by Patrick Mahomes’ Best Games So Far
Patrick Mahomes has quickly established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Ever since becoming the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018, Mahomes has dazzled fans with his incredible arm talent, athleticism, and clutch play. At just 26 years old, he already has an MVP award, a Super Bowl win, and numerous other playoff successes under his belt. Let’s take a closer look at some of Mahomes’ best individual performances that highlight why he is considered an elite quarterback.
Super Bowl LIV – February 2, 2020
Mahomes cemented his status as a champion by leading the Chiefs to a thrilling comeback victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. Down 20-10 in the fourth quarter, Mahomes engineered two late scoring drives to give Kansas City their first Super Bowl title in 50 years. He finished the game completing 26 of 42 passes for 286 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Mahomes was at his best when the Chiefs needed him most. With under 7 minutes left in the game, Mahomes led a 5 play, 65-yard drive that was capped off by a 5-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce. This brought Kansas City within 3 points. After the defense forced a quick 3-and-out, Mahomes got the ball back with 2:44 remaining. He then completed 6 passes on the go-ahead drive, including a 38-yard dart to Sammy Watkins to set up Damien Williams’ touchdown run with under 2 minutes to play.
For his clutch performance when it mattered most, Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP. At just 24 years old, he became the youngest quarterback ever to win both the Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP. His poise, decision making, and fourth quarter magic demonstrated why he is already being discussed among the all-time great postseason quarterbacks. Leading the Chiefs to their first championship in over half a century cemented Mahomes’ status as a true franchise quarterback and champion.
2018 Divisional Round vs. Houston Texans – January 12, 2019
In his first career playoff game, Mahomes put on a show against J.J. Watt and the Texans’ stout defense. Trailing by as many as 24 points, Mahomes led the Chiefs all the way back to force overtime. He finished with a stat line of 378 total yards and 5 total touchdowns, with no turnovers in what was arguably the best playoff performance of his young career at that point.
After falling behind 24-0 in the second quarter, Mahomes took over. He threw 4 touchdown passes in the second quarter alone to bring Kansas City within 3 points at halftime. In the third quarter, he hit Travis Kelce for a 20-yard score to give the Chiefs their first lead of the game at 28-24. Houston would tie it back up, but in overtime Mahomes led a decisive 75-yard drive capped by a Damien Williams touchdown to seal the 51-31 victory.
Mahomes showed incredible poise and confidence to lead such a massive comeback in the playoffs against J.J. Watt’s vaunted defense. His 5 total touchdowns and no turnovers demonstrated the kind of clutch playmaker he could be for Kansas City in the postseason for years to come. This 51-31 shootout solidified Mahomes as the new face of the AFC and one of the NFL’s most exciting young stars.
2018 Week 12 vs. Los Angeles Rams – November 19, 2018
In one of the highest scoring Monday Night Football games ever, Mahomes dueled with Jared Goff in a back-and-forth thriller between two of the league’s best young offenses. Mahomes threw for a career-high of 478 yards and 6 total touchdowns as the Chiefs outlasted the Rams 54-51.
After falling behind 14-0 early, Mahomes led scoring drives on 5 straight possessions including 4 touchdown passes to give Kansas City a 38-28 halftime lead. In the third quarter alone, Mahomes had TD throws of 68 yards to Tyreek Hill and 59 yards to Kareem Hunt. But Goff and the Rams offense kept answering, tying the game at 48 with just over 6 minutes left.
Undeterred, Mahomes coolly led the Chiefs down the field on the ensuing drive. He capped it off with a spectacular throw off his back foot to Demarcus Robinson for a 29-yard touchdown. This gave Kansas City a 54-48 lead with just over 2 minutes left. The defense held on from there to secure the 3 point victory, but it was Mahomes’ Houdini-like plays that stole the show on the national stage.
With his 6 total touchdowns and 478 passing yards against a top Rams defense, Mahomes put up a signature performance that showed he was already among the NFL’s elite at just his second season as a starter. He made highlight-reel throws look routine and refused to let his team lose, cementing his reputation as one of the most exciting players in the league.
2019 Week 5 vs. New England Patriots – October 14, 2019
In a marquee early season matchup between Mahomes and Tom Brady, Mahomes outdueled the six-time Super Bowl champion in a thrilling 33-30 victory over the Patriots. He threw for 383 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading scoring drives on 5 of the Chiefs’ first 6 possessions.
After falling behind 7-0 early, Mahomes led 3 straight touchdown drives to give Kansas City a 21-10 second quarter lead. He threw TD passes of 27 yards to Travis Kelce and 43 yards to Demarcus Robinson during this stretch. The Patriots battled back to tie it 27-27 in the third quarter, but Mahomes coolly led another scoring drive to retake the lead 30-27.
With under 4 minutes left and New England driving to potentially take the lead, Mahomes made perhaps the play of the game. On 3rd and long, he scrambled away from pressure and launched a perfect pass to Mecole Hardman for a 48-yard gain. This set up Harrison Butker’s game-winning field goal as time expired.
Going toe-to-toe with Brady on the national stage and coming out on top demonstrated that Mahomes was ready to compete against anyone. He made clutch throws when it mattered most and refused to let his team lose. At just 23 years old, Mahomes was already outplaying one of the game’s all-time greats and stamping himself as Brady’s heir apparent in the AFC.
2020 AFC Championship vs. Buffalo Bills – January 24, 2021
After defeating Cleveland and Buffalo in back-to-back playoff games, Mahomes was one win away from a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance. Against a red-hot Bills team led by Josh Allen, Mahomes delivered one of the gutsiest performances of his career to secure the 38-24 victory and a trip to Super Bowl LV.
Mahomes threw for 325 yards and 3 touchdowns despite playing the second half with a turf toe injury suffered in the second quarter. In the first half alone, he led scoring drives on 4 of 5 possessions, including touchdown passes of 20 yards to Tyreek Hill and 5 yards to Travis Kelce. This gave Kansas City a 21-12 halftime lead.
With his injury hampering his mobility in the second half, Mahomes remained calm in the pocket and continued making clutch throws. He led another touchdown drive early in the third quarter to answer a Bills score. Then with under 2 minutes left and Kansas City clinging to a narrow lead, Mahomes coolly led a 6 play, 48-yard drive eating up the clock and setting up Harrison Butker’s game-sealing field goal.
Playing through a painful injury, Mahomes refused to let his team lose on the biggest stage. His toughness and playmaking ability kept another high-powered offense in Buffalo at bay. By leading the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl despite being less than 100%, Mahomes further cemented his legacy as one of the toughest and most clutch quarterbacks in the entire NFL.
Conclusion: A Bright Future Ahead
At just 26 years old, Patrick Mahomes has already established himself as the face of the NFL. From record-breaking statistical seasons to leading multiple playoff comebacks and a Super Bowl title, he has proven time and again that he thrives in the biggest moments. With his combination of arm talent, athleticism, leadership qualities and winning track record, Mahomes seems destined to compete amongst the all-time greats if he can sustain his early success over a full career.
The best may be yet to come as Mahomes enters his prime. As long as he stays healthy, many more iconic performances are surely in store. With his work ethic and drive to improve, it’s scary to think Mahomes may not have even reached his ceiling yet. Chiefs fans are thrilled to be able to watch one of the most unique and exciting players ever suit up in Kansas City red for many seasons to come. Patrick Mahomes’ legacy is just beginning, and there is no doubt he will author many more legendary chapters.
