
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers are gearing up for a rare regular-season rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs, eight months after their heartbreaking loss in the Super Bowl. Memories of key plays by Chris Jones, Patrick Mahomes, and Travis Kelce in the Chiefs' 25-22 overtime victory are still fresh in the minds of the Niners as they prepare to host the Chiefs on Sunday.
Coach Kyle Shanahan emphasized the importance of not dwelling on past games, acknowledging the emotional weight of the Super Bowl defeat but stressing that this upcoming game is a new opportunity. This Sunday's matchup will mark the 10th time in NFL history that Super Bowl opponents have faced each other in the following regular season, with the defending champion historically holding a 6-3 record in those games.