Move over Tom Brady; there’s a new kid in town.
Patrick Mahomes, a now three-time Super Bowl champion, is here to stay. The Chiefs rode their red wave all the way to the Super Bowl and claimed another victory. The Chiefs have become the NFL’s new antagonist—a common enemy amongst fandoms like the Buffalo Bills or the Baltimore Ravens. No matter how hard teams try, they can’t seem to beat the Chiefs.
Bottom line, if you’re not a Kansas City fan, it sucks to see them win.
At times Mahomes can come across as a sore loser. Flashback to earlier this season when the Chiefs lost to the Bills, Mahomes made a comment to Bills QB Josh Allen about the call that cost the Chiefs the game. Mahomes used some colorful language to describe the officiating as awful, and while he later apologized for his comments, fans believed his unsportsmanlike behavior was distasteful.
It’s only human to say things in the heat of the moment that you later regret. But after tonight’s Super Bowl came to a close, fans witnessed a different version of Mahomes. You could see a softer side of the QB as he thanked his wife and children on stage while accepting the Vince Lombardi Trophy. When Mahomes laid on the field, blissfully clutching his head in his hands, you got a sense of his appreciation for achieving such greatness and his love for the sport of football.
You may not like Mahomes or the Chiefs, but you can’t deny the success of the former Texas Tech quarterback and his team as they continue to build their dynasty one win at a time. “It’s the start of one. We’re not done,” Mahomes said after his Super Bowl win.
At just 28 years old, Mahomes has led his team to six straight AFC Championships and won three Super Bowls. And after tonight’s win, Mahomes is four rings away from tying former New England Patriots quarterback and NFL icon Tom Brady. Mahomes was initially compared to Brady, but some football fans believe the Chiefs quarterback is more like NBA legend Michael Jordan. Even commentator Jim Nantz and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo likened Mahomes to Jordan during the Super Bowl broadcast. Both Jordan and Mahomes thrive under high-pressure situations and have been crowned MVP numerous times throughout their careers. They’ve also received criticism for their competitive nature and dominance within their sport.
Leading up to the Super Bowl, frustrated fans casted the Chiefs as the villains of the NFL. “If you win a lot and that causes you to be a villain, then I’m OK with it,” Mahomes said during a pre-Super Bowl press conference.
Mahomes isn’t here to be liked by all NFL fans. He already has the longstanding support of Chiefs Kingdom and the new support from die-hard Swifties. Instead, he’s here to win. And if that means taking down your favorite team in the regular or postseason, so be it. Regardless of who Mahomes reminds you of, his legacy within the league and his team’s dynasty has been certified.
As much as NFL fans like myself wanted to see the Brock Purdy underdog story come to fruition, we must give our props to Mahomes for his incredible talent.
Gone are the days of a stoic Bill Belichick directing his team from the sidelines. The New England Patriots ruled the NFL for 20 years, but now it’s time for a new team to take the reins. The NFL’s Chiefs’ era has only just begun.
