In the closing moments of Sunday’s AFC Championship showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens, Patrick Mahomes demonstrated why he’s among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.
With the Chiefs holding a 17-10 lead and just 2:19 left on the clock in the fourth quarter, the Ravens were out of timeouts. All the Chiefs needed was one first down to secure their spot in the Super Bowl.
In a mic’d up moment captured by “Inside the NFL,” Mahomes confidently told the Chiefs coaches, “Give me the ball” before the crucial 3rd-and-9 play. Mahomes’ request was granted, and he delivered a game-sealing strike to Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
“Give me the ball.”
Mahomes trusting himself and his receivers is awesome to see 👏
Full @JustinqReid interview tonight 8/7c on @insideThenFL pic.twitter.com/DN0HouOpN4
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) January 30, 2024
This kind of decisive playmaking is what sets Mahomes apart from most quarterbacks in the league. Despite not having his best day statistically, with 30 completions on 39 attempts for 241 yards and one touchdown, Mahomes and the Chiefs came through when it mattered most.
Remarkably, the Chiefs have now secured four of the last five AFC Championship titles. Despite being underdogs in this year’s postseason against the Buffalo Bills and the Ravens, Mahomes and the defending champions once again showcased their “it” factor and clutch performance.
The Chiefs will aim to achieve a rare feat by becoming the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since the 2003 and ’04 New England Patriots when they face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58.