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Patrick Mahomes has been in the NFL for six seasons with the last five as the full-time starter. In that time, he’s reached the AFC Championship game four consecutive times and appeared in the Super Bowl twice with one Super Bowl ring as of December 2022. [1]
That victory came in 2019 against the San Francisco 49ers. Mahomes and the Chiefs had to come from behind for the 31-20 win. [2]
As one of the most gifted quarterbacks in playing in an efficient offensive system led by coach Andy Reid, Mahomes, and the Chiefs look to be in line for several more chances at a Super Bowl ring in the years to come.
Key Takeaways
- Mahomes has reached at least the AFC championship game every year as a starter including two Super Bowl appearances and one ring.
- Mahomes and the Chiefs have come close to capturing other titles including one of the most memorable wins in NFL history against the Bills in the AFC Divisional Round
- Going forward, Mahomes and the Chiefs will have to cut costs at other positions due to his new contract, making it more difficult to return to the Super Bowl.
Mahomes first AFC Championship Game
Mahomes burst onto the scene his first year in the NFL, leading the league in touchdown passes and winning MVP. [3]
It was a classic battle of the old guard facing the young phenom in the AFC Championship against Tom Brady. In what would become something of a pattern for the young Mahomes, the game went into overtime as Kansas City squandered multiple chances to put the Patriots away.
Brady orchestrated a touchdown on the first drive of overtime to seal the game and propel the Patriots to another Super Bowl victory.
Read more: HOW MANY RINGS HAS TOM BRADY WON IN HIS CAREER?
Mahomes and the Chiefs Take the Title
Undaunted, Mahomes guided the Chiefs back to the playoffs the following year and collected the first ring of his career, defeating the Texans, Titans, and 49ers. While all three wins were by double digits, there was plenty of drama along the way.
They trailed the Texans 24-0 before rattling off 41 unanswered points en route to a 51-31 shootout win. [4]
The Titans also ran out to a double-digit lead before the Chiefs came storming back. And not to be outdone, the 49ers held a 20-10 lead deep into the fourth quarter before Mahomes led three touchdown drives. [5]
Although the Chiefs wound up with what looked like a comfortable victory, the 49ers were one overthrow away from a different outcome.
Near Misses
The Chiefs returned to the Super Bowl the following year, going 14-2 and dispatching the Browns and Bills in the playoffs. [6]
Once again, Mahomes found himself matched up against Tom Brady. But a beleaguered and injured offensive line contributed to a rough game for the Chiefs’ offense. Mahomes spent most of the game on the run, trying to buy time for his receivers to get open. The result was a 31-9 shellacking as Mahomes threw two interceptions and zero touchdowns. [7]
Mahomes returned to the playoffs yet again the next year, sporting the best record in the AFC. In the Divisional Round, the Bills came to town led by Josh Allen’s own high-flying offense. What transpired was one of the most chaotic and memorable NFL games ever.
People on social media and around the world lost their collective minds as Mahomes and Allen traded four scoring drives over the last two minutes of regulation. [8]
Kansas City won the toss in overtime and promptly marched right down the field for the game-winning pass to Travis Kelce.
But Kansas City was tripped up the following week by the Bengals which entered the game as seven-point underdogs. Mahomes and the Chiefs cruised out to a 21-3 lead, but their offense sputtered after halftime and the Bengals pulled out the upset in overtime. [9]
Going Forward
Patrick Mahomes’ lucrative new contract started in 2022, changing his cap hit from around 7 million dollars to over 35 million. From now until 2031, Mahomes’ salary will range from 41 to 52 million dollars. [10]
While any team would happily have Mahomes under contract for as long as possible, the NFL’s salary cap structure means that the Chiefs will have less money to spend on the rest of the roster.
This likely played a role in the Chiefs’ decision to trade superstar WR Tyreek Hill before the 2022 season since he will be making 24 million dollars or more every year for the next four years. [11]
Mahomes will give the Chiefs a high floor in the years to come. He’s probably the best player at the sport’s most influential position and that combined with a solid coaching staff should be enough to make the Chiefs contenders most years.
But the margin for error will be tighter than it was when Mahomes was on his much cheaper rookie deal. With less money available, getting back to the Super Bowl will be more challenging.
Mahomes will likely have to make do with less expensive and less talented players at receiver with the Chiefs hoping that young players like wide receiver Skyy Moore can develop into reliable options for a fraction of the price.
Thus far, it doesn’t seem to be hampering Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense. Through the first 13 games of the 2022 season, Mahomes leads the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns with the Chiefs sporting a 10-3 record, tied for the best in the AFC. [12]
References
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202002020kan.htm
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202002020kan.htm
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/awards_2018.htm
- https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bucs/2020/01/13/kansas-city-chiefs-down-24-0-pull-off-historic-comeback-to-beat-houston-texans/#:~:text=Help%20Chat-,Kansas%20City%20Chiefs%2C%20down%2024%2D0%2C%20pull%20off%20historic,trailing%20by%2020%20or%20more.&text=KANSAS%20CITY%2C%20Mo.
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/kan/2019.htm
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/01/24/chiefs-bills-afc-championship-score-live-updates/
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/kan/2020.htm
- https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/lists/kansas-city-chiefs-buffalo-bills-best-twitter-reactions-divisional-round/
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/kan/2021.htm
- https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/patrick-mahomes-21751/
- https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/miami-dolphins/tyreek-hill-19119/
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MahoPa00.htm
