Who are the 10 best players in Super Bowl LIX?

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For the second time in three years, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will meet in the Super Bowl.

Philly is looking to avenge its narrow 38-35 loss to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVII two years ago.

Many of the same players are still around for the rematch (Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app), but there are a couple of new faces who could make a big impact on Sunday.

Here are the 10 best players who will take the field in Super Bowl LIX.

10 best players in Super Bowl LIX

Kelce is one of the best tight ends in NFL history. A four-time All-Pro and 10-time Pro Bowler, Kelce recently totaled 1,000-plus receiving yards in seven consecutive seasons (2016-22). This year, the 35-year-old logged 97 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns, while tallying nine receptions for 136 yards and one touchdown in the postseason. Kelce is third among tight ends in all-time receptions (1,004) and all-time receiving yards (12,151) and fifth in all-time touchdowns (77). Moreover, he’s first in NFL history among all players with 174 career postseason receptions and second with 2,039 career postseason receiving yards and 20 postseason receiving touchdowns.

McDuffie, a one-time All-Pro, quickly established himself as a vital part of Kansas City’s defense in his three seasons in the league. This season, McDuffie put up two interceptions, one forced fumble, 13 passes defended and 59 combined tackles. McDuffie ranks third among cornerbacks in overall grade (83.1), seventh in pass-rush grade (90.5), ninth in coverage grade (80.6) and 18th in run-defense grade (79.9) this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

A three-time Pro Bowler, Brown has been Philadelphia’s No. 1 receiver since 2022. He has averaged 87 receptions for 1,344 yards and eight touchdowns per season in three seasons with the Eagles. In 2022, Brown registered a career-high 1,496 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns and hauled in six catches for 96 yards and a touchdown in the aforementioned Super Bowl loss to K.C. This season, Brown recorded 67 receptions for 1,079 yards and seven scores in 13 games; he missed four games due to hamstring and knee injuries. Brown then had six receptions for 96 yards and one touchdown in Philadelphia’s victory over the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game.

Johnson has been Philadelphia’s starting right tackle, barring injury, since his 2013 rookie season. In that time, he became a two-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowl selection. Super Bowl LIX will also mark the third Super Bowl that Johnson has started in (LII and LVII). This season, Johnson is sixth among offensive tackles in pass-blocking grade (88.1), seventh in overall grade (85.4) and 12th in run-blocking grade (80.0), per PFF.

After logging six sacks and one forced fumble in his 2023 rookie campaign with the Eagles, Carter earned Pro Bowl honors in 2024. In the regular season, he totaled 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, six passes defended and 42 combined tackles. His best game in the NFC playoffs came in Philadelphia’s divisional-round victory over the Los Angeles Rams in which Carter had two sacks and one forced fumble. Carter is seventh among defensive linemen this season in pass-rush grade (81.5) and 22nd in overall grade (74.1), per PFF.

After spending the first five seasons of his NFL career with the New England Patriots — and winning two Super Bowls during the 2016 and 2018 seasons — Thuney came to Kansas City and won two more Super Bowls (2022 and 2023). A two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler, Thuney ranks fifth among guards this season in pass-blocking grade (81.9), 12th in overall grade (79.9) and 23rd in run-blocking grade (73.5), according to PFF.

Humphrey has never missed a game (regular season or postseason) in his four-year career, which has been spent entirely with the Chiefs. A one-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler, Humphrey ranks first among centers this season in pass-blocking grade (90.6) and second in overall grade (92.8) and run-blocking grade (91.1), per PFF.

A three-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler, Jones has been one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL since he entered the league. The 30-year-old racked up five sacks, 37 combined tackles and one forced fumble in 15 games this season; he averaged 13.0 sacks per season from 2022-23 and has 80.5 career sacks and 13 career forced fumbles. Jones is first among defensive linemen this season in pass-rush grade (91.0), third in overall grade (89.7) and 38th in run-defense grade (64.3), per PFF.

Barkley, a three-time Pro Bowler, is in the midst of a historic season with the Eagles. He recorded 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns on 5.8 yards per carry on the ground in 16 games during the regular season. In the process, he became just the ninth player in NFL history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a single season. Barkley also accounted for 34.8% of Philadelphia’s total yards (rushing and passing) from scrimmage. Furthermore, in Philadelphia’s first three postseason games, Barkley rushed for 442 yards and five touchdowns, with three of his scores going for at least 60 yards. This is his first season with the Eagles, following a six-year stint with the New York Giants.

Mahomes, a two-time All-Pro, two-time NFL MVP and six-time Pro Bowler, has cemented himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation. Across his seven-year career as a starter (2018-24), Mahomes has thrown for 4,000 yards in all but one season, posted a passer rating north of 100.0 in four seasons and led the league in passing touchdowns twice (2018 and 2022) and passing yards once (2022). Most notably, Mahomes has guided the Chiefs to three Super Bowl titles and five Super Bowl appearances. The Chiefs are 89-23 in the regular season and 17-3 in the postseason with Mahomes under center. Mahomes will become the youngest quarterback in league history to start in five Super Bowls in Super Bowl LIX.

Honorable mentions:

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