Patrick Mahomes wins Super Bowl MVP for third time

LAS VEGAS — Moments after leading a winning scoring drive in overtime, Kansas City Chiefs attacking player Patrick Mahomes He was named MVP of Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday night.

But it didn’t come without drama. Not with the Chiefs trailing and needing at least a field goal to extend the game.

Mahomes had a unique mentality when the Kansas City defense dominated San Francisco 49ers to a field goal on the first possession of overtime Sunday night.

“Our mentality was: Win the game right here,” Mahomes said. “Once we got that ball, we fell short in regulation, we’re not going to do that again. We’re going to go out and win the game.”

Done deal.

Because after Mahomes led the Chiefs 75 yards on 13 plays, including his run for 27 yards on a pair of carries, on fourth-and-1 and third-and-1 conversions during the drive, he hit the receiver. Mecole Hardman Jr.. for a 3-yard score with three seconds left to give the Chiefs a lead 25-22 victory.

Not only had Mahomes, who is only 28 years old, won his third Super Bowl in five years, but Mahomes earned his third Super Bowl MVP award, tying him with Hall of Famer Joe Montana for second place behind Tom Brady, who five.

Mahomes threw for 333 yards while completing 34 of 46 attempts with two touchdown passes and an interception for a 99.3 passer rating, and ran for 66 more yards.

“The offense persevered,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “That last trip was a beautiful thing.”

And the Chiefs are the first back-to-back NFL champions since the 2004-05 season. New England Patriots.

Mahomes also maintained his undefeated record at Allegiant Stadium, having defeated the Las Vegas Raiders four times on their home field since opening in 2020. But tonight was easily the most dramatic, as his final pass of the game ended just the second overtime game in Super Bowl history.

The drive Mahomes engineered at the end of regulation set the stage.

With 1:53 left and the Chiefs trailing 19-16, Mahomes did what Mahomes does. He led Kansas City on an 11-play, 64-yard drive that ended with a butcher harrison 29-yard field goal with three seconds left.

And after the 49ers took that 22-19 lead on the first possession of overtime, Mahomes replied.

“I guess at this point I take it for granted, but I know we’re in every game I’ve played with him, no matter what the score is, no matter how much time is left,” Chiefs said. end Travis Kelce he said, confirming that Mahomes came into the huddle on that drive and said, “We’re going to win this.”

“That guy’s got magic in his right arm, man, and he can just… found ways to propel us, even with his legs, like you saw today.”

Reid agreed with his star tight end.

“There is no facade there,” he said. “He comes to work every day with humility. He wants to improve every day.”

And as Mahomes said, the game itself was a “microcosm” of the Chiefs’ season, one in which the champions seemed to falter as they lost five of eight at one point.

The last game they lost was at home on Christmas Day to the Raiders, and the Chiefs finished with an 11-6 record while winning the AFC West.

“It’s culture, man,” Mahomes said of the Chiefs believing they could get over the hump. “I came into this culture. Alex Smith was leading the team. They had the pieces in place and Coach Reid has been the supreme leader and I came in and just try to exemplify that, and he keeps pushing to be even better.

“He brings out the best in me because he lets me be me. I think that’s important. He’s not trying to make me into anyone else. I don’t think I’d be the quarterback I am if I didn’t have Coach Reid.” like my coach. He wants you to be the best person you can be.”

And although Mahomes has three Super Bowl wins, he has been trailing by double digits in all three games: 20-10 against the 49ers in the fourth quarter four years ago, 24-14 against the 49ers. Philadelphia Eagles in the third quarter last year and 10-0 against San Francisco in the second quarter on Sunday.

“I’m going to try to stop giving up 10 points in these games to make them a little easier,” Mahomes said, laughing. “But he was proud of how the guys fought.”