As the night progressed, a large police presence formed and used smoke bombs to disperse the crowds and send people home. However, police scanner audio indicates that multiple arrests had already been made. In 2018, when the Eagles beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl, authorities had coated posts around the city with grease to prevent fans from climbing them. However, this time around, a car was overturned in North Philadelphia by a large crowd of Eagles fans before the game began.
This frustration may have contributed to the chaos seen across the city
The Super Bowl win by the Chiefs was not an easy feat. Despite being the 1.5-point underdogs, they not only trailed for much of the game but also struggled to contain Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, who played an outstanding game. Hurts threw for 304 yards and one touchdown, while also running for three scores and a two-point conversion that tied the game at 35 in the fourth quarter. However, his final pass fell short, and the win was given to the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ superstar quarterback, played a key role in the victory, making a characteristic comeback in the second half despite an existing ankle injury.
The loss was further exacerbated by a costly second-quarter fumble and a late-game penalty that allowed the opposing team to kick a game-winning field goal with eight seconds left. This frustration may have contributed to the chaos seen across the city, with citizens throwing punches and attempting to overrun police-occupied locations. Police scanners and footage from the scene indicate that multiple officers were assaulted amid the outpouring of anger. The full extent of the unrest will likely not be known until morning, and many hope that it will not be as severe as the aftermath of the Phillies’ loss to the Houston Astros in November, which resulted in a shooting that left nine wounded, five critically.
