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SALT LAKE CITY — Officially, Utah-based high schools and colleges have 10 players and coaches vying for Super Bowl supremacy with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
But only one player per team was active.
The Eagles got a boost from former Utah wide receiver and Timpview High quarterback Britain Covey, who returned two punts for 35 yards that included a season-best 27-yard punt return in the second quarter to help Philadelphia to a 24-14 halftime lead.
But the Chiefs exploded in the second half and outscored the Chiefs 21-3 to go up 35-27 on a touchdown set up by Kadarius Toney's Super Bowl-record 65-yard punt return in the fourth quarter.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts tied the game at 35-35 with his third rushing touchdown with 5:15 remaining. But that left plenty of time for "Mahomes Magic," as Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes bled all but the final 8 seconds off the clock before Harrison Butker's game-winning field goal from 27 yards out to give Kansas City its second Super Bowl title in four years.
"I'll give the credit to the big O-line, to Patrick Mahomes, and to all the guys around him," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told FOX amid a sea of red and yellow confetti. "He's the MVP. We saw it tonight."
Former Layton High receiver Marcus Kemp was called up to the active roster for the Chiefs but did not record a catch.
This moment between @tkelce and Andy Reid 🥹🥹 pic.twitter.com/E5rZ3ZxUhh
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) February 13, 2023
Locals in the NFL: Players, coaches with ties to Utah in the Super Bowl
Kansas City Chiefs (17-3)
- Marcus Kemp, WR, Layton: The Layton High grad from Ogden was promoted from the practice squad two days before the Super Bowl. Kemp was also called up for the AFC championship game and had one catch for 13 yards in 22 offensive snaps. The fifth-year wide receiver who played collegiately at Hawaii signed with Kansas City as a free agent in 2017 and also spent time briefly with the Dolphins and Giants while helping the Chiefs to two Super Bowl titles.
- Matt Bushman, TE, BYU (practice squad): The 6-foot-5 BYU alum entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Raiders in 2021 and is currently in his second season with the Chiefs. Bushman played in two games with Las Vegas in 2021.
- Zayne Anderson, S, BYU/Stansbury (practice squad): The rookie from BYU and former track and field speedster at Stansbury High entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Chiefs in 2021 before making his NFL debut that same season against the Browns. The second-year defensive back has played in seven games over two seasons, including three in 2022.
- Andy Reid, head coach, BYU: The former BYU offensive lineman and graduate assistant under legendary coach LaVell Edwards has a team in the Super Bowl for the third time as a head coach. With a win, the 64-year-old Reid would add to a legacy that includes three Super Bowl titles (including one as an assistant with Green Bay), four Maxwell Club NFL Coach of the Year awards, and a 248-138-1 all-time record that includes a 22-6 mark in the postseason. He's also the second-winningest coach in NFL playoff history, trailing only New England's Bill Belichick.
- Alex Whittingham, defensive quality control coach, Utah/Brighton: The son of Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham is in his fifth season with the Chiefs and fourth season as a defensive quality control assistant after spending the 2018 campaign as a defensive assistant, working primarily with the linebackers.
- Porter Ellett, offensive quality control coach, BYU/Wayne: The Wayne High graduate from Loa joined the Chiefs as a senior assistant to head coach Andy Reid after finishing a bachelor's degree at BYU in 2014. After three years of working extensively with the tight ends, Ellett was moved to offensive quality control coach in 2022. He also owns Camp Overcome, a youth development program that instills positive attitudes through sport, and trains and competes in Paralympic swimming and triathlon events.
Philadelphia Eagles (16-4)
- Britain Covey, WR/PR, Utah/Timpview: The former Timpview quarterback signed with the Eagles in 2022 as an undrafted free agent, and averaged 20.6 yards on 10 kick returns and another 9.3 yards on 33 punt returns with 18 fair catches and two fumbles as a rookie.
- Sua Opeta, OG, Weber State/Stansbury (practice squad): The third-year veteran signed with Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent in 2019, and has earned four starts and 25 appearances across three seasons with the Eagles' offensive line. He was briefly waived after playing 92 snaps in seven games this season, but returned to the practice squad three days later.
- Noah Togiai, TE, Hunter (practice squad): The second-year Eagles tight end who played collegiately at Oregon State saw time in just two games in 2022 with no catches, but has been a mainstay on the team's practice squad — including mimicking Chiefs All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce in practice during Super Bowl prep. He also spent a year with the Indianapolis Colts, playing four games as a rookie in 2020.
- Brian Johnson, QB coach, Utah: The 35-year-old former Utah star and Sugar Bowl MVP has been with the Eagles since 2021, playing a crucial role in the development of starting signal caller Jalen Hurts. The former offensive coordinator at Utah, Houston and Florida has also been a hot candidate for several openings, both in college and the NFL.
