Tyreek Hill became the first Coffee Trojan to win a Super Bowl when he helped lead his Kansas City Chiefs back seemingly from the dead against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday night in Super Bowl LIV in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Chiefs were down 20-10 in the fourth quarter when the Chiefs went on a 21-0 scoring run to defeat San Francisco 31-20.
The 49ers kept Hill out of the end zone but he still managed to lead all Kansas City receivers with nine catches for 105 yards. His longest reception, a 44-yarder from quarterback Patrick Mahomes, was the longest play from scrimmage for either team. Seven of his catches came during the second half.
The two teams went into halftime tied at 10 apiece. The 49ers came out for the third quarter and put up 10 unanswered points to take what appeared to be a comfortable 20-10 lead as the fourth quarter began. Then two things happened: the Chiefs’ defense stiffened and Mahomes and the offense found their stride. Hill hadn’t been much of a factor for the first three quarters. In the fourth, he showed just how quickly he can change a game. In a post-game interview, Mahomes stated that the biggest play of the night was the 44-yard pass to Hill. “I think it was the big throw to Tyreek down the sideline. For him to keep running and working and me to put it out there and him to make a play, that kind of got us going. We were in a bad situation. I think it was third and 15 and for him to make that play got us rolling and as we got rolling, guys started making plays back-to-back,” said Mahomes.
Hill went down on the 49ers’ 21-yard line. Four plays later, Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for a one-yard touchdown pass that, along with the point after, brought the Chiefs to within three points. Kansas City would score on its next two possessions to take a 31-20 lead and eventually win the game. Mahomes was named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player.
Hill wasn’t the only South Georgia player to win a Super Bowl ring in Miami Gardens. Cameron Erving, an offensive lineman, is from Norman Park. He attended high school at Colquitt County and, later, at Florida State University.
Hill also wasn’t the only former Trojan in Miami on Super Bowl Sunday. Kentavious Street, who played at Coffee as a freshman and sophomore before moving to North Carolina, is a member of the 49ers’ defensive line. He did not play due to injury.