Super Bowl LIX will be a rematch of the big game from 2023 when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35.
Though the Chiefs had a slight roster advantage over the Eagles last time they played, Philly comes into this matchup armed with a stacked lineup that is oozing with talent. KC isn’t talentless, but I do think the best athlete on the field will be a member of the Eagles.
Let’s examine the ten best players set to start in Super Bowl LIX next Sunday.
📰 Table Of Contents
#10 QB Jalen Hurts, Eagles
After being held to 259 passing yards and three total touchdowns in his first two playoff games, Hurts came alive in the NFC Championship with 246 passing yards, a passing TD, and three rushing TDs. Keep in mind that he put up those numbers while nursing a knee injury!
Hurts hasn’t been asked to carry the load offensively for his team so far in the playoffs (his 69 pass attempts are the fewest amongst players that have started in at least three games this postseason), but when he has been asked to step up, he has answered the call, completing 72.9% of his passes over his last two games.
It’s also worth noting that Philadelphia is tied for the fourth-most passing first downs in the playoffs, so Hurts has done a great job of extending drives and keeping his defense off the field.
#9 WR A.J. Brown, Eagles
From an athleticism standpoint, A.J. Brown might be the best player in the game. The guy is lightning-quick and incredibly strong. He could probably play multiple different positions if he wanted to (tight end, quarterback, linebacker, safety, etc.).
He isn’t higher on the list because his production has taken a dip in the postseason. Though he had a great outing against the Commanders (six receptions on eight targets for 96 yards and a touchdown), that was his third game against Washington, which explains why he averages six catches and 86 yards a game when facing them.
He looked much less impressive against the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams after being limited to three receptions for 24 yards in his first two games of the playoffs.
Even with underwhelming numbers, he’s still one of the Eagles’ best players.
#8 OL Jordan Mailata, Eagles
Mailata is another physical specimen suiting up for Philly. At 6’8″ and weighing 346 lbs., the former Australian Rugby player dazzled NFL executives during his Pro Day in 2018 by running the 40-yard dash in 5.12 seconds, which would have been the seventh-best time amongst all tackles that participated in the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
Though taken as a project player in the final round of the 2018 Draft, Mailata has already proven to be one of the Eagles’ best linemen after being named a Pro Bowl alternate twice and a Second-Team All-Pro. His contributions have earned him two new contracts, including a three-year, $66 million extension last off-season.
The scariest part of Mailata’s journey is that he’s not even 28 years old, so there’s a strong chance he will continue to improve as a football player and an all-around athlete.
#7 TE Travis Kelce, Chiefs
Even at 35, the old man can still get things done! Despite being limited to 51.4 receiving yards per game during the regular season, Kelce flipped the playoff switch and is now up to 68 yards per game. He has also already caught one touchdown after being held to three TD receptions during the regular season.
He is Kansas City’s leading playoff receiver and is tenth in receiving yards amongst all pass catchers this postseason. What’s even more impressive, he is fifth in receiving yards per game amongst players who have participated in at least two playoff matchups this year.
Kelce transforms into a different guy when the playoffs roll around. His receiving output jumps from 69.4 yards per game during the regular season to 85 yards per game in the playoffs. Kelce also averages 0.83 touchdowns per playoff game compared to 0.45 TDs during the regular season.
#6 DL Chirs Jones, Chiefs
An argument could be made that Chirs Jones is the second-most important player on the Chiefs. Since the start of the 2019 season (when KC won its first Super Bowl under head coach Andy Reid), Jones has been named to six consecutive Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro honors five times.
According to Pro Football Focus, which grades players on a scale of -2 to +2 based on how they contribute to each play, Jones has been the second-best interior defender in the playoffs overall (90.2/100) and the best pass rusher amongst all interior defensive linemen (90.7/100).
The guy is a game-wrecker similar to future Hall of Famers like Aaron Donald and J.J. Watt. And, he’s doing it all while being double-teamed almost every play.
