KANSAS CITY, Mo. Two days after he was cleared of the NFL’s concussion protocol, Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to another Super Bowl.
Mahomes led the Chiefs back from an early 9-0 deficit to a 38-24 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night at Arrowhead Stadium in the AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs will try to win their second consecutive NFL Championship, against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in two weeks at Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Florida.
“The Super Bowl is the Super Bowl. Being able to take on one of the great, if not the greatest QB of all time, in his 150th Super Bowl, is going to be a great experience for me,” said Mahomes. sly smile, said to Brady. “Going out and getting the chance to repeat it and compete with the best is special, and I’m excited about the opportunity.”
Mahomes, who was eliminated last week after winning the division round over the Cleveland Browns with symptoms of concussion, was not allowed to play against the Bills until Friday. He also entered the game with a toe injury. He showed no effects from either and went 29 of 38 for 325 yards and three touchdowns.
“He stayed positive. Whether it was his toe or his head … He worked his way through,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid.
The Chiefs ran 21 points in a row after their early deficit to take a lead they wouldn’t give up. It was their fourth consecutive game after the season with a run of at least 21 consecutive runs, including their Super Bowl LIV win over the San Francisco 49ers last year.
This comeback was one of the most impressive. The Bills had won eight consecutive games, including seven with at least 10 points.
But the Chiefs’ response included two of their longest plays of the season, one of which was a 71-yard pass from Mahomes to Tyreek Hill.
“I’m the old man who’s seen a few quarterbacks, and this guy seems to amaze me a little more every game,” said Reid of Mahomes. “I’m proud of the way he goes about it the most. … He’s about the team. He works hard and does it the right way. That’s important to the longevity of his career and success for Kansas City. Chiefs and now for the Super Bowl, of course. ”
The Chiefs in the fourth quarter lost initial left tackle Eric Fisher due to an Achilles tendon injury and nickelback L’Jarius Sneed, who got into the concussion protocol.