Fifty-eight seasons ago, the first Super Bowl took place in Los Angeles Jan. 15, 1967 at — you guessed it — the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Originally set to be played at the Rose Bowl, the Coliseum offered a newer bid and was selected Dec. 2, 1966. Today, the Coliseum is home to the Trojans, a program that has produced many NFL players who have made their way to the Super Bowl — legends such as Willie Wood, Ronnie Lott, Lynn Swann and Marcus Allen, to name a few.

In the final seconds of overtime in Super Bowl LVIII, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman scored the winning touchdown to give Kansas City the 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers, crushing the 49ers’ hopes of redeeming themselves after they’d lost to the Chiefs back in Super Bowl LIV. 

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As the Chiefs haul the hardware back to Missouri, they’ve earned the title of the NFL’s newest dynasty. They have become the seventh franchise to win four Super Bowls and the first to win back-to-back Super Bowls since Tom Brady and the Patriots did it nearly two decades ago. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also took home his third Super Bowl MVP award, tying him with Joe Montana for the second-most MVP awards in the championship game. 

“It was a heck of a run,” said Mahomes in a post-game interview. 

This is the second Super Bowl to have gone into overtime, the first time being Super Bowl LI when the Atlanta Falcons lost to the New England Patriots. 

Before the game, players on both teams walked toward the stadium with dazzling outfits. 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga in particular honored his Tongan heritage by wearing a traditional ta’ovala. Hufanga played for USC in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 seasons, where he was one of the top safeties in the nation. Because of his ACL injury he suffered in November, he could not play in the Super Bowl, but his presence on the team did not go unnoticed. 

“It’s great. There is no bittersweetness,” Hufanga said in an interview with The Mercury News. “This is the Super Bowl. We’re going to win a ring. That’s our goal — as a player, you never want to come in and lose. I’m very happy for my guys.”

Hufanga hopes to make a speedy recovery to play in the 2024-25 season.

This Super Bowl featured singer-songwriter Usher for the halftime show. In 2022, when the big game was in L.A., the halftime show featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar. This show showcased lots of old school hip-hop from the West Coast, but Usher brought Atlanta to Las Vegas. Usher brought out Sonic Boom, a marching band from Jackson State University which is an HBCU from Mississippi. This isn’t the only halftime show that has featured a marching band, but our very own Spirit of Troy has performed in three Super Bowls, including one back in 1987. 

A star off the field who knows L.A. well and did not go overlooked this Super Bowl was none other than Taylor Swift, who is currently dating tight-end Travis Kelce on the Chiefs. She joined Ice Spice and Blake Lively, who watched the game from a suite. After the game, Swift joined Kelce on the field to celebrate his win. Ever since Swift began dating Kelce, the NFL gained more viewers thanks to the Swifties. On Sunday, many viewed the game and rooted for the Chiefs just because of her. 

A famous alum from USC made it to the big game and it was none other than Saweetie. Her grandfather, Willie Harper, who played for the 49ers and won the Super Bowl back in 1981, is the reason why she reps the cardinal and gold. This year, she dropped a new 49ers anthem with Bay Area rapper P-Lo, called “Do It For The Bay.”

49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who was named Mr. Irrelevant (coined term given to the last pick of the draft) back in the 2022 NFL Draft, led his team to the Super Bowl in his second year in the NFL. Even though this was a tough loss for the team as a whole, the 49ers seem to have found their franchise quarterback. Purdy proved he is no longer irrelevant and has a promising career ahead of him. 

“I thought Brock did a good job. He gave us a chance to win,” Shanahan said at a press conference after the loss. 

Older veterans on the 49ers squad, such as offensive tackle Trent Williams and defensive lineman Arik Armstead, are looking at what might’ve been their last Super Bowl as their careers come close to an end. 

“You want to win for them,” said Purdy during a post-game interview. 

The Chiefs will go back home and celebrate with their city Feb. 15. Back when the Los Angeles Rams won their Super Bowl back in 2022, their victory parade began at the Shrine Auditorium and drove by USC to celebrate at the Coliseum.