It’s a Super Bowl rematch, of sorts, between the Chiefs and 49ers.
It was just four years ago in Miami Gardens, Fla., that these two teams faced off, with Patrick Mahomes winning his first Super Bowl MVP as he led the Chiefs to a comeback win late in the fourth quarter.
Since then, Kansas City has become this decade’s answer to the Patriots’ dominance of yesteryear.
The Niners, meanwhile, have not been back to another Super Bowl, disappointingly missing the playoffs after the 2020 season before losing two straight NFC title games.
After coming back to beat the Lions last week, though, they’re back on the sport’s biggest stage.
So what happened in Super Bowl 2020?
The Post offers a refresher course.
Q: What happened when these teams played four years ago?
A: The Chiefs used a 21-point fourth quarter to earn a 31-20 victory, their first championship since Super Bowl IV.
The 49ers controlled most of the game, with the Chiefs struggling to handle Deebo Samuel, and Mahomes throwing a pair of interceptions. After Raheem Mostert’s 1-yard touchdown run, San Francisco led 20-10, which remained the score deep into the fourth quarter.
But on third-and-15 with 7:13 to go, the Chiefs called “Jet Chip Wasp,” resulting in a 44-yard Tyreek Hill catch that changed the game.
From there, Travis Kelce quickly scored, the 49ers went three-and-out and Mahomes drove down the field again with a 65-yard, seven-play drive that ended in a Damien Williams score.
Jimmy Garoppolo was sacked on fourth down to seal the game for Kansas City, which added another Williams touchdown for good measure.
Q: What were the biggest plays in that one?
“Jet Chip Wasp” — the big third-down pass to Hill — became the most famous and turned the game around.
Williams’ go-ahead score, a close call that was upheld, but not confirmed, after review.
Garoppolo’s 42-yard pass to George Kittle at the end of the first half was nullified by offensive pass interference — leading the 49ers to kneel out the clock at the end of the half and likely costing them at least three points.
Frank Clark’s fourth-down sack as the 49ers were driving to tie the game all but ended San Francisco’s chance of coming back.
Q: How similar are these teams now compared to then?
A: In terms of big names, Kansas City isn’t too different. Mahomes and Kelce are still there, as is coach Andy Reid, though Hill was traded to the Dolphins ahead of the 2022 season.
The Niners have a different quarterback, Brock Purdy, and a different running back in Christian McCaffrey, but it’s still a Kyle Shanahan offense and Samuel is still a major factor.
Defensively, Fred Warner and Nick Bosa are still big pieces for San Francisco, as is Chris Jones for the Chiefs. Four years ago, though, George Karalaftis — who leads Kansas City in sacks — was playing at Purdue.
Niners defensive end Chase Young was at Ohio State and then the Commanders before getting traded prior to this season.
Q: The head coaches are the same. What about the coordinators?
A: Shanahan runs the 49ers’ offense himself, so that is the same.
Former Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is still in the same role for Kansas City, as well, having helped the Chiefs to the league’s second-ranked defense this season.
But the two coordinators who got most of the press headed into the game four years ago are gone. Robert Saleh was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator at the time; he just finished his third season coaching the Jets.
Former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy changed jobs ahead of this season, moving to the same role with the Commanders.
