Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: What subsequent for Patrick Mahomes and co after Tremendous Bowl 59 heartbreak?

They had been on the precipice of a historic three-peat, solely to emphatically be knocked off their perch by the Philadelphia Eagles in a 40-22 drubbing at Tremendous Bowl 59 that, if something, flattered them.

So what subsequent for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs?

That is no disaster, no prompter for blind panic. The Chiefs are nonetheless the all-conquering drive that has by no means skilled something lower than an AFC Championship look in all of Patrick Mahomes’ seven seasons as beginning quarterback – reaching 5 Tremendous Bowls in that span.

He is gained three of these, named MVP on every event, however has tasted defeat within the different two.

“Any time you lose a Super Bowl, it’s the worst feeling in the world that will stick with you for the rest of your career,” Mahomes stated after the defeat.

“It’s hard to come back from that in the Super Bowl. I have to learn from that and try to be better the next opportunity that I hopefully get.”

Mahomes is much from working out of alternatives. In addition to pursuing the three-peat, he hoped to change into the primary quarterback in NFL historical past to win 4 Tremendous Bowls earlier than turning 30.

However it does not imply that defeat stings any much less. Mahomes was seen teary-eyed on the Chiefs sideline as the ultimate seconds ticked by in New Orleans, Tom Brady’s document haul of seven Tremendous Bowls feeling that little bit extra unattainable.

“I think about, unfortunately, the three [Super Bowl] losses probably more than I think about the seven wins,” Brady himself admitted throughout his first broadcast as commentator on the massive sport.

“It hurts to lose this game. We lost to the [New York] Giants in 2007. We were on the precipice of history [and an unbeaten season] and we faced a Giants team that played their hearts out that day and beat us.

“I nonetheless have not actually lived it down, since you care so deeply. And I do know that this Chiefs staff does as nicely.”

Mahomes’ second Super Bowl loss with the Chiefs actually had a very familiar feel to his first, which came against Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to cap the 2020 season.

Mahomes additionally threw two interceptions in that 31-9 blowout defeat to the Bucs, albeit he was sacked simply the 3 times in comparison with the six he wore within the Superdome in New Orleans

“It completely had this boa constrictor feel around it,” Sky Sports activities’ Phoebe Schecter stated on the Tremendous Bowl-review Inside The Huddle podcast. “The Eagles protection gave them no air.

“They are a team that is number one in not allowing explosive plays. They’re so good at open-field tackling, and they’re really smart. They only rush four, which challenges the quarterback on what he is seeing.

“The offensive line struggled a lot. The Eagles began to bully them and Mahomes had nowhere to step up into to throw the soccer.”

The Eagles protection compelled 11 pressures of Mahomes on the night time, whereas the Bucs received to him 10 occasions of their triumph 4 years in the past, which prompted a serious overhaul of the offensive line within the offseason.

They spent free company {dollars} on left guard Joe Thuney, traded draft picks to accumulate left sort out Orlando Brown Jr from the Baltimore Ravens, and chosen heart Creed Humphrey and proper guard Trey Smith within the 2021 NFL Draft.

It had the specified impact. Kansas Metropolis returned to the Tremendous Bowl two years later, in 2023, and would get the higher of the Eagles on that event, earlier than Brown vacated for the Cincinnati Bengals the next free company.

Nonetheless there was no derailing the Chiefs, with back-to-back championships clinched towards the San Francisco 49ers final yr.

However, in 2024, acquainted failings crept in as Thuney was compelled out to left sort out and Jawaan Taylor struggled on the opposite aspect of the road. Mahomes was hit 109 occasions through the common season and sacked 47 occasions (together with the playoffs) – each document highs for his profession.

“The Chiefs have always been able to stay ahead of the sticks in that they’ve been able to add upgrades to their team time and time again,” Schecter stated.

“They’re maybe not where they want to be right now. But they can be comfortable with who they’ve got going forwards.

“They had been in 12 one-score video games [this season], and so they nonetheless managed to get right here. They only should make some little tweaks.”

Kansas Metropolis are actually able to dipping into free company once more and bolstering their squad by way of the draft as soon as extra, simply as they did after that final Tremendous Bowl loss to Tampa Bay… the one distinction is that this time, there might be some vital gamers – and one particularly – heading out via the exit on the identical time.

Travis Kelce set the Tremendous Bowl document for essentially the most profession receptions within the defeat to the Eagles – his 4 catches taking him to 39 and two previous Corridor of Famer Jerry Rice – however his future stays unclear.

Mahomes actually hopes the 35-year-old tight finish will return for a twelfth full NFL season.

“I know he still has love for the game,” Mahomes stated. “He’ll get time to spend with his family and make that decision on his own. He’ll be welcomed back here with open arms.”

Kelce dismissed stories of his impending retirement earlier within the week, saying: “It’s moments like these that make me feel like I could play this game forever.”

“I feel like I still have a lot of good football left in me,” he added.

NFL Community Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday that Kelce hasn’t made up his thoughts about retiring, whereas he wasn’t requested nor did he tackle his taking part in future following Kansas Metropolis’s Tremendous Bowl defeat.

His primary takeaway from the loss was: “You don’t lose bad without everything going bad.

“There have been lots of issues going fallacious. You may’t simply say it was the O-line or something like that. I feel it was gathered of every thing actually not going our method right this moment.”

Asked what head coach Andy Reid told the Chiefs after the game, Kelce added: “You realize, this may damage. Let it damage and determine the best way to get higher.”

Kelce or not, that is one thing this Chiefs squad actually have inside them.

Such is their constant observe document of success over Mahomes’ tenure at QB particularly, that bookmakers have already got them listed as favourites to win all of it in a yr’s time.

“I got on the bus after that game [against the Giants]; I absolutely believed 100 per cent that we were going to win and it was just devastating,” Brady added. “I couldn’t speak for the rest of the night.

“I simply bear in mind waking up the following morning and I believed, ‘That is a nightmare, that sport did not occur, I used to be dreaming, we’ve not really performed the sport but’.

“The reality of a loss in this game is you don’t ever get over them. It’s a difficult feeling to have.

“However Patrick is the final word competitor. If there’s anyone that may rebound, it is Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, this organisation and what they’re constructed on.”