After winning the AFC Championship game and securing a spot in his third Super Bowl, Patrick Mahomes discussed going into the game as an ‘underdog’, just eight days after suffering a high ankle sprain.
“I think the guys were probably the most pumped up I’ve seen them going into a game, a lot of trash talk was coming from a lot of different places, even the mayor came at me.
“Whenever you feel like the underdog playing at Arrowhead Stadium it gets our guys ready to go.”
Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs reached their third Super Bowl in his fifth year as a starter, after a 23-20 victory over Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, the reigning AFC Champions.
Many saw the Chiefs as underdogs heading into the game, not only due to questions over their QB’s ankle, but also because Burrow was 3-0 vs Mahomes in his young career.
“I didn’t expect to be able to run very much just with the way it felt, but the training staff did a great job to get me enough mobility to protect myself, Mahomes expressed, before pointing out;
“At the end of the game, I had a run to get the first down, and it got us into field goal range.
“I thought the stomping was going to be the hardest part, especially planting the right leg to throw across the body, that definitely didn’t feel good. The worst tweak was when I fumbled and I tried to pick it up.”
The Arrowhead regulars were in control for most of the game, but a late Mahomes fumble gave them a scare.
“It was going to Marquez (Valdes-Scantling), who was wide open, they blitzed and it just slipped out of my hand.
“Luckily it didn’t cost us the game and our defense stepped up and got some stops for us in the end, because it was a big moment.”
“Now, the job is not finished for us, we’ve got the chance to go up against a great football team in the Philadelphia Eagles.
When asked about returning to yet another Super Bowl, Mahomes revealed that he’s approaching this one with a different mindset.
“When I first got into the league it all happened so fast, winning MVP, winning the Super Bowl, I thought that was just how it went.
“Now I’ve dealt with failure, losing the AFC Championship, losing the Super Bowl. I know how much hard work and daily grit it takes.”
You can watch Mahomes and the Chiefs suit up in Super Bowl 57 on Sunday 11th February. Both Sky Sports and ITV are showing the game here in the UK, with kick-off set for 11:30 PM GMT.