How often has Patrick Mahomes rewatched Super Bowl loss? What the Chiefs QB said
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Mahomes reviewed Super Bowl loss sparingly, focused on schematic adjustments.
- Kelce acknowledged leadership lapses, emphasized offseason accountability.
- Team received AFC rings Wednesday, but title loss remains motivational force.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has earned a reputation of being a football film junkie.
That hasn’t, however, extended to a deep examination of last season’s Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I haven’t watched it too many times,” Mahomes said with a laugh Wednesday following his team’s mandatory minicamp practice. “We did some film study, and you do scheme stuff. But you watch it after the game.”
So what was Mahomes’ main takeaway from those additional viewings of the Chiefs’ 40-22 setback?
“You take away the positives, but obviously you’ve got to learn from negatives,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, the Philadelphia defense had stuff on us with (defensive coordinator) Coach (Vic) Fangio that they did a great job of taking away our best stuff. And so learn from that, have stuff to counteract that and be ready to go this next season.”
Mahomes was plenty critical of himself immediately after that defeat, telling reporters in his postgame interview session, “I take ownership of this loss probably more than any loss of my entire career.”
He also stated something similar publicly, telling Chiefs fans, “I let y’all down today” in a post on social media.
Mahomes, who had two first-half interceptions, wasn’t the only Chiefs player with regrets following the effort.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, during his interview session with reporters Wednesday, said he felt like he could’ve done more.
“Last year, I think I failed, especially in that last game — being a leader and being the one that could step up and make plays,” Kelce said. “So I’m just setting the bar even higher for myself this year than I have in the past.”
From literal appearances, Kelce seems to have taken that last part seriously.
Though he denied Wednesday that he’d lost 25 pounds this offseason — “Don’t believe all you read on the internet, guys,” he said — the tight end looked noticeably thinner while appearing to be in better shape.
When asked specifically how he thought he failed the team as a leader in the Super Bowl, Kelce said he didn’t make the plays he should have.
“I didn’t get open in certain situations, blocking the right guys, having my attention to detail, motivating my guys to get the energy and the focus and the confidence that we needed during that game,” Kelce said. “In that area, I just felt like I failed my guys.”
Wednesday provided another reminder of what was lost. The Chiefs, who commemorate each Super Bowl championship with a red-carpet ring ceremony, had a different setup around the team facility on Wednesday as they distributed AFC championship rings from last season.
And though a 15-2 regular-season record and third straight Super Bowl appearance is certainly worth celebrating, it’s not the result that Mahomes and the Chiefs hoped for ahead of Super Bowl LIX.
“I know at the end of my career, I’ll look back and remember those times with that team,” Mahomes said. “But obviously the ultimate goal is a Super Bowl ring.”
