NEW ORLEANS -- When the Chiefs wrapped up their 32-29 win over the Bills in the AFC Championship Game, a possibility became reality: Super Bowl LIX would be a rematch between two of the NFL's strongest clubs.
Just two years ago, Kansas City and Philadelphia squared off in one of the most thrilling, high-flying Super Bowls in NFL history. It ended in a Chiefs win, their first of two straight and potentially the start of the league's first three-peat in the Super Bowl era.
This time around, many of the key characters remain. Between the Chiefs and Eagles, 27 starters from Super Bowl LVII return. But make no mistake -- these are two different teams squaring off in a different season.
"It's not the same roster," Eagles cornerback Darius Slay said Monday during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night. "We're not the '22 roster, we're the '24 Eagles. So it's not the same roster. I think it's just the next big game we can have and we're looking forward to it."
It is indeed a big game, or as Slay put it Monday night, the final game of the 2024 season. There is no tomorrow for either team after Sunday.
For the Chiefs, they're quite familiar with this environment. Kansas City outlasted Philadelphia in Super Bowl LVII, then returned to the grand stage a year later to defeat the San Francisco 49ers in overtime in Super Bowl LVIII -- a Super Bowl rematch, as well.
The Eagles know a bit, too, and are eager to use the experience gained from their time in Phoenix two years ago to their advantage in the Big Easy.
"I've learned so much," Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said. "It's the same as any other game and, you know, I think the moments are the moments but ultimately, you know, every game has its lesson -- good, bad or indifferent. So, just being able to become wiser, grow and mature and take all these lessons in for the next season and the next games.
"It's had a great driving force. It lit a flame, lit a fire in me, and to have this opportunity again is exactly what you work for."
The Eagles are, like any team, embracing the challenge that awaits them.
Kansas City is still built around quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones, but as is the case with every team, the characters have changed. These squads aren't simply running back their meeting in the desert from the 2022 season.
That said, familiarity should help. Receiver A.J. Brown has a good idea of what he should expect when they take the field at the Caesar's Superdome on Sunday.
"I think their DNA's still the same," Brown said. "Still got some of the same players. They added some players, but the DNA's -- that's who they are. And they haven't changed. It's going to be tough regardless."
Luckily, that experience has removed some of the luster of being on such a massive stage for these Eagles. They're not the wide-eyed group that's just happy to be there. Count Slay among the veterans who learned a few things from their first Super Bowl trip.
This time around, as Slay said, it's a business trip.
"I kind of had fun. Not saying 'kind of had fun,' but more like trying to enjoy what was going on," Slay said of the lead-up to Super Bowl LVII. "Now that I've been here twice, I'm just like 'Hey, I'm locked in, I'm dialed in.' Even though I was dialed in during the game, like, I told my family 'I'll see y'all when I see y'all.' Ain't nobody coming to the hotel to hang out. I ain't got time for all that this time."
For some Eagles -- like tackle Lane Johnson -- it's appearance No. 3. They've all come to understand how rare such an opportunity is, and the last thing they want to be doing late Sunday night is once again lamenting what could have been.
He already did that enough after their loss in Super Bowl LVII.
"When you go back and look at it, there were some plays we'd definitely like to have back," Johnson said. "But I credit Kansas City for what they've established and how they've been here consistently for the past five out of six years. So I think this year maybe we can be more focused as a group."
Focus is paramount for any team playing in the Super Bowl, but it's never guaranteed. These Eagles, however, seem to understand the task at hand. On Monday night, they exuded confidence as if they'd been here before -- because they have been.
This time around, they're hoping it leads to a better ending.
