The question the San Francisco defensive backs will spend the offseason asking themselves was probably the same one going through the mind of Patrick Mahomes in the split second that changed the Super Bowl on Sunday. 

How did Tyreek Hill get that open?

Clogged up for more than three quarters by Richard Sherman and a Niners defense that didn't give up big plays this season, Mahomes and the Chiefs finally found their opening. It was a 44-yard pass to Hill, the small-and-speedy wide receiver who got behind not one, not two, but three defenders on third-and-15 and with KC's hopes looking bleak in the fourth quarter.

That was the turning point in Kansas City's 31-20 victory, the key to its 21-point fourth quarter and the trigger point in the Chiefs' third straight comeback from a double-digit deficit in this year's postseason. This final one, on a cool crisp night in South Florida, earned them the Lombardi Trophy.

'Coach Reid told me ... to keep firing, keep believing in your eyes and go for it,' Mahomes said.

Hard to imagine he could believe his eyes when he saw Hill so wide-open.

Clogged up for more than three quarters by Richard Sherman and a Niners defense that didn't give up big plays this season, Mahomes and the Chiefs finally found their opening. It was a 44-yard pass to Hill, the small-and-speedy wide receiver who got behind not one, not two, but three defenders on third-and-15 and with KC's hopes looking bleak in the fourth quarter

The 49ers came in having allowed only eight completions this season on passes thrown more than 20 yards downfield - the fewest of any team in the NFL in 14 seasons. For nearly 53 minutes in this one, they were living up to the resume.

Harassing Mahomes in the backfield, never letting him get free on the edges, let alone wind up for a big throw, the Niners were in total control.

They forced two Mahomes picks - the first two of his young postseason career - and celebrated each time by posing for fake photos in the end zone. They took a 20-10 lead that felt even bigger.

'I knew we weren't in the ideal situation,' Mahomes said.

Trailing by 10 and with desperation time nearing, Mahomes threw a pair of incompletions, including one that was initially ruled a catch by Hill but was overturned on review. That made it third-and-15 at the 35; one more stop by the Niners would've pretty much brought an end to the game.

Mahomes took the snap and backpedaled 13 yards. He looked downfield, then to his left, and heaved his longest throw of the evening.

Chiefs' Tyreek Hill (10) celebrates during the second half

'I think the offensive line gave me enough time to throw a really deep route, and I just put it out there and Tyreek made a really great play,' Mahomes said.

Hill stopped in his tracks and cradled it in. Only then did three Niners - Emmanuel Moseley, K'Waun Williams and Fred Warner - swarm back to tackle him at the 21.

Given Hill's nearly track-star speed, most of the focus this season has been on containing him on the edges and not letting him catch the ball and take off. But this was a different sort of long gain.

'No, no, no, no, no,' Hill said, when asked if he was surprised to be that open. 'You're never surprised if you're speedy. I was just able to use my speed, get up on the d-backs, get him to roll over and get open.'

Four plays later, the Chiefs had cut the deficit to three.

The San Francisco defense was stunned and never overcame it.

There wasn't much in the way of explanation in the Niners' still-stunned postgame interview area.

'I'm not sure exactly what happened,' coach Kyle Shanahan said. 'It looked like we were playing zone defense. It looked like he was allowed to hold the ball a pretty long while. And Tyreek got behind us on a corner route.'

Warner called it simply a matter of Mahomes having 'time to air it out and we didn't have the guys back there to make the play.'

And DeForest Buckner, part of a line that kept Mahomes off-balance all night (he was sacked four times), said, 'We knew we needed to make one more play, and we didn't.'

'We didn't get any pressure and we left them hanging out to dry back there. It's the worst feeling in the world,' Buckner said.

After cutting the deficit to 20-17, Kansas City forced a three-and-out. Four plays into its next drive, Sammy Watkins juked Sherman at the line of scrimmage and got behind him to set up an easy 38-yard reception that led to the go-ahead score.

