Patrick Mahomes Joins Rare Company with Super Bowl 54 Win
The Kansas City Chiefs finally ended their 50-year drought by dramatically topping the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 54 on Sunday night. The win saw star quarterback Patrick Mahomes orchestrate incredible drives in the fourth quarter to lead the team back from double-digits in the fourth quarter to secure their second Super Bowl. It was impressive finish to the game that also put Mahomes in rarefied air in NFL history.
Chiefs’ comeback win in Super Bowl 54 over 49ers
Heading into Super Bowl 54, the Chiefs were viewed as the slight favorites to win it all. However, it didn’t play out in that manner throughout much of the contest.
The teams remained in a deadlock through much of the contest wind up tied at 10 at halftime. The 49ers grabbed an edge in the third quarter, putting up 10 points to take a double-digit lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Things changed dramatically in the Chiefs’ favor with their defense locking in that allowed for their offense, led by Mahomes, to guide three-touchdown scoring drives. That saw him record his two touchdown passes for the game in the most critical time of the game. They garnered a double-digit margin of their own after a 38-yard touchdown run by running back Damien Williams.
Kansas City’s defense clamped down in the final few minutes of the game that saw them force a turnover on downs and a game-sealing interception with less than two minutes remaining in the quarter. It was an incredible finish that saw Mahomes secure the Super Bowl MVP award behind 286 passing yards with three total touchdowns, but he achieved something much greater than that.
Patrick Mahomes joins rare company
The Chiefs’ impressive comeback win helped them secure their second-ever Lombardi trophy, but it also further added to Mahomes’ legacy in his brief time in the NFL.
He had become the youngest player to win an MVP award and Super Bowl, which surpassed Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith for that mark. However, he achieved something even more meaningful with him becoming just third African-American quarterback to win the Super Bowl joining Doug Williams and Russell Wilson, according to CNN Wire.
Mahomes was just the seventh African American quarterback to start in a Super Bowl and is now the third to win it, joining Doug Williams (with Washington in Super Bowl XXII in 1988) and Russell Wilson (Seattle, Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014).
It’s quite an impressive feat, but one that hopefully will be an ever-growing list in NFL history. There are many talented African-American quarterbacks in the league today, and to come, that will have the potential to add to that mark.
Mahomes has taken advantage of the opportunity with a magical ride to the Super Bowl that put him among some of the all-time greats. It’s only his third year in the league, but he has already put himself on a historical trajectory that could see him continue to rise the ranks in NFL history.
Patrick Mahomes adding further to legacy
Although it’s been just three seasons for Mahomes, the conversation has quickly evolved around him in that short amount of time.
It went from being one of the rising stars in the league to a bonafide star to being arguably the best quarterback in the game. He has taken that up yet another notch as he secured his first Super Bowl win before the age of 25.
Mahomes has his best years ahead, which is a crazy thought even to have given what he has already accomplished in his brief time in the NFL. It’s incredibly challenging to win Super Bowls, but he has certainly put himself in the picture to add many more over the next decade-plus in his career.
