The Kansas City Chiefs will make a second consecutive appearance in the Super Bowl, thanks to their 38-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills Sunday in the AFC Championship game, and a handful of tires in Utah will try to play another game when the Chiefs. play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.
Kansas City overcame an early 9-0 deficit against Buffalo to advance to the NFL title game as Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, slammed for Sunday’s 325-yard, three-time victory.
Chiefs’ Utah ties are back after Super Bowl
- Former BYU security Daniel Sorensen, who scored six times in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory last year, was a frontrunner in the secondary Kansas City series in his seventh pro season.
- Former Utah State Run Darwin Thompson earned a ring as a rookie last season. He was a reserve in his second year.
- Marcus Kemp, a former wide receiver of Layton High, recently rejoined the Chiefs’ training group. He was on an injured reserve last year when Kansas City won the title.
- Head Coach Andy Reid, a former BYU linebacker and degree assistant, won his first Super Bowl title as head coach last year. He is in his 22nd season as NFL head coach.
- Defensive quality control coach Alex Whittingham, a former Utah player and the son of Utyle’s coach, Kyle Whittingham, is in his third season in Reid’s staff.
- Offensive quality control coach Porter Ellett, a BYU degree of Loa, Utah, has spent the previous three years as Reid’s senior assistant before moving on to his current role this season.
The opponent: Tampa Bay
The Buccaneers, the Chiefs’ opponents in Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7 after Tampa Bay beat Green Bay 31-26 in Sunday’s NFC Championship game, have no Utah ties on their rankings.
Tom Brady surpassed Aaron Rodgers as the Buccaneers built up a 28-10 lead before they could withstand a late rally effort from the Packers. Tampa Bay will be the first team to play in its home stadium for the Super Bowl.
How Utah Tires Done Sunday
A look at how Utah has ties to active rosters in Sunday’s AFC and NFC championship games:
Buccaneers 31, Packers 26
Tampa Bay
Green Bay
- Jordan Love, QB, State of Utah: Not active for games.
- Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU: 7 dra, 23 meters; 4 receptions, 22 meters; 1 kick back, 30 yards.
Chiefs 38, Bills 24
Kansas City
- Daniel Sorensen, S, BYU: Start with free safety, 6 tackles (5 solo-stop), 1 quarterback rushing.
- Darwin Thompson, RB, State of Utah: Played as reserve.
Buffalo
- Jordan Devey, OL, Snow College and American Fork High: Not active for games.
- Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Start by nickelback, 5 tackles (3 solo-stops), 2 pass-deflections.