Patrick Mahomes Shows Magic, Wins Super Bowl MVP on Bad Ankle
Analysis 2/12/23
Things couldn’t have looked worse for the Kansas City Chiefs late in the first half of Super Bowl LVII on Sunday. Patrick Mahomes went down on a scramble, got up with a painful grimace and hobbled to the sideline. Already behind Philadelphia by a touchdown and with a defense unable to get the Eagles' offense off the field, a second NFL championship in four years seemed a long shot.
Then came "Mahomes Magic" – and his second MVP award for the big game.
The 38-35 victory, secured on Harrison Butker’s 27-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining, was all about an offensive line that never allowed Mahomes to be sacked, particularly in the second half, when he seemingly was operating with a serious injury.
Except Mahomes never played like the ankle was bothering him, even making several escapes from the pocket for big runs against a defense that had 70 sacks heading into the game.
Down 24-14 at halftime, Mahomes guided the Chiefs to 24 points in the second half. Two short touchdown passes went to receivers who couldn’t have been more open: Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore. Not exactly household names.
No matter. Mahomes ignored the discomfort and made big play after big play in the comeback.
“I told you all this week nothing would keep me off that football field,” he said after the game. “We challenged each other, it took everybody to win this football game.”
Coach Andy Reid explained it simply as: “That’s why he is an MVP.”
Even though Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts rushed for three touchdowns, a quarterback record for the Super Bowl, he simply didn’t have quite enough magic to match Mahomes.
“We are going to be the Kansas City Chiefs, and we are going to celebrate this the right way,” Mahomes said while hugging Travis Kelce after the win. “We are not done.”
But Mahomes clearly liked the use of "dynasty" by Fox host Terry Bradshaw, and smiled widely when the Hall of Fame quarterback mentioned it.
Considering Mahomes is in his prime and the Chiefs won a championship after trading away star receiver Tyreek Hill, Bradshaw might be right. Statistically, Mahomes had his best season in 2022 without Hill.
And while he was helped by All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce on Sunday, he also turned the likes of Toney, Moore, Isiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon and JuJu Smith-Schuster into champions.
"MVPat, you know what I mean?" Kelce said. "You can't say how much he means to this team."
Mahomes, 27, is the first league MVP to add the honor for that season’s Super Bowl since Kurt Warner for the 1999 season. Mahomes finished 21 for 27 for 182 yards and three touchdowns. His ad libs with runs – 44 yards worth – were nearly as important. When he hustled 17 yards for a first down on the decisive drive, he put the Chiefs in position to finish off Philly.
Like Reid said, that’s what MVPs do.
Barry Wilner was been a sportswriter for the Associated Press for 40 years. He has covered virtually every major sporting event, including 13 Olympics, 9 World Cups, 30 Super Bowls, the World Series, and the Stanley Cup finals, and has written 52 books. Follow him on Twitter @Wilner88.