In his three Super Bowl appearances thus far, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has not only walked away with the Lombardi Trophy in two of those but also with the MVP trophy. Could Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers earn Mahomes yet another ring and MVP crown?
Mahomes is already in an elite group among the all-time greats, with his Super Bowl appearances being a major part of that. As most know by now, Mahomes, 28, is setting new standards in the NFL, becoming the first player to appear in four Super Bowls before the age of 30. He and the Chiefs quickly became the new dynasty of the NFL, replacing the New England Patriots once Tom Brady left, although not without first falling to Brady's new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in Mahomes' only Super Bowl loss so far.
Speaking of Brady, as Mahomes continues to chase legendary status, he will be looking to make his way toward another one of The GOAT's records against the 49ers in Las Vegas. Should the Chiefs quarterback earn his third MVP award, he would surpass Bart Starr and Terry Bradshaw, who won two, tie Joe Montana, who won three, and be two away from tying Brady with five.
Getting to two more Super Bowls would be a daunting task, but here we are talking about a player who has already made it to the big game four times in five seasons. Never count Mahomes out of anything, including his third Super Bowl MVP.
Super Bowl MVPs typically go to quarterbacks
If you're looking first and foremost at why Mahomes could walk away winning the MVP Super Bowl trophy, you have to look at the numbers to start for evidence. In 57 Super Bowls, the quarterback position has won it 32 times (71.1%), more than any other position, according to ESPN stats. Quarterbacks have won the trophy five out of the last seven years and have only gone more than two seasons without winning the award three times, with the longest streak going from 1972-77. The first four MVP awards (1966-69) went to quarterbacks, which has only happened twice, with the last from 2009-2012.
Patrick Mahomes has won Super Bowl MVP twice
As mentioned, Mahomes has already won the award twice in his two Super Bowl victories, and his first in only his second season as a starter. If you were to look back at Mahomes' stats in Super Bowl 54, you might wonder just how he won the award. He finished the evening going 26-for-42 with 286 yards, averaging just 6.8 yards per pass, with two touchdowns and two interceptions, while running nine times for 29 yards and another score. He was also sacked four times for 18 yards and fumbled twice.
Knowing the Mahomes we know now, that seems very un-Mahomes-like, with the turnovers being an eyesore. But it was Mahomes' seven-play, 2:26 touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter that put the Chiefs ahead, placing the trophy in his hands.
Then again, you look at Mahomes' numbers last year against the Eagles in Super Bowl 57, and nothing really stands out; he was more so outplayed by the Eagles Jalen Hurts for a majority of the game. He did throw only six incomplete passes that accounted for three touchdowns, but it was only for 182 yards, with 44 yards on the ground.
But, for those that forget, Mahomes was playing on an injured ankle he had hurt previously, and two of those touchdowns were in the fourth quarter, while 26 of his rushing yards were on the go-ahead drive to set up Harrison Butker's game-winning field goal.
Patrick Mahomes has been flawless through the 2023 NFL playoffs
First of all, don't forget that Mahomes and the Chiefs were without their coveted first-round bye they typically earn. They, unlike the 49ers, had to play in the Wild Card round this season and were only at home once during the playoffs — something most said they couldn't overcome.
Through three games this postseason, Mahomes has thrown for 718 yards and four touchdowns with a passer rating of 100.7, and another 75 yards rushing, and no turnovers, per StatMuse. He's also only been sacked twice, a significant turnaround from the regular season, where he was sacked 27 times.
Staying turnover-free in the NFL is remarkable, especially in the postseason where it is vastly more difficult due to the stronger competition. Mahomes faced two of the tougher defenses in the league over his past two games facing the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens.
When you couple all these things together, if the Chiefs win their second consecutive Super Bowl in Las Vegas on Sunday night, it's highly likely Mahomes is also walking away with his second consecutive MVP.
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