Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes arrives at a ceremony for team members to receive their championship rings for winning NFL football’s Super Bowl LVII, Thursday, June 15, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY ROB MAADDI contributing
Patrick Mahomes already is a two-time Super Bowl MVP and AP NFL MVP before turning 28, compiling an impressive Hall of Fame-worthy resume in only six seasons.
If any player is ever going to challenge Tom Brady for GOAT — greatest of all time — status, Mahomes has the best chance. Like Brady and other superstar athletes, Mahomes still works to improve, aiming to keep the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl contention.
“I think everybody thinks about legacy and how they’re remembered, but you have to think about that at the same time, valuing every day and how you can become better, how you can really maximize every single day,” Mahomes said on the AP Pro Football Podcast. “And then whenever your career is done, you have no regrets. That’s what I’ve always preached. It’s not about success of that day, it’s about having no regrets at the end of your career.
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“And I think if you work hard every single day and put everything you have into the game, then when you look back at the end of your career and however many trophies you have or how many Super Bowl rings you have, you’ll have no regrets.”
Mahomes has led the Chiefs to five straight AFC championship games, three Super Bowl appearances and two championships in his five seasons as the starting quarterback.
With Brady now retired after winning seven rings with New England and Tampa Bay, Mahomes takes over as the face of the NFL. It’s just another title to the dynamic QB.
“I embrace being me,” Mahomes said. “I think that’s the biggest thing. It’s definitely cool to see your name on the news line or to be able to partner with great companies like Walmart and do all these great things. But at the same time, I just try to be the best me I can be and whatever else comes with that comes with that.”
No team has repeated as Super Bowl champs since Brady’s Patriots in 2003-04. It’s a daunting task in today’s NFL. The Chiefs are embracing the challenge. They’re favorites to win it again this season, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
“I think it’s so difficult because there’s so much player movement these days,” Mahomes said, pointing to free agency, trades and the draft. “Every team is getting better and better each and every year. It’s hard to win the Super Bowl. I’ve noticed that from my first one to my second. You can do everything the right way and you don’t win. So to be able to repeat it, you have to just continue to work and work and work and try to get yourself in position to win those big games. I’m confident in us because we have a lot of guys coming back now that have won a Super Bowl and been in that big moment. But we have to go out there and prove it and it starts next week.”
The Chiefs are among several teams opening training camp next week, with rookies reporting on Tuesday. Mahomes will work with a new offensive coordinator for the first time in his career as a starter after Eric Bieniemy left the Chiefs for Washington.
Matt Nagy, who was Kansas City’s offensive coordinator in 2016-17 before going to Chicago to serve as head coach for four seasons, is back in that role under coach Andy Reid.
“It’s definitely gonna be different,” Mahomes said about losing Bieniemy. “He was a voice that’s been in this locker room my entire career. To lose that voice, I’m excited for Washington because I know how inspiring he can be and how smart he was for us. Luckily for us, I think Coach Reid does a great job of finding great coaches to supplement some of that great leadership that Coach Bieniemy had for us. … It’s definitely tough losing him. I have so much respect for EB. He was such a great coach but a great person. But I’m excited for these other guys to step up and be those coaches that they’ve learned from him and learn from Coach Reid to be.”
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