With the Philadelphia Eagles’ 40 to 22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Jalyx Hunt ’23 secured his spot in Cornell history as the fourth alumnus to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The Eagles secured their second Super Bowl win and snapped the Chiefs’ Super Bowl streak.
Hunt played for the Eagles’ unstoppable defense, a unit that recorded six sacks against Patrick Mahomes — the most he has ever been handed in a single game in his eight-year career in the National Football League — and forced three turnovers. In the first half, the Eagles offense scored 24 points to the Chiefs zero. In addition, the defense allowed only 23 yards of total offense in the first two quarters.
During the second quarter, Hunt made a play where he brought down Mahomes and forced a third and long situation for the Chiefs offense. With this play, Hunt became the first ever Cornell alumnus to record a sack in Super Bowl history. Hunt is also the first Cornellian defensive player to win the NFL Championship.
Hunt's performance in the Super Bowl comes during his rookie season for the Eagles, as he was selected in the third round of the NFL draft in April 2024.
Hunter Nourzad ’22, a center for the Chiefs and former member of the Red’s offensive line did not have any playing time against the Eagles. This matchup was the first time two Cornellians played in a Super Bowl at the same time.
For the Chiefs, their struggle to score points was the final nail in the coffin of their season. Mahomes had one of his worst passer ratings of the season at 28.2. He finished with three touchdowns and two interceptions — one of which was a pick-6 for Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean. He also faced the largest deficit of his career heading into the second half and throughout the third quarter at 0-34.
Although the Chiefs defense was able to wrap up the Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley to just 2.3 yards per carry, Eagles quarterback and the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player Jalen Hurts went off for the Eagles. Hurts completed 17 of 22 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns through the air. On the ground, Hurts recorded 72 rushing yards and another six points.
With a sack and Super Bowl ring on his finger, Hunt made both Cornell and NFL history on the same night.
Zeinab Faraj is the assistant sports editor on the 143rd editorial board and a member of the class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences.
