‘Got the Defense We Wanted:’ Autopsy of Game-Winning Interception

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – If defense wins championships, both the Eagles and Chiefs should schedule another meeting in Santa Clara, Calif., to book-end the 2025 season. Vic Fangio and Steve Spagnuolo put on a masterclass in Philadelphia’s 20-17 victory on Sunday.

And while the offensive numbers for each team were remarkably similar, the obvious difference in the game was the 14-point swing two minutes into the fourth quarter. Rookie safety Andrew Mukuba – Xavier Worthy’s teammate at Texas, and selected one choice after Omarr Norman-Lott in April’s draft – made the play of the game.

“Yeah. I mean, we got the defense that we wanted,” Patrick Mahomes said after the game, describing his first 2025 interception. “We expected them to play that zero-zero, with the hole player, with the safety.”

The hole player

The hole player was Mukuba, who camped out on the goal line in the path of Travis Kelce’s angle route. Mahomes looked at Kareem Hunt in the corner, then fired a pass through a tight window inches past the paw of Jalen Carter. Kelce was a split-second late getting his head turned, and the ball volley-balled off Kelce’s hands into the arms of Mukuba.

“I threw it a tad too early,” Mahomes said, “just trying to put it on his body, too low before that hole player got there. And I think if I can put it more on his body and not so far out in front of him, then he can catch it, take the hit and get in the end zone.”

Mahomes showed admirable leadership in taking the blame but every television viewer in America, in a game that went to 100 percent of the country on FOX, expected Kelce to make the catch. As a result, rather than the Chiefs taking a 17-13 lead at that point, Mukuba returned the interception 41 yards.

Stunning play by Josh Simmons

That return would’ve been a 100-yard touchdown if not for incredible athleticism displayed by Josh Simmons. The Chiefs’ rookie left tackle, who didn’t run at the scouting combine because he was recovering from October knee surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon, took a perfect angle. He sprinted at least 25 yards and Super Manned into Mukuba’s legs to halt the return on the Eagles’ sideline.

Chiefs rookie left tackle Josh Simmons reached a top speed of 18.35 mph to make a potential TD-saving tackle on Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba (19.70 mph), the third-fastest speed by an OL over the last two seasons.#PHIvsKC https://t.co/sdXSRrdLfb
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 14, 2025

The Eagles then drove 59 yards in 10 plays, aided by a 15-yard facemask and having overcome a failed Tush Push, to take a commanding 20-10 lead with 7:48 left.

Still, Mahomes blamed himself after the game.

“Yeah, you want to put it low, but more on his body,” the quarterback said. “You know, whenever you're in those tight quarters like that, you want to give it to him, especially a bigger guy, more on his body.

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes tackle Josh Simmons is selected as the No. 32 pick by the Kansas City Chiefs during the NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“If he can catch it, then he can brace for that contact. We knew the hole player would be looking for him. I mean, that’s one of our big targets down there in the red zone. And so, you get he was breaking to kind of make a hit, and just unfortunate the ball bounced up in the air, went right to him.”

The best one-stop-shop for free news 24/7/365 is OnSI; the best way to get it is to follow @KCChiefsOnSI, @ZakSGilbert and @Domminchella on X (Twitter). Plus, join the conversation on the game-turning interception by visiting our Facebook page (here).