NEW ORLEANS, LA -- Super Bowl LIX lies ahead for the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Two teams have been preparing for nearly two weeks now. Whoever wins more battles will ultimately win the war. One of those matchups won't be hard to miss. K.C.'s dangerous wide receivers and the Eagles' young defensive backs is certainly must-see television.
Darius Slay leads the Birds DBs as a team captain and veteran. He has shown Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean the ropes all season. Two blossoming rookies, Q and Coop have taken countless lessons from Slay and will need to show what they learned on Super Bowl Sunday during the 'Big Game.'
As for the challenges that lie ahead, both sides agree the matchup will be testing and have nothing but respect for each other. All of that takes a backseat when kickoff occurs. Both teams share the same goal. Only one side will see their dreams fulfilled.
Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell say Darius Slay has played a big role in their acclimation
The Eagles selected Mitchell and DeJean with the 22nd and 40th picks respectively in the 2024 NFL Draft. They were relatively raw talents then. They leaned on Slay's expertise and their cornerbacks coach, Roy Anderson.
The secondary had been headed by Slay and fellow cornerback James Bradberry dating back to the Eagles' Super Bowl run in 2023. But with Bradberry injured and Slay growing older, the writing was on the wall at the beginning of the season.
Mitchell and DeJean had to step in and play big roles right away. Early struggles occurred team-wide, and a 2-2 record resulted. The media groaned as Philly's season appeared headed for another disappointment, but the defense turned it around after the team's Week 5 bye.
Part of that turnaround was attributable to Slay's veteran presence."[Darius Slay] helped us grow as young guys," DeJean said at Tuesday's Super Bowl media availability. "He's led us throughout this whole year and taught us how to be pros."
The defense proceeded to allow fewer than 20 total points in eight of the team's last 11 regular-season games. That helped the Eagles to a 14-win season and positioned them for a playoff run that culminated in a Super Bowl appearance.
Eagles secondary is keeping the fun aspect in football this season.
As the Eagles head into Super Bowl Sunday, Chiefs wide receiver Hollywood Brown says it's the fun aspect he sees on tape—something that may not have been there before Philadelphia's Week 5 bye.
"You can tell those guys are having a lot of fun," Brown said. "They have [Darius] Slay in there. Veterans... And, the young guys have really stepped up this year."
Mitchell agreed with Brown, affirming that the group has played with much joy since their early-season setback. "Football is fun, so we're just playing together," Mitchell said. "Everybody's on one page, doing the same thing—it's fun. We went through a lot this season, and there has been a lot of growth."
What might not be very fun? The threat that Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his offense pose as the Eagles look to get past the back-to-back champs to claim their second Super Bowl in the last eight seasons.
Can the Eagles stop the Chiefs explosive offense?
Mahomes threw for nearly 4,000 passing yards and tallied 26 passing touchdowns in the regular season, leading the Chiefs to a league-best 15-2 record. Though he went through a 'down year,' Mahomes still has his team in position to complete the NFL's first 'three-peat,' thanks, in part, to his big-time plays down the stretch.
"I think the way that he leads the offense—he gets everybody working well together," DeJean said. "What he can do as a quarterback, the way he can throw the ball, put it in tight spaces, use his legs—he's a pretty special player."
Not only will Mahomes raise issues for the Eagles, but so will the players he's set to throw to. DeAndre Hopkins, Xavier Worthy, and Brown head the Chiefs' wide receiver corps. Veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has also played a big role in the playoffs.
We said all of that without mentioning Travis Kelce. Kansas City's all-world tight end has posed a big threat over the past few years. Stopping him is a huge task for the Philadelphia defense—DeJean and Mitchell understand what lies ahead.
"It's going to be a challenge," DeJean said. "Anytime you get this late in the season, it's always going to be a challenge. Their receivers know how to get open and work with their quarterback, so it's going to be a challenge for us."
Mitchell agreed with DeJean, saying, "They play together. Everyone has a different skill set. They have a great quarterback, so I see great things." The Eagles have played against great quarterbacks this season and have gotten by them time and time again.
They held Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in check during the NFC Championship Game. They held Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers to just ten points in the Wild Card Round, but they have been battle-tested all season. They were very impressive vs. the MVP-level Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13.
Mahomes is a different animal though. You never know what to expect of him when he has the ball in his hands. If the Chiefs are down, they are never out. He always makes magic happen and has proven to have done it countless times.
Time will tell which side gives in, but both teams understand the tall task that lies ahead. Philly had better bring their A-game. Winning a second Vince Lombardi Trophy won't be easy.