Kansas City got the ball back again once more, and Damien Williams broke a 38-yard run for the last touchdown.

That made it 21 points in the fourth quarter - over the last 6:13 to be exact.

That made a 10-point deficit an 11-point win.

That brought the Super Bowl trophy back to Kansas City for the first time in 50 years.

'I wasn't feeling good about it at all. I told Pat, `It´s 20-10 with seven minutes left - c'mon bro,'' Hill said. 'And all Pat did, he just told me to believe.'

(Associated Press) 

Jennifer Lopez delivered an electric performance packed with pole dancing and raunchy outfits during the Super Bowl LIV half-time show. 

The 50-year-old hit the stage immediately after Shakira, wowing audiences with a medley of her biggest hits including Jenny From The Block, Love Don't Cost A Thing, and Waiting For Tonight. 

Jennifer dazzled audiences with the pole dancing skills she had acquired from her Hustlers training, and even performed a mini duet with her 11-year-old daughter, Emme.    

Emme, whom J-Lo shares with her ex-husband and fellow singer Marc Anthony, gave her famous mother a run for her money as she belted out Let's Get Loud.

Emme was part of a choir of identically dressed children but got to break away from them to get a big solo.  

As J-Lo continued performing Let's Get Loud, Emme switched into a rendition of the 1984 Bruce Springsteen song Born In The U.S.A.

'Latinos!' Jennifer shouted, spreading her Stars And Stripes cape to reveal that the inside was the Puerto Rican flag. Both J-Lo and Marc were born in New York to Puerto Rican parents. 

Jennifer Lopez delivered an electric performance full of pole dancing during her epic half-time performance at Super Bowl LIV

Her time to shine! All eyes were on Lopez during her daring dance routine 

Having a swinging good time: Lopez flawlessly descended down the pole 

Shakira and Jennifer Lopez wowed the crowds for the electrifying half-time show

Shakira was celebrating her 43rd birthday at the Super Bowl and brought back her iconic belly dancing moves during her epic performance.

The Colombian hitmaker - real name Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll - kicked off the 12-minute show with She Wolf before grabbing a guitar and rocking out. 

Things ramped up a notch as she performed Whenever, Wherever before being joined by Bad Bunny for Cardi B track I Like It.

Shakira looked ravishing in a red sequined mini dress featuring matching wristbands while she commanded the stage with the support of dozens of background dancers. 

She then showed off her salsa moves before ending her segment by doing Hips Don't Lie and later joined J-Lo on stage again.

Runs in the family: Jennifer Lopez brought her 11-year-old daughter Emme onstage during her electrifying Super Bowl halftime performance in Miami on Sunday

Context: This year's Super Bowl pitted the San Francisco 49ers against the Kansas City Chiefs and featured a stirring performance of The Star Spangled Banner from Demi Lovato

Star turn: Emme was part of a choir of identically dressed children but got to break away from them to get a big solo

Ravishing in red: Shakira celebrated her 43rd birthday with an epic performance at the highly-anticipated Super Bowl LIV half-time show on Sunday

Whenever, Wherever: Shakira electrified the Miami, Florida crowd as she brought back her iconic belly dancing moves during the intermission of the San Francisco 49ers vs Kansas City Chiefs game

Native American advocacy groups have been making their voices heard ahead of Super Bowl LIV.

From their team name and logo, to their home in Arrowhead Stadium, the Kansas City Chiefs bear the name and iconography of Native Americans - and with that, carry traditions that critics say draw on offensive and racist stereotypes.

'It's the portrayal, imagery of the kind of warrior savage, the uncivilized kind of perception and stereotype that has unfairly lingered around Indian country for a really long time,' said Kevin Allis, the CEO of the National Congress of American Indians, the oldest and largest American Indian and Alaskan Native advocacy organization.

'I think the Kansas City Chiefs are getting a little more visibility now because they're in the limelight and we'll probably see more of it.

'As we see more and more of it on TV, it's going to be an issue.'

