As a starter for six seasons, Patrick Mahomes is leading the Kansas City Chiefs to the Super Bowl for the fourth time.
That is really amazing. Still, it’s taken all of us by surprise. We should feel ashamed.
Patrick Lavon Mahomes II will most likely play in the NFL for a next twelve seasons or more. At the age of 28, he is essentially already guaranteed a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
We will all look back on the 2023 season as one of his greatest accomplishments, regardless of where his career goes from here (which is likely going to be even more stunning than it already has been). That is true whether the Chiefs win the Super Bowl in two weeks in Las Vegas or not following an unexpected 17-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
The Chiefs, in all honesty, had no right to be in the Super Bowl. He’s Patrick Mahomes, though.
Even so, the most of the season was spent with his supporting group betraying him as they coasted to an 11-6 season and the seventh consecutive AFC West title. Because Mahomes’ receivers fumbled passes and made crucial errors, the Chiefs lost several games. Rashee Rice, a rookie receiver, showed promise and had a good season, but the Chiefs offense was truly missing Tyreek Hill after the deal, in contrast to 2022.
Tight end Travis Kelce, who was Mahomes’ favorite target, faltered at the conclusion of the season and failed to score a touchdown in seven straight games.
The Chiefs’ offensive problems culminated in December, when it occasionally appeared to be dreadful. Mahomes’s face conveyed that he was under pressure. The pressure of having to do everything alone was weighing on him.
On Christmas Day, the Chiefs’ issues were evident in a stand-alone game as they lost 20-14 at home to the Las Vegas Raiders, looking completely out of control. The Raiders had only triumphed twice at Arrowhead Stadium in the past ten years. It was the pinnacle of the Raiders’ season and the decisive factor in interim head coach Antonio Pierce’s appointment as head coach of Las Vegas.
It appeared as though the Chiefs would make a quick exit from the postseason.
Five weeks later, though, and the Chiefs are getting ready to visit the Raiders’ practice facility in Henderson, Nevada for a week. They will also use the Raiders’ dressing room at Allegiant Stadium for the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs looked like the Chiefs going into the playoffs, even with their lack of consistency and firepower thanks to Mahomes. In the Super Wild Card Round, they easily defeated Miami at home. Then, for the first time in his illustrious postseason career, Mahomes traveled on the road and defeated the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens as the underdog.
Mahomes is not accustomed to being the underdog. By bringing the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl, he demonstrated to us all why.
Travis Kelce now has 6 career playoff games with 10+ receptions, twice as many as any other player in @nfl history. @NFLResearch #ChiefsKingdom @Chiefs
— Tony Holzman-Escareno (@FrontOfficeNFL) January 28, 2024
Of course, it wasn’t all Mahomes, even if he was incredibly effective on Sunday (completing 30-of-39 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown pass). With 11 catches for 116 yards, Kelce had a tremendous game and broke the record for most NFL postseason receptions. In their exhibition against the likely NFL MVP, Lamar Jackson, the Chiefs defense forced three turnovers.
The finest quarterback in the NFL orchestrated the historic victory.
There will be serious talk about Mahomes matching Tom Brady’s seven rings if the Chiefs win the Lombardi and Mahomes wins his third Super Bowl at the age of 28.
A month ago, that didn’t seem feasible. Still, it ought to have.
It’s Mahomes, Patrick.