The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will face off in a Super Bowl rematch at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La. on Feb. 9. While the Eagles will be seeking to avenge their loss from the 2023 matchup, the Chiefs are aiming to become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win three straight championships. The Emory Wheel staff have weighed in with their predictions on who will emerge victorious in this high-stakes showdown.
Kansas City Chiefs
Will Peck, Sports Editor
If I wanted to make this interesting, I could talk about how this game will be a clash between two titans. I could go into detail about the Eagles’ star-studded offense and their potent rushing attack led by superhuman running back Saquon Barkley, or how they are sure to be the more informed team thanks to avid reader wide receiver A.J. Brown. I could talk about the playmakers on the Eagles’ defense, including game-wrecker Jalen Carter at defensive tackle, or how Philadelphia’s insufferable head coach Nick Sirianni will attempt to silence his doubters and get his revenge on the team that denied him a Super Bowl win two years ago. I could even take my analysis off the field and talk about the Chiefs’ remarkable win percentage (.86) with Taylor Swift in attendance and the excitement that comes along with tight end Travis Kelce facing off against his brother and “New Heights” podcast co-star Jason Kelce’s former team.
But, as far as I’m concerned, these things do not matter. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is undeniable. The trio of Mahomes, Kelce and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid coupled with some wizardry from defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s group is unbeatable until proven otherwise. I refuse to pick against the Chiefs in big moments unless their opponent’s name is Tom Brady.
KC 34 - PHI 24
Catherine Goodman, Arts & Life Editor
Since her debut in 2006, Taylor Swift has collaborated with artists across genres, including but not limited to Tim McGraw, Ed Sheeran and Lana Del Rey. However, Swift’s collaborations with rappers are few and far between. Kendrick Lamar — the Super Bowl halftime show headliner — is one of the few hip-hop musicians to infiltrate her deep discography. Is it a coincidence that Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, will vie for his third Super Bowl title the same night that her musical companion controls the mic? I think not.
Nevertheless, the Eagles — led by quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley — pose a large threat to the Chiefs’ enterprise. Barkley is on the brink of breaking the all-time single-season rushing yards record, so he’s got more on the line than some bling. The Eagles’ offensive line is strong, even following powerhouse Jason Kelce’s retirement. Despite these strengths, the Eagles will likely fall just short of a Super Bowl win, following in the footsteps of the San Francisco 49ers, who the Chiefs narrowly defeated in Super Bowl LVIII. I predict many forlorn Eagles fans will have “Bad Blood” (feat. Kendrick Lamar) (2015) with the Chiefs following Feb. 9.
KC 28 - PHI 20
Spencer Friedland, Managing Editor
Another year has come, and yet again, the Chiefs will be victorious in their quest to achieve the ultimate prize in sports — the Vince Lombardi Trophy. We are witnessing greatness and perhaps a dynasty unparalleled in the sport of football. For the first time ever, a team will “three-peat” in the NFL, allowing tight end Travis Kelce and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid to ride off into the sunset.
Despite their difficulty winning games by a large margin this season, the Chiefs are now firing on all cylinders with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnoulo’s defense saving them just in time to allow quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ magic to come through in divisional and conference championship rounds.
The Chiefs have an abundance of talent with stellar athletes within every position group, as do the – yuck – Eagles. Unfortunately for the City of Brotherly Love, the Chiefs have Mahomes, the most talented quarterback to ever grace the gridiron. Mahomes, with the help of the refs, will propel the Chiefs to their fourth Super Bowl win in five years and cement the Reid-Mahomes-led franchise into the upper echelon of American sports dynasties.
I predict that the Eagles will earn a quick lead before Mahomes storms back with the help of the refs in the second half to be crowned world champions.
KC 34 - PHI 31
Philadelphia Eagles
Clement Lee, Managing Editor
It’s like déjà vu. This is the same rematch as Super Bowl LVII in 2023: Eagles vs. Chiefs. I won’t offer an in-depth analysis or a prediction based on stats. I already know the subservient refs will make bogus calls to get quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce to the finish line (again, again and again – when will it end?!). I’ve said it a million times in these Wheel Super Bowl predictions: It is not a hot take that the NFL is rigged for higher viewership ratings.
But this is the year everything might change. 2025 may be the year of rebirth, so I still have hope in the Eagles. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has had a magnificent postseason, completing 69.6% of his passes, and running back Saquon Barkley has averaged 6.7 rushing yards per attempt in the postseason and accumulated over 2,000 yards during the regular season. This clearly indicates that the offense is “locked in,” not to forget about the offensive line. While Mahomes tends to make incredible plays in clutch time, the Eagles’ defense looks more formidable compared to previous years. The additions of rookie defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have brought more physicality to the Eagles’ defense.
However, it’s important to note that nothing will change in your life whether the Chiefs or the Eagles win. You’re going to wake up, and it will be Monday. You’ll proceed with your daily routine, exchange hollow remarks about the game with your colleagues as if “The Big Game” had any significance, and, by noon, no one will care — until next season, when the cycle continues.
