Swift. The Chiefs won the game in nail-biting fashion with a last-second touchdown, beating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime. Despite her post-game appearance, no word from Swift on any 2024 endorsement.
LAS VEGAS — Patrick Mahomes clustered on the sideline with the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive coaches and backup quarterbacks, discussing the play that would determine Super Bowl LVIII. A season pockmarked with slumps and sloppiness had reached the brink once more. One yard would decide whether the game would push deeper into overtime or meet a sudden end, whether the Chiefs could mint the NFL’s newest dynasty or become this city’s latest broken dream.
The Chiefs had called time out while facing fourth and one. They trailed the San Francisco 49ers by three points. The ball rested on Kansas City’s 34-yard line. The men decided on a play that would give Mahomes options. Based on how San Francisco defended it, Mahomes could hand off the ball, pass or run himself. Backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert had played only one season with Mahomes, but as he watched Mahomes trot back on to the field, he realized there would be no choice at all.
“I knew once we called that play, Patrick was taking it into his own hands,” Gabbert said.
Minutes later, after Mahomes had proved his backup prophetic, a Super Bowl unlike any other concluded with a familiar feeling. “Extreme joy,” Mahomes said later. The Chiefs’ 25-22 victory ended with a touchdown pass.
The Chiefs called “Tom and Jerry,” a version of the play they used to score the game-tying touchdown in last year’s Super Bowl against the Eagles. Mecole Hardman sprinted in motion from wide right, then stopped at the snap and sprinted into the flat back to the left. When Hardman saw cornerback Charvarius Ward back up, he knew he would catch the touchdown that would win the Super Bowl. He danced into an empty path of turf. Mahomes flipped him the easiest of the 34 passes he completed all night.
“Caught the football, and I blacked out,” Hardman said.
Mahomes sprinted down the sideline as confetti floated from the Allegiant Stadium ceiling. He dropped his helmet at the 35-yard line and collapsed to the ground, rolling on the turf with hands on his head.
Most every small boy in America who lays his hands on a football dreams of the scenario: Down by a field goal, in your own territory, one drive to win the Super Bowl. Most every quarterback never lives out the chance. Mahomes experienced it twice in the span of less than an hour Sunday night. He led two epic drives — one for a game-tying field goal at the end of the fourth quarter, another for a game-winning touchdown in the second Super Bowl overtime ever played — that made the Chiefs the first repeat champions since the New England Patriots 19 years ago.
“One of the greatest Super Bowls I’ve ever witnessed,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said.
Mahomes has surpassed any imagination. At 28, he has won three Super Bowl MVPs. Tom Brady, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw are the only quarterbacks who have hoisted more Lombardi Trophies than he has. In seven NFL seasons, six as a starter, he has built a career that places him among the all-time greats.
“I hope people remember not only the greatness that we have in the field, but the way that we’ve done it,” Mahomes said. “We’ve had a lot of great playoff runs. But this is going to be up there, because [of] just the way that we kind of continue to battle whenever times weren’t great.”
