Ex-Chiefs player approves of Patrick Mahomes’ goal of a 20-0 season for Kansas City
A decade ago, Hall of Fame coach Don Shula said rumors were untrue about the 1972 Dolphins players breaking out champagne when the last undefeated NFL team lost.
While Shula, who died last year, may have put to rest that myth, the 1972 Dolphins remain the only NFL team to win the Super Bowl after an undefeated regular season..
But Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ goal for the 2021 season is to join the ‘72 Dolphins.
Of course, with the NFL expanding the schedule to 17 games, that would mean the Chiefs would need to win all 20 games they play.
While in Hawaii over the weekend for his charity golf event, Mahomes was asked about his goals by Travis Kelce’s girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, who talked to him for Coors Light and Bleacher Report.
“The only record I have my eye set on breaking, which would be new this year,” Mahomes said, “is going 20-0.
“It’s not really a record to be broke, I guess you’d say. But I think 19-0 is the record right now, so being able to go 20-0 and be the first one to do that would be awesome.”
The Patriots went 16-0 in 2007 and advanced to the Super Bowl, so the most consecutive wins in one season is 18. The Patriots lost to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII, and fell short of the perfect season.
The 1972 Dolphins went unbeaten in a 14-game regular season, then won three playoff games, including Super Bowl VII, for a 17-0 record.
This is Mahomes talking about the 20-0 season:
Brooks approves
NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks, who was a defensive back for the Chiefs and four other teams in the 1990s, credited Mahomes for setting a goal of a perfect record.
“I grew up in a praying family, a family that went to church and what Patrick Mahomes was simply doing, he’s speaking it into existence,” Brooks said on Fox Sports’ “Speak For Yourself.” “You shouldn’t be afraid to put things out there because, before you can do it, you’ve got to believe that it can happen.
“And so, this is no different than what the Kansas City Chiefs did last year. Last year they talked about running it back and having a dynasty. You know what they did? They went 14-1 when Patrick Mahomes was at quarterback. And so for me, this is something that only the boldest can do, is to put it out there and let the world know, this is what we are looking to accomplish, this is my expectation, and we’re going to work to make this happen. I love when Patrick Mahomes does this stuff because what he’s really doing is he’s putting the pressure on himself to make sure that every day, he holds himself to that standard, that championship standard.
“Because let’s be real. It’s a global pandemic and the stars lining up for the Kansas City Chiefs to not win the Super Bowl. It took Patrick Mahomes getting hurt, it took their starting offensive tackles being unable to play, or they were going to do exactly what they said they were going to do. So no, I believe in what Patrick Mahomes is saying, you stand up in it, and you say it with your chest out. If he believes they’re going 20-0, who am I to say that they can’t get it done?”
This story was originally published June 1, 2021 at 8:41 AM.
