:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71967468/usa_today_19886932.0.jpg)
Patrick Mahomes is headed to the Super Bowl for the third time in his five seasons as the Kansas City Chiefs starting quarterback, and this time he enters the big game with plenty of experience in his back pocket. The 2022 MVP finalist took Kansas City to both Super Bowls 54 and 55, winning the former along with his first career Super Bowl MVP award. Heading into Super Bowl 57, Mahomes has a chance to add another piece of hardware to his trophy case if he can lead the Chiefs to a win.
Mahomes surely has history playing in his favor, as 46 of the 56 Super Bowl MVP awards given to date have gone to an offensive skill position player. Fifteen of those have gone to either a running back or wide receiver, leaving a majority having been handed out to quarterbacks. That shouldn’t be too surprising given how much an offense tends to revolve around the player under center.
The Chiefs’ quarterback didn’t play his best game back in Super Bowl 54, as he went 26-of-42 for 286 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions versus a tough 49ers defense. But he engineered a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter to lead Kansas City in the comeback win, so his heroics being rewarded were well warranted.
He’ll need to craft a much more efficient performance versus an equally formidable Eagles defense, but he’s already proven to be spectacular in the face of adversity. In the AFC Championship Game, in spite of a high ankle sprain and a lack of depth at receiver, Mahomes finished with 326 yards passing and two touchdowns.
If Kansas City walks away with a Super Bowl win and Mahomes tallies over 250 passing yards to go with a couple of passing touchdowns, it’s hard to argue against his name being the favorite for the MVP hardware. He has only four rushing touchdowns this season and will likely be limited in running outside the pocket, but if he manages to add a rushing touchdown or highlight-worthy run to move the chains, it can only add to the narrative for him snagging his second career Super Bowl MVP.
Patrick Mahomes has odds at +130 on DraftKings Sportsbook,
This article can also be found in our Ultimate Guide to Super Bowl 57, presented by Frank’s Red Hot.