PHOENIX — Patrick Mahomes is 27 years old. With some luck, he has 10 or more good years in front of him as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback.
Breaking Peyton Manning’s record of five NFL MVPs isn’t unrealistic. Manning didn’t win his second MVP until age 28. Mahomes won his second one Thursday night at the annual NFL Honors. The voting wasn’t close, with Mahomes picking up 48 of 50 first-place votes.
Mahomes said this week, before Super Bowl LVII, that he isn’t chasing any player’s records or legacy.
“I don’t want to have any regrets,” Mahomes said this week. “When I look back at the end of my career, I don’t want to look back and be like, ‘Man, I didn’t give everything I have to win Super Bowls’ because of the great people I have around me. When I get done with my career, I want to make sure I know I gave everything I had on that football field.”
Mahomes had a tremendous season for the Chiefs. It can get even better Sunday.
Patrick Mahomes had a historic season
Mahomes was the easy pick for MVP. His first MVP season in 2018 was a story that took over the NFL. He was in his first season as the Chiefs’ starter and threw 50 touchdowns. His second MVP season was even better, in some ways.
Mahomes threw for 5,250 yards, a career high, and 41 touchdowns. He did that after Tyreek Hill, who was an All-Pro receiver this season, was traded to the Miami Dolphins. Mahomes’ supporting cast took a huge step back and he set an NFL single-season record for combined passing, rushing and receiving yards.
“Losing arguably the biggest weapon in the National Football League in Tyreek Hill, losing him and still finding a way to put up top-tier numbers, league-leading numbers, that shows you how he has developed and is still striving for greatness,” Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said.
There was some competition for the award. Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles, who will face Mahomes’ Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, was becoming a popular pick late in the season. He injured his shoulder, missed two games and that practically eliminated him from the race. Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals had a big season, but he wasn’t better than Mahomes.
Mahomes wasn’t just good, he was entertaining. He had numerous highlight plays. “Mahomes Magic” has become part of his game. He is a complete package at quarterback, and seems to be still ascending.
“He wants to be the best,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “He strives for that every day.”
Super Bowl curse for the MVP?
Mahomes is trying to do something that, surprisingly, hasn’t been done since 1999. Kurt Warner, with the 1999 St. Louis Rams, was the last player to win regular-season MVP and also a Super Bowl.
Others have had their chances. There have been nine MVPs since Warner in 1999 to make the Super Bowl. They’re 0-9 in the championship game, including three losses in a row for regular-season MVPs from 2015-17 (Cam Newton, Matt Ryan, Tom Brady).
Winning a Super Bowl wouldn’t just break that odd streak. It would add to a legacy that is already among the all-time greats. Only nine others have won multiple MVPs, and the list is an impressive group of legends: Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, Steve Young, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. Only Montana, Manning and Brady have multiple regular-season MVPs and also multiple Super Bowl rings as a starting quarterback.
Mahomes could probably retire after five years as a starter and make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There’s no worry about that yet. He has plenty of time to add to a résumé that already has a rare place in NFL history.
“I’m still so early in my career, I feel like all I focus on is winning the day,” Mahomes said this week. “How can I get better today to prepare myself for the end of the week and this game we’re playing in. I’ve always thought if you go and handle business the right way and do what you do and win football games, that stuff handles itself. I never really think about my legacy after football. That’ll be something I think about after I’m done playing.”
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