Patrick Mahomes: The Key to Kansas City’s Super Bowl Hopes

Patrick Mahomes is set to play in his fifth Super Bowl, aiming for his fourth title. With his leadership and consistency, the Chiefs’ star quarterback could be the deciding factor against the Eagles on Sunday.


When it comes to football, the quarterback is the most important position on the field. And in Super Bowl LIX, no one will have a bigger impact than Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes.

Mahomes is preparing for his fifth shot at the Lombardi Trophy—and potentially his fourth championship. It’s easy to say he’ll be the most crucial player on the field Sunday.

For his teammates, that’s a reassuring thought.

“There are a lot of things he does behind the scenes that people probably don’t appreciate,” said offensive lineman Joe Thuney. “When I came in (2021), I always thought he was really mature. He always handled himself so well.

“He’s a great player. An elite player.”

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Patrick Mahomes: The Key to Kansas City’s Super Bowl Hopes
Patrick Mahomes: The Key to Kansas City’s Super Bowl Hopes

Mahomes had another strong season, improving his passer rating to 93.5 and cutting down on interceptions (11 compared to 14 last year). He led the Chiefs to a 15-2 record and secured the AFC’s top seed.

Since becoming a starter, Mahomes, now 29, has never thrown for fewer than 3,900 yards or 26 touchdowns in a season. His lowest passer rating? 92.6—still elite.

That kind of consistency, along with his Super Bowl pedigree, draws comparisons to Tom Brady.

Brady, who won seven Super Bowls, never had a season with fewer than 3,500 passing yards or 23 touchdowns when he played a full season. He also retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in completions, yards, and touchdowns.

Thuney, who played alongside Brady for four years in New England, sees similarities between the two quarterbacks.

“The time they put in at the facility, day in and day out, all the extra games, all the extra film they go through, and just that attitude that every day they’re trying to get better,” Thuney said. “The leadership, the example they set … I just feel very fortunate and lucky that I’ve been around it my whole career.”

Mahomes, for his part, says success isn’t just about him—it’s about the team.

“I don’t take it for granted,” he said. “The guys we have in our locker room have such an appreciation for the process and how hard it is to get to the Super Bowl. (Every offseason) we really go back to ground zero, and we work our tail off to be the best that we can be.”

One challenge he’ll face on Sunday is Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Mahomes knows Fangio well from his days coaching the Denver Broncos (2019-21), where his defensive schemes often disrupted opposing offenses.

“The way he’s able to scheme things, the way he’s able to read tendencies, get you out of your best plays, and force you to do things you don’t want to do, he’s one of the best at that stuff,” Mahomes said.

Mahomes went 6-0 against Fangio’s Broncos, but none of those games were on this stage. And if there’s any concern for Chiefs fans, it’s that Mahomes’ worst playoff games have come in the Super Bowl.

His lowest Super Bowl performances include a 78.1 passer rating in Super Bowl LIV (a 31-20 win over San Francisco) and a rough 52.3 rating in the Chiefs’ 31-9 loss to Tampa Bay in Super Bowl LV.

“Every game has its own challenges in it. You don’t want to get too high or get too low,” said Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. “If something bad happens, you want to learn from it and move on.”

And that’s exactly what Mahomes has done. Since then, he’s posted passer ratings of 131.8 and 99.3 in back-to-back Super Bowl wins against the Eagles and 49ers.

Kansas City doesn’t rely on Mahomes to put up big numbers every week like they used to. Reid credits some of Mahomes’ growth to the fact that he got to sit and learn behind veteran Alex Smith in his rookie year.

“I’m not saying he couldn’t have been as great as he is now if he didn’t sit, but having (the experience observing) Alex Smith was something that you can’t buy,” Reid said. “I think that’s helped him.”

Mahomes agrees.

“It was extremely important for me,” he said. “Coming into the NFL, you just don’t know what to expect. Instead of being thrown into the fire and having to figure it out on the fly, I got to learn behind one of the smartest quarterbacks of all time.”

Now, with another Super Bowl in his sights, Mahomes has a chance to further cement his legacy. If history is any indication, the Chiefs are in good hands.

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