The embrace lasted nine seconds, with Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt rocking back and forth, his left arm patting Tammy Reid’s back over and over.
This was at 10:05 p.m., after the Chiefs’ 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, and it was a bit of comfort for Hunt after a difficult day.
It was his first Super Bowl appearance with the Chiefs — and at age 29, it might’ve also been his last.
But in Sunday night’s aftermath at the Caesars Superdome, nothing felt better than hugging coach Andy Reid’s wife, while only being able to utter two words to her:
“It’s tough.”
These were the emotions of the Chiefs’ locker room following a Super Bowl loss — an unfamiliar sight considering the team’s joyous celebrations after championships the last two seasons.
In one corner of the cramped and humid space, rookie receiver Xavier Worthy put his chair against a corner and pressed his head back against the wall, eyes staring directly at the ceiling.
On the other end was running back Isiah Pacheco, arms leaned back on a laundry cart, staring at the floor in the distance. His headphones would eventually play music, but here, Pacheco had them tucked behind his ears as he processed what had just happened.
A few steps away near the entrance, quarterback Patrick Mahomes grabbed a green towel, placing it over his head a few seconds before standing up to exit the room.
Meanwhile, Tammy Reid provided a literal shoulder to lean on just outside the entrance.
Dressed all in gold — including coat, pants and heels — she depressed her right elbow onto a purple Super Bowl LIX barrier, waiting as each player and coach walked by her on the way to the team bus.
That included defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who said four words before leaning in to greet her.
“Sorry about that one,” he whispered in a somber tone.
Mahomes came later, extending his right arm wide to wrap it around Tammy Reid before she patted his back and gave him a peck on the right cheek.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) meet on the field after the Eagles’ 40-22 victory over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. Emily Curiel/ ecuriel@kcstar.com
Inside the locker room, Andy Reid re-entered and made sure to get back to one group in particular. He stretched a hand out to right tackle Jawaan Taylor — “You’re all right, man” — before similarly going up and down the line to encourage each of his offensive linemen.
This certainly isn’t how any of the Chiefs envisioned it going — especially with the chance Sunday for the NFL’s first-ever three-peat.
“This hurts, and we need to learn from it,” Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal said. “That’s obviously the goal.”
In his third season with the Chiefs, Chenal had never lost a playoff game before Sunday. Some of his teammates had previously discussed with him the ache of losing Super Bowl LV against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now, he understood.
“You feel the pain that it caused, with the guys that are still here,” Chenal said. “And I’m sure that’s going to be somewhat similar — maybe more so.”
Chenal had red eyes while talking with reporters in front of his locker. He said most disappointing was not the effort; he said that was not in question, based on how guys played.
Instead, the Chiefs made too many mistakes.
“Every single one of us,” Chenal said, “feels there’s plays that we wish we had back.”
He had a personal example ready, too.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson (35) and linebacker Leo Chenal (54) in the third quarter during Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. Tammy Ljungblad/ tljungblad@kcstar.com
Just before the end of the half, he said teammate Nick Bolton had effectively communicated his assignment to him before the snap. His job was to be in a specific zone area for his team.
He left that location. And as a result, Chenal said, Eagles receiver A.J. Brown caught a 12-yard touchdown pass that helped push Philadelphia’s lead to 24-0.
JALEN HURTS TO AJ BROWN TOUCHDOWN
24-0 THE BIRDS ARE FUCKING HUNTING
— Barstool Philly (@BarstoolPhilly) February 10, 2025
“He’s constantly a leader for us, and always there for me and everybody on the team,” Chenal said of fellow linebacker Bolton. “And I wasn’t there for him that moment. So it definitely stings.”
Overall, the Chiefs had more frequent issues offensively. They mustered just 23 yards in the first half and were overwhelmed in the trenches, with the Eagles pressuring Mahomes on 38.1% of his dropbacks — the fifth-highest rate of his career, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Philadelphia accomplished all that without blitzing once in the game.
“At the end of the day, players (have) got to play. We didn’t execute,” Brown said. “Once you get behind, it’s football. You play against a good team, it’s how you lose.”
Chenal admitted he was ready for his own version of therapy. He looked forward to returning home to his family, saying he needed to give them some hugs.
This game, he knew, was going to take a while to get over.
“We had a good opportunity here,” Chenal said, “and we just didn’t take advantage of it.“
© 2025 the Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.). Visit www.mercedsunstar.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
