Super Bowl 2020 Highlights: Examining Pivotal Moments from 49ers vs. Chiefs

In the end, Super Bowl LIV provided as many memorable moments thanks to jitters and nerves leading to big mistakes as it did jaw-dropping receptions or scores. 

From the moment action got underway between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Sunday, fans of both sides had reason to cringe.

From San Francisco returner Richie James Jr. muffing the punt on his team's first possession (and recovering), Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes fumbling the ball (and recovering) and each quarterback throwing two interceptions, Super Bowl LIV kept viewers on their toes. 

There were, however, plenty of memorable moments and heroics throughout all 60 minutes as the Chiefs stormed their way to their second Lombardi Trophy in an extraordinary fourth-quarter comeback. 

Let's take a look back at all the action of Super Bowl LIV and the highlights and plays that determined the final outcome. 

Highlights and Pivotal Moments

Mahomes used his wheels all night, including to get the Chiefs on the board when he ran the ball in for one yard near the end of the first quarter:

Things were still looking up for the Chiefs when, early in the second quarter, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo got hit while throwing and hit Chiefs defender Bashaud Breeland right in the sweet spot for the first turnover of the game.

The Chiefs converted the turnover into three points, making the score 10-3 midway through the second quarter. 

Unfortunately for Mahomes and the Chiefs, things took a turn for the worse after Shakira and Jennifer Lopez sang their final notes in the halftime show. 

Garoppolo found fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the waning minutes of the first half for San Francisco's first touchdown.

Not only do you not see a fullback haul in a touchdown in the Super Bowl often, but Juszczyk also became the first Harvard player (or player from any Ivy League school, for that matter) to score in the Big Game, according to NFL Research:

After heading into halftime at an even 10-10 (congratulations if you won your Super Bowl squares!), the 49ers continued to pull away in the second half. 

Robbie Gould booted a 42-yard field goal early in the third quarter to bring it to 13-10, and then Fred Warner picked off Mahomes for the latter's first, but not last, pick of the night:

San Francisco made the most of the interception, picking up another seven points late in the third quarter on a Raheem Mostert one-yard rumble into the end zone to bring their advantage to 20-10.

The Chiefs seemed stunned, but the nightmare wasn't over yet. 

On the crucial next drive, Kansas City's opportunity to answer back and get the game back under control, Mahomes threw his second touchdown of the night.

To be fair to the former NFL MVP, this one wasn't really his fault; a short middle throw intended for Tyreek Hill went behind the wideout, who bobbled the ball for a few horrifying seconds until Tarvarius Moore relieved him of it. 

Mahomes hadn't thrown a single interception in his four postseason games to date, and suddenly he had thrown two in one game.

It was hard for viewers to believe, but perhaps harder still for the Chiefs. 

Then, the comeback began. 

After the 49ers punted on their next drive (only the second punt of the game), Mahomes led a surgical 10-play, 83-yard march to the end zone to bring the game to within three at 20-17. 

After a drive that included a 21-yard bomb to Hill and a costly defensive pass interference penalty on Moore, the quarterback found his trusty tight end, Travis Kelce, for a one-yard touchdown:

Here come the Chiefs, indeed. 

The redemption tour continued, to the horror of Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers.

After a San Francisco punt, Mahomes had the ball in his hands yet again late in the fourth quarter and once again put together drive that was the picture of precision. 

The 24-year-old hit Watkins for a crucial 38-yard bomb to get Kansas City to the red zone, and then from five yards out, he got the ball to Damien Williams, who barely grazed the ball past the pylon to get the touchdown and officially get the Chiefs on top at 24-20:

A stunned 49ers team attempted to right the ship, but with just over two minutes left on the clock after the Chiefs scored 14 unanswered points, there just wasn't enough time. 

Kansas City went ahead and added another seven for the dagger, bringing the game to what would be its final result, 31-20:

As one might expect, the 49ers seemed deflated in the game's final minutes, as a Garoppolo heave to give his team one more chance fell into the arms of Kendall Fuller, sealing the game's by-then inevitable outcome. 

The youngest NFL MVP in league history became the youngest Super Bowl MVP in history, as well. And with that, Mahomes got to utter the phrase he had been dreaming about his whole career: "I'm going to Disney World!"