Kansas City, Missouri.After helping Kansas City defeat the Buffalo Bills in the AFC championship game and secure their spot in the Super Bowl for the third straight season, Patrick Mahomes felt compelled to issue an apology.
For what may have been the worst surge in NFL history, not for the result.
Last Saturday, Kansas City was driving early in the fourth quarter for the game-winning score in a back-and-forth battle between two of the NFL’s best teams. With his excitement pumping to the brim, Mahomes bounded to his right and charged into the end zone. He scurried to his feet and tried to spike the ball, but it squibbed out of his palm and into the sideline.
That’s why I don’t try to spike the ball, Mahomes stated.
But from a quarterback whose ferocious determination to win has grown practically legendary, it was a natural outburst of unabashed joy. However, Mahomes had been the exact opposite for the whole drive before the score: composed, poised, and in control.
As Laid-Back Pat, Mahomes was everything the players and coaches in the Kansas City locker room have grown to love as he led the team into a game against the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans the next weekend.
Andy Reid, the coach of Kansas City, clarified, “Don’t do that to him when things are tight because it can dilate you a little bit.” He seems to thrive during the most trying times. That’s just the way he is wired.
In sports, the best typically are. And Mahomes is unquestionably one of the finest. He is vying for a fourth Super Bowl ring in addition to his already record-tying third consecutive. He is the face of a team that has attained the status of a legitimate dynasty and a two-time league MVP who breaks records every season.
DeAndre Hopkins, a wide receiver for Kansas City, said that he was the best player he had ever played with. J.J. Watt, with whom I played, is unquestionably a Hall of Famer. However, Pat is without a doubt the greatest player I have ever collaborated with.
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And when the pressure is at its highest, he performs best.
Do you need evidence? What about the fact that Kansas City has won 17 straight games decided by a single possession, setting an NFL record? Or that the next-best quarterback with at least 25 starts in league history has a winning percentage of only 38.6; Mahomes has a winning record of 27 wins, 26 defeats in games where his team trailed in the fourth quarter.
Then think about how much more pressure there is during the postseason.
Mahomes has led his team to points on 13 of 14 drives in the fourth quarter and overtime when they were within one possession. Five passing touchdowns, no interceptions, and a run touchdown are all part of his total of 40 of 56 for 552 yards.
Mahomes only managed six comeback victories in nine postseason games where Kansas City fell down in the fourth quarter. He at least got K.C. to overtime in two of the three losses.
According to Travis Kelce, the tight end for Kansas City, “Pat will do whatever it takes to get us to the next level and win the game.”
Being the son of former major league pitcher Pat Mahomes Sr., it has been that way since Mahomes was a young child. Whether he was playing football, basketball, or baseball, the younger Mahomes was always the one who maintained an unusual level of composure.
Reid stated that some things are just intrinsic and given to you, but I’m convinced that growing up in a locker room with his father played a significant role, or at least a portion of it. He’s one of those guys who plays looser in tighter situations.
There isn’t a more difficult scenario than the Super Bowl, where Mahomes will be playing for the sixth time.
With just over six minutes remaining in his first trip, Kansas City fell behind 20-10 against San Francisco in 2020, but Mahomes rallied them with three straight touchdowns and a 31-20 triumph. Three years later, in a game against Philadelphia, K.C. fell behind 27-21 in the fourth quarter before Harrison Butker’s field goal, assisted by Mahomes, gave them a 38-35 victory. Additionally, the 49ers led twice in the fourth quarter and once in overtime last season, but Mahomes always rallied Kansas City to win 25–22.
Naturally, Kansas City would rather defeat Philadelphia handily in their Super Bowl rematch on February 9 than play to the death for another championship game. However, they have faith in their relaxed quarterback to finish the job if that occurs.
Kansas City offensive coordinator Matt Nagy grinned and remarked, “He has a history of doing those things in his career, in big-time moments.” He usually makes the play at a crucial point. He is that person.
The Associated Press
