Patrick Mahomes told the Kansas City Chiefs to savour the feeling of reaching another Super Bowl.
The Chiefs advanced to their fourth Super Bowl in five years after defeating the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 on Sunday. They will face the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas on February 11 aiming to become the first team to go back-to-back since the 2004 New England Patriots.
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Mahomes, who has not had the greatest season by his own lofty standards, was 30-of-39 for 241 yards and a touchdown to guide his side to victory.
He is relishing the crack at winning another Super Bowl and insisted it was still a thrill to reach the title game.
He said: “You don’t take it for granted.
”You never know how many you’re going to get to or if you’re going to get to any. So it truly is special just to do it with these guys after what we’ve been through all season long. Guys coming together, it really is special.
“But I told them, ‘The job’s not done.’ Our job now is to prepare ourselves to play a good football team in the Super Bowl and try to get that ring.”
The Chiefs finished the regular season with an 11-6 record, and produced some performances that raised questions of Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid – most notably a Week 16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
WE’RE NOT FINISHED. pic.twitter.com/f7eIyJ5QlU
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 29, 2024
But general manager Brett Veach felt that setback provided the introspection required to sail through the play-offs.
Veach said: “Sometimes, the worst things that happened to you or in your season turned out to be the best thing.
“We were finding ways to win games, but something was off, whether it be offense or defense or special teams. It just wasn’t in sync.
“That loss I think really hit us and I think it allowed the whole organisation to take a look in the mirror. So I really point to that game as really being one of the key motivating factors to just get everyone dialled in here.”
