The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX, but they couldn't have done it without a truly unbelievable performance from the team's defense.
The unit did not blitz once in 42 dropbacks, per Next Gen Stats, and managed to sack Patrick Mahomes a whopping six times—the most in one game in the 29-year-old superstar's career. They also forced three turnovers, including an electric pick-six from rookie Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean, and held the Chiefs to just 275 total yards.
K.C.'s sloppier-than-normal offensive performance made it a bit easier, no doubt. But the Eagles' defense picked the best day to shine.
And quarterback Jalen Hurts, your Super Bowl MVP, knows it. During his post-game interview with Erin Andrews, the QB took a minute to shout out his defense for the work they put in to secure the win.
"I think No. 1, defense wins championships," Hurts said. "Defense wins championships. And we saw how they played today. We saw the difference they made in the game. They gave us opportunities ... and we were able to do what we do."
Super Bowl Champion QB @JalenHurts joins @ErinAndrews after the @Eagles W! pic.twitter.com/y46ZGUbcja
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) February 10, 2025
In the end, the Birds handily defeated the Chiefs 40–22, though it would have been a much larger lead had it not been for some wild last-minute magic from Mahomes. Vegas was expecting a very close game—the line before the game was around 1.5 points—but it's safe to say no one believed the Chiefs would be shut out of the first half entirely. And the Eagles have their defense to thank, in large part, for that.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jalen Hurts Gives Major Shoutout to Eagles' Defense Right After Winning Super Bowl.
