The Kansas City Chiefs’ blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX came as a shock to many — including Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
During the 40-22 beatdown on Sunday, February 9, Kansas City lost the chance to become the first team in history to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
Inside the Kansas City locker room in the bowels of New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome after the game, Mahomes, 29, was reportedly despondent about the loss.
“Mahomes was at his stall, a few lockers inside of the Chiefs’ locker room doors,” Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame reported on Monday, February 10. “Sitting, facing the wall, Mahomes wasn’t scrolling through his phone. He didn’t touch the two full bottles of water in reach of his left hand. In a daze, Mahomes wasn’t wearing his red shoes or socks. No slides. He wasn’t chatting with teammates.”
The reporter added, “Finally, after a quick shake of his towel on his hair, Mahomes abruptly let the wooden lid on his foot locker slam shut with a bang, similar to what had just happened to Kansas City’s three-peat bid moments prior.”
Mahomes spoke to the assembled media after the game, during which he put the Eagles’ trouncing on his shoulders.
“They played better than us from start to finish,” Mahomes told reporters. “We didn’t start how we wanted to. The turnovers hurt. I take all the blame for that. Those turnovers swing the moment of the game and they capitalized on them. They scored on one and got a touchdown immediately after another. That’s 14 points I gave them. It’s hard to come back from that in the Super Bowl.”
Mahomes was sacked six times during the Super Bowl and threw two costly interceptions, including one that Eagles’ cornerback Cooper DeJean returned for a pick six in the second quarter to put Philadelphia ahead 17-0.
He finished the game 21-for-32 for 257 yards passing and three touchdowns, two of which came with less than three minutes remaining in the game.
“I didn’t play to my standard,” Mahomes added, “and I have to be better next time.”
Hours after the game, Mahomes also issued an apology to Chiefs fans for coming up short.
“Appreciate all the love and support from #ChiefsKingdom,” the quarterback wrote via X on Sunday. “I let y’all down today. I’ll always continue to work and try and learn and be better for it. Want to give thanks to God for every opportunity he has given me. We will be back.”