Earlier today, Patrick Mahomes was confirmed…
kansas city quarterback Patrick Mahomes was confirmed
The Super Bowl LVIII MVP award went to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on Sunday night, just after he led his team on a winning scoring drive in overtime.
It was not, however, without drama. Not when the Chiefs were behind and needed to extend the game with a field goal at the very least.
When the Kansas City defense limited the San Francisco 49ers to a field goal on the first play of overtime on Sunday night, Mahomes had a unique perspective.
“Go win the game right here,” Mahomes remarked. “We’re not going to do that again once we had that ball—we lost in regulation. We’re going to take the field and prevail in the match.”
Deal closed.
Because with three seconds remaining, Mahomes hit receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. for a 3-yard walk-off score, giving the Chiefs a 25-22 lead after leading the team 75 yards in 13 plays, including his running for 27 yards on two carries on fourth-and-1 and third-and-1 conversions during the drive.
Mahomes, who is only 28 years old, not only helped the Chiefs win their third Super Bowl in five years, but he also won his third MVP award in Super Bowl history, which ties him for second place behind only Tom Brady (five).
With a 99.3 passing rating, Mahomes completed 34 of 46 passes for 333 yards, two touchdown passes, one interception, and 66 additional yards of running.
Coach Andy Reid of the Chiefs stated, “The offense endured.” “It was a beautiful drive that last time.”
And since the New England Patriots in 2004–05, the Chiefs are the NFL’s first team to win two titles in a row.
After defeating the Los Vegas Raiders four times at Allegiant Stadium since it opened in 2020, Mahomes continued to have an unbeaten record there. However, this was undoubtedly the most dramatic night because it was his final pass of the game that put an end to only the second overtime Super Bowl game ever.
The scene was established by the drive Mahomes orchestrated toward the end of regulation.
With 1:53 remaining and the Chiefs behind 19–16, Mahomes performed as usual. He guided Kansas City on an 11-play, 64-yard drive that was stopped with three seconds remaining on a 29-yard field goal by Harrison Butker.
And Mahomes repeated it after the 49ers grabbed the lead, 22-19, on the first drive of OT.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce confirmed that Mahomes went into the huddle on that drive and said, “Let’s go win this thing.” “I guess at this point, I take it for granted, but I know we’re in every single game I’ve ever played in with him,” Kelce said.
“You witnessed today that he could propel us even with his legs—the guy’s got magic in his right arm, man.”
Reid said as much to his standout tight end.
“That place isn’t a façade,” he declared. Each day, he arrives at work with humility. His daily goal is to improve.”
Furthermore, the Chiefs’ season was a “microcosm,” as Mahomes put it, with the team appearing to be on the verge of collapse at one point after losing five straight games.
The Chiefs concluded with an 11-6 record and won the AFC West; their most recent loss came against the Raiders at home on Christmas Day.
Mahomes remarked of the Chiefs, “It’s culture, man,” with confidence that they could overcome their setback. “This culture was introduced to me. The team was being led by Alex Smith. Coach Reid has been the best leader, and they had all the elements in place. He keeps pushing himself to be even better, and I’m just trying to be an example of what I was brought in for.
He allows me to be who I am, which brings out the best in me. In my opinion, that’s crucial. He doesn’t want to turn me into someone else. Without Coach Reid as my coach, I don’t believe I would be the quarterback that I am now. He desires for you to live your life to the fullest.”
Mahomes has three Super Bowl victories, but in each of the previous three games, he has fallen down by a double-digit margin: in the fourth quarter of the game against the 49ers four years ago, in the third quarter of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles last year, and in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against San Francisco.
Laughing, Mahomes said, “I’m going to try to stop getting down 10 points in these games to make them a little bit easier.” “However, I was pleased with the lads’ fighting.”