PHI 32 - KC 31 (3OT)
Sasha Melamud, Sports Feature Desk
I don’t watch American football. To me, it’s just a WWE version of rugby, and I have no statistical evidence in my football reservoir to pull from. So, let’s make predictions on who will win Super Bowl LIX based solely on key players’ astrological charts. For those who are invested in astrology, know that I will be using only Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ moons to determine this outcome, not any other transits (don’t come at me). For those that aren’t as familiar with astrology, moons, when reading an astrological chart, directly correlate with emotions.
Kelce was born Oct. 5, 1989, in Westlake, Ohio, making him a Libra with a moon in Sagittarius. On Feb. 9, our moon may be in Gemini — in direct opposition with Kelce’s moon. Planets in opposition create inner emotional turmoil, so it’s shaping up to be a bad night for the Chiefs — and thank God for that, because I’m really over them. The real question is, will Kelce still propose to Taylor Swift if he has to go home without a ring of his own?
Born in Houston, Texas on Aug. 7, 1998, Hurts is an Aquarius moon with a sun in Leo. He was also born on a full moon! His moon in Aquarius is compatible with a moon in Gemini, so if all align on Feb. 9, the Eagles may have some extra luck on their side.
Therefore, the Eagles have a better chance of claiming Super Bowl LIX. The moon said it, not me.
Sammy Brodsky, Assistant Sports Editor
Due to superstitious reasons, I am unable to give a prediction, but as a lifelong die-hard Eagles fan, I would like to say my piece on why our fans are the best in the NFL. For most fanbases, supporting a team is a hobby, a seasonal practice that results in social gatherings and short-lived emotions. You watch your team, you win or lose and you go about your day. This is not the case for Eagles fans. There’s a reason why the poles in downtown Philly have to be greased not only before the Super Bowl, but also before the conference championship. There’s a reason why a Philadelphia fan threw shade at the receiving mishaps that led to an Eagles loss earlier in the day while he was being interviewed on the local news about saving multiple babies from a fire. There’s a reason why every morning I wake up to “Fly, Eagles Fly.”
To an average American sports fan, the behavior of Eagles fans comes off as excessive, rowdy and hateful. We don’t want opposing fans in our stadiums. When a player bad mouths our beloved team, best believe they’re getting booed. We threw snowballs at Santa Claus when we lost on Christmas. The thing is, it’s not hate, it’s passion. It’s passion because my dad, and his parents before him, had to suffer through decades of disappointment. It's passion because before I knew how to read, I knew that birds were good and cowboys were the scum of the Earth. Most can’t comprehend our passion, and that’s fine. The world continues to criticize us, and we continue to not care. Go Birds.
Chloe Nam, Assistant Sports Editor
In 2023, the Eagles disappointed the entire City of Brotherly Love with a crushing loss to the Chiefs. Two years later, the Eagles are back with a thirst for revenge, and you best believe they won’t let a win pass them easily. Despite the Eagles’ success all regular season, with the fewest yards allowed per game (278.4) and the second-fewest points allowed (17.8 PPG), they are still regarded as the underdogs in their rematch against the Chiefs. In less than a week, the Eagles will break free from that label and take on that of the Super Bowl champions.
It’s undeniable that quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a force to be reckoned with, but he can’t carry a team that is incapable of protecting him. In the regular season, he was sacked 36 times, the most in his career. On the other hand, the Eagles have arguably the strongest offensive line in the league, which has provided quarterback Jalen Hurts with ample time to pass the ball. The Eagles are already stacked, and I haven’t even mentioned the powerhouse that is running back Saquon Barkley. The stats don’t lie, and Barkley is leading the league with 2,005 rushing yards. It would be a mistake to count the Eagles out.
I don’t care if Taylor Swift is outwardly cheering for the Chiefs – her lyrics in “gold rush” (2020) show where her heart lies: “With my Eagles T-shirt hanging from the door.” I predict the Eagles will win their second Super Bowl and make Philly fans proud.
PHI 28 - KC 24
Madeline Shapiro, Managing Editor
Please don’t let the Chiefs win, Eagles. It’s a story I’m tired of hearing. I know the Chiefs will probably win as they’ve been near perfect in championship scenarios the past few years, but I'll cast my prediction for the Eagles anyway. Maybe it’s because I’d love to see an “Abbott Elementary” episode where the Eagles actually win the Super Bowl. Or maybe it’s because, like most of America, I’d like to see a less common winner in the NFL’s biggest game.
Lola McGuire, Opinion Editor
Naturally, with Emory University’s aptness for sports and football, Emory’s Swoop will be meeting his cousin, also named Swoop, of the Eagles. That’s right — the name of the Eagles’ beloved mascot is, in fact, Swoop. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds, Philly’s Swoop is bound to put Emory’s often-forgotten mascot to shame. If the Eagles’ are able to trump Emory’s athletic prowess, then they are more than capable of beating the lowly Chiefs.
