Maybe it was Usher’s star-studded halftime show that inspired the Kansas City Chiefs and their superstar quarterback Pat Mahomes in the second half to win their third Super Bowl in four years with a thrilling 25-22 OT victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas.
Or, perhaps, it was just inevitable that Mahomes, a Black quarterback, was inspired by the pregame singing of “Lift Every Voice,” and the bold “End Racism” sign painted at each end zone. Or could it have been a combination of all of the above along with the specter of playing a 49ers team where Colin Kaepernick took a stand for Black Lives Matter that’s cost him a football career?
Whatever it was, Mahomes once again proved why he’s worth every penny of his mega $500 million-plus contract and why, on the football field at least, he overshadows the Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift media frenzy. Mahomes helped Kansas City overcome a stifling 49ers defense and San Francisco’s potent offense after being stifled in the first half. The Chiefs trailed 10-3 at the half, and it appeared they couldn’t figure out how to break through the 49er’s defense, while the Chiefs’ own defense had all kinds of trouble limiting Brock Purdy and his offense.
While they gathered in the locker room after two quarters, Usher took center stage and not only whipped out all of his classic hits but brought out several A-list superstars to punctuate the Apple Music Halftime Show. With Alicia Keys joining in with her hit, “If I Ain’t Got You,” and the collab “My Boo,” chart-topper H.E.R. rocked the Allegiance Stadium crown with a blistering solo on “U Got It Bad.” Will.i.am then joined Usher on “OMG,” and Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon, and Ludacris helped close Usher’s set with “Yeah.”
The Chiefs got the ball to start the second half, but they didn’t solve the 49ers. At least not at the start.