Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has said the team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in their Super Bowl meeting two years ago has “lit a fire” in him ahead of their rematch in New Orleans on Sunday.

Two years ago, Philadelphia and Kansas City squared off in one of the most thrilling Super Bowls in NFL history, with the Chiefs battling back from a 10-point deficit at half-time to ultimately triumph 38-35.

Hurts arguably had a career-best outing in that loss, accounting for 374 yards and four total touchdowns, and the Eagles QB says the disappointment is helping fuel his preparation for Super Bowl 59 – live on Sky Sports NFL, from 10pm, Sunday (kick-off 11.30pm).

“I’ve learned so much,” Hurts said at the Super Bowl’s opening-night event in New Orleans.

“It’s the same as any other game. Every game has its lessons – good, bad or indifferent. So just being able to become wiser, grow and mature and take all of those lessons in, it’s had a great driving force.

“It lit a flame, lit a fire in me, and to have this opportunity again is exactly what you work for.”

Hurts added on the challenge of facing the Chiefs again, chasing a third straight title: “You’ve got to be able to finish [against them].

“That’s going to take great focus, a great week of prep this week, putting it all together.”

Schecter: Barkley has changed who the Eagles are

The Eagles followed up their Super Bowl run two seasons ago with a disappointing 2023 campaign that saw them lose five of their last six regular-season games after a promising 10-1 start – before then suffering an embarrasing 32-9 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the playoffs.

Another year on and they rebounded this season with a 14-3 record followed by three home wins through the playoffs, including a 55-23 drubbing of the Washington Commanders in the NFC Conferece Championship.

Sunday’s Super Bowl rematch between the Eagles and Chiefs contains 27 starters from their title clash two years ago, 12 for Philadelphia, but there’s one key addition and weapon they’ve got at their disposal this time round.

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Running back Saquon Barkley signed in the offseason after leaving NFC East rivals New York Giants, and he has put together an MVP-calibre season that sees him need only 30 yards in the Super Bowl to eclipse Terrell Davis’ mark for the most rushing yards in a season (including playoffs) for the 1998 Denver Broncos.

“Saquon has changed who they are,” Sky Sports’ Phoebe Schecter said on the Inside The Huddle Podcast. “Not only do you now have a record-setter on your roster, he has helped elevate what was already one of the best offensive lines out there. And it’s also about what he’s allowed Hurts to do.

“You look at the back-end of last year, you never would have thought the Eagles would be a team that would have so much trouble and fall apart the way they did.

“Some teams love the limelight and really prosper in it, like the Chiefs. This year it’s almost like the Eagles have wanted to be out of it and just go about things silently.

“Not many people had them making the Super Bowl again. They have done a great job of flying under the radar this year.

“It falls in line with what Hurts and [head coach Nick] Siriani want to be. As someone who is a coach’s son, who has always learnt the right way to do things; Hurts knows sometimes less is more.”

The Kansas City Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday February 9, live on Sky Sports NFL and Main Event from 10pm ahead of kick-off at 11.30pm; Tom Brady features on commentary while Kendrick Lamar headlines the half-time show