February 6, 2025
NEW ORLEANS — By Matthew Lomon
For the second time in three seasons, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs will play for the iconic Lombardi Trophy.
The new-look Eagles, led by Offensive Player of the Year front-runner Saquon Barkley, are out for revenge after falling to the Chiefs on a last-minute field goal in a devastating 38-35 Super Bowl LVII loss.
The Birds also have the opportunity to prevent the Chiefs from becoming the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls.
Now that we’re all caught up ahead of Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9 in New Orleans, it’s time we put our patented Railbirds spin on the big game.
We’ve gone ahead and chosen three potential Super Bowl MVP choices (two reasonable, one wild card) from each team and compared them to Thoroughbred horses dominating the track as much as they are the gridiron.
And we’re off.
*All SB MVP odds are from bet365 and are subject to change after time of posting
Philadelphia Eagles SB MVP Choices and their Equine Comps
MVP choice: Saquon Barkley, running back (+260)
Horse comp: Moira, 6-year-old mare
The term “workhorse” doesn’t get thrown around as much in today’s NFL, save for Saquon Barkley. In his first year with the Eagles, the Penn State product wasted no time establishing himself as the heartbeat of his new team with a three-touchdown performance in his season debut. Game in, game out, Barkley is the most powerful presence on the field.
A turf titan herself, Moira is the standard for older turf mares. In 2024, the Kevin Attard trainee claimed the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) en route to the Eclipse Award for Champion Turf Female. Across 17 career starts, Moira has landed outside the top three only twice. Game in, Game out.
MVP choice: Jalen Hurts, quarterback (+350 on bet365)
Horse comp: Idiomatic, 6-year-old mare
The 2024 campaign was up-and-down for Eagles signal-caller Jalen Hurts, who battled one nagging injury after another. Despite the tumult, the two-time Pro Bowler did his part to keep the ship afloat, helping the Eagles to a stellar 14-3 record. Let’s not forget that in his Super Bowl 57 defeat, Hurts passed for 304 yards and a TD, with another 70 yards and three scores on the ground.
While Idiomatic thankfully didn’t endure the same injury woes as Hurts, the Brad Cox charge was a lot like the Eagles QB in that she executed gameplans at a high level. Idiomatic made five starts in 2024, winning three and finishing second in two. The dynamic runner also showed a penchant for the big stage, capturing two Grade 1 contests (La Troienne and Spinster).
MVP choice: Zack Baun, linebacker (+10000)
Horse comp: Dornoch, 4-year-old colt
Sure, regular season and Super Bowl MVP honours are both quarterback awards but it’s the last game of football for seven months, let’s have some fun. Zack Baun has been a revelation for the Eagles defense, cementing himself as one of the best finds in free agency last season. The forgotten New Orleans Saint returns to his old stomping grounds as a first-team All Pro and leader of the Birds vaunted defense.
Dornoch also knows a thing or two about being overlooked. Following a tough 10th-place showing in the Kentucky Derby (G1), pundits and punters had no faith in the Danny Gargan trainee when the Belmont (G1) rolled around. Like Baun, Dornoch proved he belonged by delivering the performance of a lifetime to steal the third jewel of the Triple Crown at 17-1.
Kansas City Chiefs SB MVP Choices and their Equine Comps
MVP choice: Patrick Mahomes, quarterback (+110)
Horse comp: Thorpedo Anna, 4-year-old filly
Whether you love him, hate him, or are plain indifferent, Patrick Mahomes is unrelenting. He wins when he should and does it again when he shouldn’t, and that’s why he can never be counted out. The two-time MVP, three-time All Pro, six-time Pro Bowler, etc., is eyeing his fourth career Super Bowl title and SB MVP award on Sunday.
While Mahomes’ public reception is polarizing, Thorpedo Anna’s is not. The beloved Kenneth McPeek trainee owned the North American Thoroughbred game in 2024, winning six of seven starts, including five at the Grade 1 level, to secure Horse of the Year honours at the Eclipse Awards. No matter where she raced or who stood in her way, Thorpedo Anna was always the one to beat.
MVP choice: Travis Kelce, tight end (+1600)
Horse comp: White Abarrio, 6-year-old
Just when it looked like Travis Kelce was ready to trade in his cleats for loafers and ride off into his next career in Hollywood, the un-guardable pass-catcher let everyone know that he’s still got it. The man with more receptions than anyone in postseason history is not far off legendary wideout Jerry Rice in the yards and touchdowns department, either. Kelce likes the moment and the moment likes Kelce.
Fancy moniker aside, White Abarrio has plenty in common with No. 87 on the Chiefs. For one, they’re both on the older side but they’re also living proof that with age comes savvy. White Abarrio’s veteran savvy was on full display in a 6 ¼-length rout of 10 challengers in January’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1). Perhaps a “collab” is in order.
MVP choice: Chris Jones, defensive tackle (+5000)
Horse comp: Fierceness, 4-year-old colt
Often overlooked for being a (mostly) interior pass rusher, Chris Jones is not only one of the NFL’s premier defenders today but also one of the best of the past decade. A constant threat for blockers to worry about, the 6-foot-6 Jones is a game-wrecker, plain and simple. While defensive players haven’t hogged the SB MVP spotlight over the years – only nine defensive players have ever won SB MVP, with Von Miller of the Denver Broncos being the last in 2015 – big No. 95 has all the tools to join exclusive company.
Fierceness, although a much more intimidating name than “Chris Jones,” is just as much of a handful on the racecourse. The imposing Todd Pletcher trainee finished the 2024 campaign with the fourth-highest earnings total of any Thoroughbred in North America. Three graded stakes wins, including the Grade 1 Florida Derby and Travers, cemented Fierceness’ place as one of the sport’s most striking presences.
