The Kansas City Chiefs are on a journey to potentially three-peat in the Super Bowl. That is a feat that has never happened before. The Philadelphia Eagles, meanwhile, have now made the championship game three times in the last eight years. Clearly, the two teams that will square off in Super Bowl 59 are stacked with talent. You don’t find such sustained success without having loaded rosters filled with the best players in the league.

That superstar depth is what has fans so excited for this championship matchup. So, in this article, we are going to rank the 15 best players playing in Super Bowl 59.

1. Patrick Mahomes, QB

Patrick Mahomes might of had a statistical down year compared to normal, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is the best player in the league and well on his way to becoming one of the best players in NFL history. Mahomes can certainly still heave the football deep down the field when need be, but he has developed to the point where he is more of a game-manager in the mold of Tom Brady. Mahomes just wins games, and that was evident when he won 15 games for the first time in his career.

The two-time MVP has a rocket for an arm, but he is incredibly accurate and has great football IQ, too. He is even better with his legs than he is given credit for, as the quarterback always seems to scramble for a first down when his team needs him to. More than any of that, though, Mahomes has the clutch gene, and he always performs at his best in late-game situations.

2. Saquon Barkley, RB

Saquon Barkley just had arguably the best season in the NFL, which is why he is a finalist for the MVP this year. He might get robbed of winning the award because the MVP has gone to quarterbacks in recent years, but Barkley certainly had an MVP-caliber season in his first year with the Eagles.

The running back became just the ninth 2,000-yard rusher ever, and he now has a chance to break Terrell Davis’ single-season (including postseason) rushing record of 2,476 yards. Barkley is currently at 2,447 yards through three playoff games, and nobody has been able to slow him down so far this season.

3. Chris Jones, DT 

Throughout their dynasty, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have received the majority of attention on the Chiefs roster, and rightfully so. Chris Jones is one of the very best defensive players in the NFL, though.

Jones carried the burden when the rest of the Chiefs’ defense wasn’t all that impressive years ago, and now that Kansas City has a great defense, the big man is still leading the way.

Jones can certainly plug the middle and stuff the run, but what makes him so special is his ability to get after the quarterback. The defensive tackle lines up all over the defensive line for the Chiefs, as Kansas City even uses him as a pass rusher on the edge on occasion. The six-time Pro-Bowler has 80.5 career sacks.

4. Creed Humphrey, OC

Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL, Barkley is the best running back in the league, and Jones is the best defensive tackle in the sport. On top of all of that, Creed Humphrey has a case as the best center in the league. He has had great chemistry with the signal-caller taking snaps from behind him since he was drafted in 2021.

The center will have his hands full against Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, but if anybody is up for the task it is Humphrey.

5. Jalen Carter, DT

Jalen Carter is a game-wrecker and a nightmare for opposing offensive coordinators. The Eagles defensive tackle is uber versatile. He ranks in the top 10 in pressures, hits, batted balls, and hurries at the defensive tackle spot. Carter is a freak athlete who is incredibly strong and unbelievably fast.

Carter made his first Pro Bowl this year, and he has a chance to become a household name during the Super Bowl.

6. Travis Kelce, TE

In years prior, Travis Kelce would have ranked second on this list, only behind his megastar quarterback. Kelce did seemingly take a step back this year, as his 823 receiving yards were the fewest of his career since he played one game as a rookie. Still, Kelce racked up 97 receptions, and he has stepped up when his team has needed him this year.

Kelce has been particularly impressive during the postseason. He already has nine catches for 136 yards in these playoffs, and you can’t help but expect that Kelce will have a big performance in the championship game. Kelce is one of the best tight ends ever due to his reliable hands and incredible route running.

7. Lane Johnson, OT

The left tackle position is usually regarded as the most important on the offensive line, but the right tackle position is pretty important, too. Lane Johnson has long been regarded as arguably the best right tackle in football, and he is a big reason why the Eagles have one of the best offensive fronts in the league.

Johnson allowed zero sacks all season long despite the frequency with which Jalen Hurts rolls to his right side.

8. Joe Thuney, OG

An offensive guard by trade, Joe Thuney is actually playing left tackle for the Chiefs due to their injury/performance woes at that position this year. Being able to move from the inside to the blindside is no easy task, but Thuney has excelled at his new position.

9. Trey Smith, OG

It is hard to decide between Thuney and his fellow Chiefs offensive guard, Trey Smith. Smith is arguably the best impending free agent, and he can make himself a lot of money with a good Super Bowl 59 performance.

10. Jordan Mailata, OT

Clearly, high-level football is played in the trenches, as Jordan Mailata is the fifth offensive lineman in our top 10 of the best players in Super Bowl 59. The Chiefs are stacked in the interior, but the Eagles thrive because of their offensive tackle play.

The former rugby player earned the highest grade (96.4) of anybody in this game, via Pro Football Focus. He was the only tackle in the NFL who had grades above 90 in both run blocking and pass protection.

11. A.J. Brown, WR

A.J. Brown is the best yards-after-catch receiver in the NFL. He is built like a running back, so defenses struggle to bring him down when he gets the ball in his hands. Brown missed time during the regular season, so he had a statistical down year because of it.

He still secured his fifth 1,000-yard season in six years, though. Brown was the third highest-graded receiver this season (91.6), via PFF.

12. Trent McDuffie, CB

Another star defensive player who has emerged on the Chiefs roster in recent years is Trent McDuffie. The cornerback made his name guarding in the slot in recent years, but he spent more time on the outside this year.

He thrived in his new role and had an 83.1 Pro Football Focus grade, which was the second-best cornerback mark in the NFL.

13. Jalen Hurts, QB

When the Chiefs last beat the Eagles in Super Bowl 57, Jalen Hurts actually outproduced Patrick Mahomes from a statistical perspective. Hurts had 374 total yards in that game. He is both underrated as a passer and one of the best rushing quarterbacks in the NFL.

His biggest weapon is the tush-push. The quarterback sneak move has become the most unstoppable play in football.

14. Zack Baun, LB

After playing a reserve/special teams role with the New Orleans Saints, Zack Baun burst onto the scene as one of the best off-ball linebackers this year with the Eagles. He ranked sixth in the NFL with 151 total tackles.

Baun didn’t only thrive in run support, though. The linebacker also had a great season in coverage.

15. DeVonta Smith, WR

Although Brown is the number one receiver on the Eagles roster, DeVonta Smith is one of the best second options in the NFL. Smith doesn’t have the physical traits of his pass-catching partner, but he thrives because he never drops passes and because he is a great route runner.

Plenty of other great players were deserving of a spot on this list. George Karlaftis, Nolan Smith, Justin Reid, Quinyon Mitchell, Isiah Pacheco, Landon Dickerson, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Drue Tranquill, Darius Slay, and Josh Sweat all had great seasons this year, and any of them can make the difference during Super Bowl 59.