Patrick Mahomes II is a Super Bowl champion again.
The Texas Tech Ring of Honor member threw three touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter, Sunday evening to claim his second career Super Bowl title as his as his Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35, at Stadium Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
"I told you all this week there's nothing that's going to keep me off that football field," said Mahomes shortly after the victory. "I just want a shoutout to my teammates — we challenged each other, we needed everyone to win this football game — so shoutout to my teammates. We're Super Bowl champs!"
The win improved Mahomes to 2-1 in Super Bowl games after he previously led the Chiefs to only their second world title in the franchise's history to end the 2019 season. It also capped a memorable week for Mahomes and his family as he became the second-youngest quarterback in league history to be named NFL MVP for a second time Thursday evening.
For his efforts, Mahomes was named the Super Bowl MVP for the second time in his career, becoming only the third quarterback in NFL history to win multiple NFL MVP awards and two Super Bowl MVPs. He is the seventh player all-time to win a Super Bowl title, NFL MVP honors and Super Bowl MVP accolades all in the same year, joining the likes of Bart Starr (1966), Terry Bradshaw (1978), Joe Montana (1989), Emmitt Smith (1993), Steve Young (1994) and Kurt Warner.
Similar to his first Super Bowl crown, Mahomes had to rally from a 10-point deficit to raise the Vince Lombardi Trophy as the Chiefs trailed 24-14 at the half, only to come back with a touchdown on their opening drive of the second half and 17 points in the final frame. Mahomes was responsible for both of Kansas City's touchdowns in the fourth quarter as he found Kadarius Toney in the flat for a five-yard score and then Skyy Moore for a similar four-yard scamper into the end zone for a 35-27 lead.
Mahomes completed 21-of-27 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns overall, while also rushing six times for 44 yards despite a significant ankle injury that has lingered throughout the playoffs. Mahomes keyed Kansas City's game-winning field goal with eight seconds remaining thanks to his legs as he scrambled 26 yards up the middle to push the Chiefs into the red zone just before the two-minute warning.
The Chiefs started off the night hot offensively as Kansas City needed only six plays to find the end zone on its opening drive with Mahomes finding Travis Kelce on a fade pass from 18 yards out to tie the game at 7-7 early. Kelce had two catches on the drive alone as he was on the receiving end of Mahomes' first completion for 20 yards.
Mahomes was kept off the field for most of the second quarter as Kansas City tied the game on a Nick Bolton 36-yard fumble return for a touchdown but was otherwise quiet as Philadelphia dominated possession. Mahomes responded by completing 13-of-15 passes for 93 yards in the second half alone to become the first NFL MVP to win the Super Bowl since Warner in 1999.
Mahomes finished the season as the NFL leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns, earning MVP honors and then a Super Bowl title and Super Bowl MVP honors. In the league's history, only three other quarterbacks – Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Warner – have accomplished each of these feats in their entire career.
Mahomes did so this season alone, placing him among the all-time greats at only 27 years of age.
Mahomes was one of two Red Raiders in the Super Bowl as he was facing Zech McPhearson with the Eagles, marking only the second time in school history where Texas Tech had former players on opposite sides of the field. McPhearson, an All-Big 12 first team selection for the Red Raiders in 2020, completed his second season with the Eagles and was a Pro Bowl candidate for his work on special teams.
