Will any records be broken in Super Bowl 54?

The Super Bowl has a mystique around it that elevates every single play. Fans of football revel in records and the records for the biggest game of the year are especially lauded. This season, we have a Super Bowl that should be close and has a 54.5-point over under, so there is room for some big individual performances.

Passing

Passing yards in a game: 505 Tom Brady
Completions to start the Super Bowl: 9, Eli Manning
Consecutive completions in a game: 16, Tom Brady
Fewest attempts/completions by a winning quarterback, 7/6, Bob Griese
Longest pass: 85 yards, Jake Delhomme to Muhsin Muhammad
Highest yards per pass attempt: 14.7, Terry Bradshaw
Most touchdown passes in a half: 4, Steve Young & Doug Williams
Most touchdown passes in a game: 6, Steve Young

Neither Garoppolo or Mahomes have hit 500 passing yards in their careers, but with two powerful offenses going head to head, there is room for a bunch of passing yards, but passing Brady there is a longshot.

Brady holds some massive records with 62 pass attempts and 43 completions while Steve Young is the cream of the crop with six touchdown passes. Mahomes has the ability and the personnel to put up six touchdowns in a game, as he’s done it twice in his career and has eight in these playoffs already. Terry Bradshaw’s 14.7 yards per attempt is one either quarterback could muster, as they are both good at completing deep passes. Efficiency and multiple big plays would be needed. Mahomes and Garoppolo have both topped that number once in his careers.

I didn’t expect the fewest completions and attempts for a winning quarterback to be quite as low as Bob Griese with six completions on seven attempts. Jimmy Garoppolo just won a playoff game in the year 2020 with six completions on eight attempts, which probably makes this Super Bowl the best shot we’ll have at the record for the rest of eternity. That will only happen if the 49ers completely dominate the Chiefs in every aspect of the game.

Consecutive completions is a tough one for Mahomes, as he is more than willing to air it out for higher risk throws but Garoppolo could be in line for an efficient game if the 49ers run game is rolling and he only throws in the most ideal spots.

One record that Mahomes is close to already is most total touchdown passes in the playoffs. He has eight so far and three more would tie him with Joe Montana for the record.

Rushing

Most rushing yards in a game: 204, Timmy Smith
Longest run: 75, Willie Parker
Most rushing touchdowns game, 3 Terrell Davis
Highest yards per carry (10+ attempts): 10.5, Tom Matte
Longest touchdown run for a quarterback: 15, Colin Kaepernick
Most rushing yards for a quarterback: 64, Steve McNair
Most team yards rushing: 280, Washington

With Raheem Mostert going for 220 yards and four touchdowns in the Championship game, it’s easy to envision him closing in on a few records against the Chiefs below-average run defense. The 49ers should be able to run the ball, the question is how much can they commit to the run if Mahomes is putting up quick points through the air.

Mahomes made a spectacular run for a 27-yard touchdown in the Championship game and has put up 53-yards rushing in each of his last two games. I wouldn’t expect Mahomes to break the Super Bowl quarterback rushing records of Kaepernick and McNair but his recent work on the ground sure makes it a possibility.

Receiving

Most receptions in a game: 14, James White
Most receiving yards in a game: 215, Jerry Rice
Most receiving yards in a game for a tight end: 116, Rob Gronkowski
Most receiving touchdowns in a game: 3, Jerry Rice twice

We have the two best tight ends in the game playing on Sunday and that means there is a real chance one of them beats Gronkowski’s record. We know George Kittle will need to do more than what he’s done in the playoffs and the 49ers will have trouble containing Travis Kelce.

Tyreek Hill has the game-changing ability to break any record, but 215 yards and three touchdowns is a big ask. Hill has only hit 215 yards and three touchdowns once in his career, not in the same game.