From their team name and logo, to their home in Arrowhead Stadium, the Kansas City Chiefs bear the name and iconography of Native Americans - and with that, carry traditions that critics say draw on offensive and racist stereotypes

Longstanding traditions like the 'tomahawk chop,' a chant that involves fans waving their arms through the air in a chopping motion, have drawn increased scrutiny in the lead up to the Super Bowl, along with other fan behavior like donning headdresses either in the stadium or at the tailgate parties outside.

Reached by email, the Chiefs said in a written statement that they 'engaged in meaningful discussions with a group comprised of individuals with diverse Native American backgrounds and experiences' in the past six years.

'Our goal has been to use our platform to create an awareness and understanding of Native American cultures, as well as celebrate the rich traditions of multiple tribes with a historic connection to our region,' they added.

A Kansas City Chiefs fan before Super Bowl LIV on Sunday 

Elizabeth Glynn, the CEO of Travois, a consulting firm that works with Native American and Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian communities, said incremental changes were not enough, and that without changing the team name entirely, little progress could be made.

'I'm not sure why there's this blind spot in American society about native American imagery and how sports teams are using it for profit,' said Glynn. 'Until you really do something to change the symbol, none of that bad behavior is going to go anywhere.

'We can all act like taking away one thing might make a difference but until they change the name, nothing will really change.'

One sign of change on the local level came months before the Chiefs ever landed in Miami, when the Kansas City Star https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article236882498.html advocated for an end to the chanting and chopping hand gestures in a November editorial that called the practice, 'a bad look for Kansas City - and an affront to Native Americans.'

Media coverage of the issue ramped up in the days leading up to the Super Bowl as well, with the New York Times running an opinion piece on Saturday with the headline, 'My Culture Is Not Super Bowl Entertainment'.

Vincent Schilling, an Akwesasne Mohawk journalist and editor, told Reuters via email that while he believed offensive stereotypes toward the Native American community were deep-rooted in sports, he believed progress was possible.

'I find a tomahawk chop to be extremely insulting because it is essentially a cartoon stereotype version of what a Native American is,' Schilling wrote.

'As the information age of television fades into history and people become collectively less tolerant toward stereotypes, the teams will have no choice.'

(Reuters) 

A Chief's fan wears a headpiece during Super Bowl LIV between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers

Pittsburgh Steelers legend Troy Polamalu and his equally memorable curly locks are heading to Canton, Ohio, as the retired All-Pro safety was among five former players named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Sunday.  

The Steelers great earned a spot alongside another hard-hitting safety, Steve Atwater of Denver, as well as Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce, Colts running back Edgerrin James and Seahawks guard Steve Hutchinson.

Polamalu said he went six or seven years, maybe longer, without cutting his hair during the prime of a career that lasted from 2003-14.

In this October 12, 2014, file photo, Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu watches from the bench in the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns

But as much as for the hair, he earned the nickname 'Tasmanian Devil' for how he changed the way people thought about the safety position. Compact and fleet of foot at 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, Polamalu bolted around the field, and made plays from practically anywhere. No quarterback, runner or receiver was safe.

James was a bastion of versatility and durability. A flashy first-round draft pick out of Miami, James made a name for himself with his ability to carve out room on the ground while playing in Peyton Manning's offense with the Colts from 1999-2005

Selected in his first year of eligibility, Polamalu was a four-time All-Pro, was voted to eight Pro Bowls and finished with two Super Bowl rings in three trips. His rambling, cross-the-field fourth-quarter pick-six against Joe Flacco in the 2008 AFC title game cemented the win and was a highlight of what might have been his best season; he had seven interceptions that year and the Steelers won the Super Bowl.

Polamalu will go in the same year as Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher and defensive back Donnie Shell, each of whom were voted in as part of the hall's special centennial class designed to celebrate the NFL's 100th year.

'It's a huge blessing to go in with Coach Cowher and a tremendous honor to go in with Donnie Shell because the Steelers' defenses in the 70s laid our foundation,' Polamalu said.

