LAS VEGAS — Moments after main a successful scoring drive in additional time, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was named Tremendous Bowl LVIII MVP on Sunday evening.
Nevertheless it didn’t come with out drama. Not with the Chiefs trailing and needing a minimum of a subject purpose to increase the sport.
Mahomes had a singular mindset when the Kansas Metropolis protection held the San Francisco 49ers to a subject purpose on the opening possession of additional time Sunday evening.
“Our mindset was: Go win the sport proper right here,” Mahomes stated. “As soon as we obtained that ball — we fell quick in regulation, we’re not going to try this once more. We will go on the market and win the sport.”
Achieved deal.
As a result of after Mahomes led the Chiefs 75 yards in 13 performs — together with his operating for 27 yards on a pair of carries, on fourth-and-1 and third-and-1 conversions in the course of the drive — he hit receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. for a 3-yard, walk-off rating with three seconds on the clock to offer the Chiefs a 25-22 victory.
Not solely had Mahomes, who’s simply 28 years previous, and the Chiefs received their third Tremendous Bowl in 5 years, Mahomes had his third Tremendous Bowl MVP award, tying him with Corridor of Famer Joe Montana for second most behind Tom Brady, who has 5.
Mahomes threw for 333 yards whereas finishing 34 of 46 makes an attempt with two landing passes and an interception for a 99.3 passer ranking, and ran for 66 extra yards.
“The offense persevered,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid stated. “That final drive was a factor of magnificence.”
And the Chiefs are the NFL’s first back-to-back champs because the 2004-05 New England Patriots.
Mahomes additionally maintained his undefeated file at Allegiant Stadium, having overwhelmed the Las Vegas Raiders 4 instances on their house subject because it opened in 2020. However this evening was simply essentially the most dramatic, as his final cross of the sport ended simply the second additional time sport in Tremendous Bowl historical past.
The drive Mahomes engineered on the finish of regulation set the stage.
With 1:53 to play and the Chiefs trailing 19-16, Mahomes did what Mahomes does. He led Kansas Metropolis on an 11-play, 64-yard drive that concluded with a Harrison Butker 29-yard subject purpose with three seconds left.
And after the 49ers took that 22-19 lead on the opening possession of additional time, Mahomes replicated it.
“I assume at this level, I take it as a right, however I do know we’re in each single sport I’ve ever performed in with him, it doesn’t matter what the rating is, irrespective of how a lot time is left,” Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce stated, confirming that Mahomes entered the huddle on that drive and stated, “Let’s go win this factor.”
“That man’s obtained magic in his proper arm, man, and he can simply — he discovered methods to propel us, even along with his legs, as you noticed at the moment.”
Reid concurred along with his star tight finish.
“There is not any façade there,” he stated. “He involves work day-after-day humble. He desires to get higher day-after-day.”
And as Mahomes stated, the sport itself was a “microcosm” of the Chiefs’ season, one through which the champs appeared to be teetering once they misplaced 5 of eight at one level.
The final sport they misplaced was at house Christmas Day to the Raiders, and the Chiefs completed with a file of 11-6 whereas successful the AFC West.
“It is tradition, man,” Mahomes stated of the Chiefs believing they may recover from the hump. “I obtained introduced into this tradition. Alex Smith was main the staff. They’d the items in place and Coach Reid has been the last word chief and I obtained introduced in and I simply attempting to exemplify that, and he retains pushing to be even higher.
“He brings out one of the best in me as a result of he lets me be me. I feel that is necessary. He isn’t attempting to make me anybody else. I do not suppose I am the quarterback that I’m if I did not have Coach Reid as my coach. He desires you to be one of the best individual you could be.”
And whereas Mahomes has three wins within the Tremendous Bowl, he has trailed by double digits in all three video games — 20-10 to the 49ers within the fourth quarter 4 years in the past, 24-14 towards the Philadelphia Eagles within the third quarter final 12 months and 10-0 towards San Francisco within the second quarter Sunday.
“I will attempt to cease getting down 10 factors in these video games to make them slightly bit simpler,” Mahomes stated, laughing. “However I used to be pleased with how the fellows fought.”
