Patrick Mahomes almost becomes the tragic hero of this Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback limps off the field injured but proves heroic qualities. Is he now good enough for a new NFL dynasty?
Is everything over now? Shortly before the end of the first half, the fans of the Kansas City Chiefs caught their breath. Perhaps the blood freezes in the veins. Who knows, it doesn’t really matter. Importantly, at this moment in Glendale, Arizona, perhaps the most talented quarterback of all time, Patrick Mahomes, is limping off the field, leaving his supporters terrified. Because their team is 14:24 behind at the break and now the ankle of the Chiefs nation is broken.
Broke again, one should say. Mahomes suffered a serious ankle injury in the first playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. An injury with which normal mortals should not do any sport at all for several weeks. But the 27-year-old played with a heavily bandaged ankle in the very next game and beat his Cincinnati rivals. Now he’s only lying on the grass after a tackle in his legs and then limping off the field. The Chiefs’ backup quarterback warms up right on the sidelines.
But nothing is over. Not with comeback king Patrick Mahomes, who dances and sprints through the opposing ranks in the first move after the break. The biggest shock for the Chiefs is missing. Rather, the moment of shock seems to have spurred on the entire Kansas City team. The ankle collapse, which did not occur, caused a turnaround during the break – and then an offensive spectacle including a successful comeback.
Who massaged Mahomes’ foot, who professionally put the bandages around his ankle, who administered how many painkillers: all this is unknown, but the quarterback is hardly on the pitch in the second half when he starts like – to pay homage to the desert surrounding State Farm Stadium, designed to evoke cacti and a coiled snake – bitten by the rattlesnake.
attack, touchdown. attack, touchdown. attack, touchdown. With three straight plays of seven points each, Mahomes is leading his boys back in and out of the Eagles. The quarterback does not show the very spectacular, deep throws this time. His counterpart Jalen Hurts, who also plays big, takes over. But Mahomes distributes the balls incredibly skillfully and confidently, throws in many successful runs and, above all, does not make a single mistake. He makes 21 of 27 passes, throws 182 yards and three touchdowns. Strong as a bear!
And in particular, he once again shows his leadership qualities. Because comeback, they can do that in Kansas City. In Mahomes and coach Andy Reid’s first title win in 2020, the Chiefs became the first team ever to win three straight games from double-digit deficits en route to the championship. This time they overcome a deficit of ten points and the shock of injury. The moment of shock that crowns the comeback at the end, after initially seeming to herald the bitter end.
Mahomes, who now has not only the trophy of the season, but also the Super Bowl, shows once again that he can always excel on the big stage. That he has the winning gene of the greats. That it is made for show, but also for absolute success. This year he is completing his second 5,000-yard season of his career and leads the NFL in touchdown passes with 41. Never before had a player led the league in passing yards and won the Super Bowl in the same season. Mahomes makes history in Glendale by doing both.
Aside from retired over-quarterback Tom Brady, the Chiefs playmaker is the only one to start the field in three Super Bowls in the first six seasons. He also has the most playoff touchdown passes (35) and passing yards (4,084) by a quarterback before his 30th birthday. There are likely to be a few more in the years to come.
Because the Chiefs and Mahomes are working hard to build a true dynasty. Of course they can’t match Brady with the New England Patriots (yet), but two titles in four years and five straight AFC Championship Finals appearances is a good start to a reign. Especially since Reid and his team have been improving the team cleverly since the Super Bowl defeat against Tampa Bay in 2021.
Of course, the competition with Hurts and many other young and strong quarterbacks is great. But Mahomes is showing once again in this Super Bowl why he’s just that little bit better than everyone else. How he can give the best defense in the entire NFL 38 points with a broken ankle.
Mahomes recovering from injury in the second half may have reminded some of Michael Jordan’s now-iconic “flu game.” When the flu-stricken basketball legend led his Chicago Bulls to a win over the Utah Jazz in game five of the 1997 NBA Finals. It’s stories like this that make the biggest headlines in America. That people will remember for decades to come. Write the legends. produce heroes.
And so an ailing Patrick Mahomes not only dances through the ranks of the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. He also writes his own legend step by step. Brady’s seven rings may never be reached again. But in second place are Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana with four Super Bowl wins each. And not only the fans of the Chiefs believe that after this comeback success, a fit Mahomes, probably the most talented pitcher in NFL history, could rise to these spheres.
