Sunday's Super Bowl matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles should look pretty familiar. The Chiefs beat the Eagles in a classic championship bout just two years ago, 38–35 at Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Ariz.
Many of the principle players from that game will be on the field on Sunday. The Kansas City Chiefs still feature a dynamic passing attack led by Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, while Chris Jones makes his presence felt on the defensive line. Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are all back for the Eagles, but the team has gotten a huge lift from the addition of running back Saquon Barkley in free agency.
The NFL season is a grind, though, so there are plenty of changes to both teams' 53-man rosters—not only from the Super Bowl two years ago, but from Week 1 of the 2024–25 NFL season.
Here's a look at some of the most significant changes for both teams.
The Chiefs' running back room had a mid-season makeover with return of Kareem Hunt
Isiah Pacheco was set to be the bellcow for Kansas City this season, but dealt with injuries throughout the season, limiting him to just seven games. He's active for the Super Bowl, but after the other running backs on the depth chart look much different.
Former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire was on and off the reserve/non-football illness list and ultimately waived in December. Week 1 third-stringer Carson Steele got some run this season, but is now listed as a fullback, while Kareem Hunt joined the team in September for his second stint in Kansas City, after signing with the practice squad, shortly after Samaje Perine was added. Both veterans have roles in the offense, along with Pacheco, but Hunt led the team with 728 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, and continues to be the most active back in the postseason. Perine has also contributed in the return game.
Opening drive TD for Kareem Hunt and the @Chiefs!
— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2025
📺: #BUFvsKC on CBS
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus and Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/YILYnN78VH
Chiefs traded for five-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins after Rashee Rice injury
Rashee Rice, a 2023 second-round pick, was a revelation for Kansas City as a rookie, catching 79 passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns en route to a Super Bowl. After Rice went down for the season with a knee injury in early October, the Chiefs didn't rest on their laurels, trading for a potential future Hall of Famer: DeAndre Hopkins of the Tennessee Titans.
For the cost of a conditional fifth-round pick, the Chiefs added a reliable veteran, who tied for third on the team with 437 yards in just 10 games, on 59 receptions with four touchdowns. While he's been quiet so far this postseason, he adds a solid element to a passing attack led once again by tight end Travis Kelce, with rookie Xavier Worthy serving as the team's most productive wide receiver in 2024.
Eagles lost starting linebacker Nakobe Dean to injury during playoffs
Philadelphia was pretty durable throughout the season, but suffered a significant injury at linebacker as their run to Super Bowl LIX began. Nakobe Dean, the team's second leading tackler through the regular season (128 total), went down with a knee injury in the team's 22–10 wild-card round win over the Green Bay Packers.
This one's for Nakobe 💚@SmithNoland2 🤝 @NakobeDean pic.twitter.com/a7Vv12lCwZ
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 19, 2025
The linebacking corps is the unit in which the Eagles have seen the most significant shakeups. Zach Baun, one of the league's surprising breakout stars, remains entrenched, while Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has been a roleplayer all season. The team lost Ben VanSumeren to injury in November and released Devin White in October. Oren Burks was added to the active roster right before the start of the season and played a big part of that win over the Packers, forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff.
James Bradberry, a 2022 second-team All-Pro for the Eagles, was also expected to be a factor in the defensive backfield, but was put on injured reserve just ahead of the season with a leg injury. He did not appear in a game after being on the initial 53-man roster.
Super Bowl LIX kicks off 6:30 p.m. ET at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The game will be broadcast on Fox.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Analyzing the Super Bowl LIX Rosters: Biggest Changes From Preseason for Chiefs, Eagles.
