Super Bowl Preview - Mahomes and Chiefs Embark on History

February 8, 2025 by CollegeFootballPoll.com Staff

The Kansas City Chiefs will be looking to become the first to win 3 straight Super Bowls when they face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in Super Bowl LIX. The game will be broadcast at 6:30 p.m. eastern time on FOX.

It seems like yesterday that Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes was selected 10th in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. Only ten quarterbacks were drafted that year and one, Mitch Trubisky, was taken ahead of Mahomes with the second over-all pick by the Chicago Bears. A defensive end, Myles Garrett, was the number one pick by the Cleveland Browns.

While other teams passed over Mahomes, the Chiefs traded their way up from the 27th pick to the 10th selection to secure the guy they hoped would be their quarterback of the future. The 'future' didn't have to wait too long, though Mahomes would sit behind Alex Smith.

In fact, Mahomes didn't play a single snap until Week 17 until the playoff-bound Chiefs opted to bench Smith for extra rest. Mahomes would be a winner in his first start as he went 22-of-35 for 284 yards, but with no touchdown passes and 1 interception. Harrison Butker kicked the game-winning walk-off field goal from 30 yards out. But after winning the AFC West, Kansas City was bounced in the first round when Tennessee rallied from a 21-3 halftime to win 22-21 and hand the Chiefs a 6th straight home playoff loss,

Twenty-four days later, Smith was traded to Washington and Mahomes was elevated to starter. He threw his first TD pass in the first quarter of his first game, and threw four total TD passes with no interceptions and garnered AFC offensive player of the week honors. a 6-touchgdown pass performance followed in week two and Mahomes assault on the NFL records book was already beginning. By the end of the regular season, he had thrown for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns, tying Peyton Manning as the only QB's to have such a season. And after winning another divisional title, the Chiefs snapped that 6-game home playoff losing streak by defeating the Colts. However, the following week, the Mahomes magic was topped when Tom Brady and the Patriots invaded Arrowhead and handed Mahomes and Company a 37-31 loss in overtime to New England.

He hasn't lost many playoff games since then as he enters Super Bowl LIX on a 9-game postseason winning streak and an over-all playoff record of 17-3. The other two losses occurred in Super Bowl LV to Tampa Bay (at Tampa, after Brady had left New England to join the Bucs) and the following year to the Bengals at home in overtime in the AFC Championship game.

2024 Season

Twelve Kansas City games have been decided by one score (8 points) or less, and yet the Chiefs managed to start 8-0 and only lost a second regular season games when head coach Andy Reid opted to sit practically everybody for the finale at Denver that resulted in an embarrassing 38-0 loss. That was the same Denver team that almost beat Kansas City at home on November 10, but the 16-14 win was protected when the Chiefs blocked Denver's attempt at a walk-off field goal.

Mahomes threw for 3,928 yards and 26 touchdowns and 11 picks in the regular season. He has added 422 yards, 2 touchdown throws and no interceptions in the Chiefs' two playoff wins.

As a team, Kansas Chiefs rank 16th overall in total offense (Eagles, 8th) and 14th in passing offense (Eagles, 29th), but just 22nd in rushing offense (Eagles, 2nd). They are 15th in scoring offense (Eagles, 7th).

On defense, the Chiefs rank 9th overall (Eagles, 1st), 19th against the pass (Eagles, 1st), 8th versus the run (Eagles, 10th), and are 4th in points allowed (Eagles, 2nd).

If you weren't keeping track on which team was better in each of those statistical categories, the Eagles rank higher in 6 out of 8.

2024 Schedule - Chiefs