Though game-changing safeties were nothing new to the league, Polamalu could line up near the linebackers, or the defensive linemen, or deep in the backfield, and wreck a game plan from any of those spots.

'He's waking people up to the impact a safety can have in today's game,' another safety, John Lynch, said in an interview while Polamalu was in his prime.

Lynch, in Miami this week for the Super Bowl as GM of the 49ers, was also among the 15 finalists whose resumes were debated and discussed throughout the day by the panel of four dozen voters. But he did not make the cut. Neither did Tony Boselli, the dominant Jaguars offensive lineman whose career lasted only 91 games because of shoulder injuries. The Jaguars are still without a player in the hall.

An offensive lineman did make it, though. It was Steve Hutchinson, who played guard for the Seahawks, Vikings and Titans over a 12-year career. He'd been a finalist in all three years since becoming eligible and broke through in this, a class that didn't include any slam dunks - or a single quarterback among the list of finalists.

'I've written the speech the past few years in the shower and it´ll really be about the people who helped me get here,' Hutchinson said.

Atwater made it - in his 16th year of eligibility, no less. - and became the first home-grown Broncos defender to join the hall. (An honor many in Denver believe should belong to Orange Crush linebacker Randy Gradishar.)

In this Oct. 23, 1989, file photo, Seattle Seahawks' Louis Clark (84) brings in a pass as Denver Broncos' Steve Atwater defends during an NFL football game in Seattle

Atwater said when he got the much-anticipated knock on his hotel door 'it was pretty obvious it wasn't the maid so I was pretty excited. I´m extremely honored to go in with all these men.'

A two-time All-Pro who won two Super Bowls, Atwater prowled the backfield and delivered vicious hits to anyone coming across. One irony of Atwater's late-recognized greatness is that many of his whiplash-inducing hits would be illegal in today's NFL.

Though receivers were mostly at risk, it was his shoulder-to-shoulder disintegration of 250-pound Chiefs running back Christian Okyoe, 'The Nigerian Nightmare,' while mic'd up on 'Monday Night Football' in 1990 that truly put Atwater on the map.

James was a bastion of versatility and durability. A flashy first-round draft pick out of Miami, James made a name for himself with his ability to carve out room on the ground while playing in Peyton Manning's offense with the Colts from 1999-2005.

James also played three seasons with the Cardinals and a half-year with the Seahawks.

Isaac Bruce was a headliner in 'The Greatest Show on Turf,' the pass-happy attack run by Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner when the Rams were in St. Louis. This was Bruce's sixth season of eligibility and his fourth time as a finalist

'Started With Gold Teeth, Ended With a Gold Jacket,' James posted on social media after receiving the word.

James finished with more than 3,300 yards receiving and more than 12,000 yards rushing. He won the NFL rushing title in 1999 and 2000, no small thing given Manning was revving up his career at the time. James joins Colts wideout Marvin Harrison in the hall, which will give Manning more company next year when he'll be a shoo-in to join them on his first ballot.

Bruce was a headliner in 'The Greatest Show on Turf,' the pass-happy attack run by Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner when the Rams were in St. Louis. This was Bruce's sixth season of eligibility and his fourth time as a finalist.

His 15,208 yards receiving over 16 seasons were second in the NFL record book when he retired in 2009. But he was never selected an AP All-Pro, and some critics dismissed his stats as being more a sign of his longevity and the passing era he played in than any mark of true greatness.

No matter. He was elated. 'St. Louis, we headed to Canton!' he tweeted.

There were no seniors announced Saturday, as they were folded into the centennial class. Others going in with that class, which was announced last month: Harold Carmichael, Alex Karras, Jim Covert, Bobby Dillon, Cliff Harris, Winston Hill, Duke Slater, Mac Speedie, Ed Sprinkle, along with coaches Jimmy Johnson, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, the late NFL Films exec Steve Sabol and longtime GM George Young.      

(Associated Press)

Hall of Fame Class of 2020, stand on stage at the NFL Honors football award show Saturday