Sunday’s 35-24 victory over the Titans sends Kansas City back to the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years. Patrick Mahomes led the way with 294 passing yards, three touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown.
“You got a little dose today,” Andy Reid said in his Arrowhead office. “That’s him every day. As a player, he’s special, which everyone can see. As a person, he’s got everything too. He’s the whole package.”
Mahomes was originally selected tenth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft and started his first full season in 2018 winning the NFL MVP after contributing 50 touchdown passes and 5,097 yards. Now, at the age of 24, he will become the fifth youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl.
With 23 seconds left to go in the second quarter of the AFC Championship Game, Mahomes saw pressure coming and decided to scramble out of the pocket to his left as he looked for receivers down field. Running out of time to throw, he ran to his left and hesitated before cutting up the sideline just beyond the reach of two Titans’ defenders. He was able to break a tackle by the five yard line and spun into the endzone capping off a miraculous 27-yard run that gave Kansas City a 21-17 lead going into the half. The play changed the momentum of the game as the Titans scored just one touchdown in the second half.
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In the locker room following the game Mahomes said, “That run… Never would have happened without my guys downfield being doubled. That’s why it was possible. Two guys are doubled, and that left space for me.”
Through four playoff games, Mahomes has 11 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and no interceptions with a 131.5 passer rating. He battled through injury in the regular season and compiled 4,031 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and just five interceptions in 14 games this season.
The 49ers’ defense will have their hands full as they try to contain Mahomes and win the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy.