#5 OL Creed Humphrey, Chiefs
Since entering the league, a case could be made that Creed Humphrey has been the best center in the NFL. At just 25, the former Oklahoma Sooner has been a Pro Bowler three times and an All-Pro twice. His performance earned him a $72 million contract extension last off-season, making him the highest-paid center in the league.
His play also speaks for itself. Humphrey has allowed zero sacks, zero pressures, and zero total hits in 117 postseason snaps. He’s also the highest-graded pass-blocking center in the playoffs.
It’s worth noting that Humphrey didn’t surrender a single sack to the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII even though Philly led the league in sacks that year with 70.
He’ll have his hands full next Sunday, but the former second-round draft pick should be up to the task.
#4 LB Zack Baun, Eagles
Baun signed a one-year deal with the Eagles last off-season following a four-year stint with the New Orleans Saints. This wound up being the second-most important acquisition Philly made in 2024.
After recording 91 total tackles in New Orleans, Baun has already accumulated 177 total tackles in 19 games with the Eagles (9.3 tackles per game). In the postseason, he is tied with two other guys for the most solo tackles with 17. Baun also has an interception, two tackles for loss, two passes defended, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. Again, he has done all of this in just three playoff games!
His regular season numbers are even more ludicrous. Baun had 151 total tackles (tied for sixth in the league), 93 solo tackles (tied for third), and five forced fumbles (tied for second).
Regardless of how he performs in Super Bowl LIX, Baun has earned himself a large contract extension this coming off-season.
#3 OL Lane Johnson, Eagles
Ever since coming into the league in 2013, Lane Johnson has continued to improve as an offensive lineman. He has shown versatility by being able to switch between left tackle and right tackle when asked to, an assignment that has been deemed incredibly difficult by linemen across the NFL.
Regardless of where he has been asked to line up, Johnson has been a stud, which would explain why he has been named an All-Pro five times.
In 186 offensive snaps during the 2025 playoffs, he has allowed zero sacks and zero quarterback hits. He also has the fourth-highest running blocking grade amongst tackles this postseason.
The sheer consistency that Johnson provides on the right side of Philly’s offensive line makes him one of the best players heading into the Super Bowl.
#2 QB Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
I mean, what else can you say about Patrick Mahomes? He’s the best quarterback in the NFL and maybe the best quarterback to ever play the game. Even when he is having a bad game from a statistical standpoint, he still finds a way to lead his team to a win.
Against one of the best teams in Buffalo Bills franchise history, he completed 69.2% of his passes for 245 yards and three total touchdowns, finishing the game with a QBR of 87.1 and a quarterback rating of 111.9.
What’s even more impressive is that he’s still setting new personal records. The 2025 AFC Championship Game marked Mahomes’ first career postseason contest with two rushing touchdowns.
Patrick Mahomes is inevitable. If he can lead the Chiefs to a three-peat, then many NFL fans will need to re-assess their choice for who is the greatest quarterback of all time.
#1 RB Saquon Barkley, Eagles
When Saquon Barkley steps onto the field on February 9th, 2025, he will be the best player participating in Super Bowl LIX.
With 442 rushing yards in the playoffs, he has easily been the NFL’s most productive back when compared to the postseason’s number-two rusher, Buffalo’s James Cook (272 rushing yards). He is averaging 159 scrimmage yards over his last three games and already has five touchdowns in the playoffs.
Every time he runs with the ball this postseason, he is expected to gain 6.7 yards. For reference, former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick averaged seven yards per carry over the course of his career (the most rushing yards per attempt by any player since 1933). THAT’S JUST DURING THE REGULAR SEASON, NOT THE PLAYOFFS! Saquon’s 6.7 yards per attempt in the playoffs would be the second-highest regular-season average in NFL history.
After squandering the first few years of his career with the New York Giants, we are finally seeing what this kid can do with a component team around him, and it is undeniably special.
