Super Bowl 2020: Patrick Mahomes can join sport’s immortals by leading Chiefs to victory

The 24-year-old can deliver a Super Bowl to Kansas City for the first time in 50 years on Sunday in just his second year as a starter

It seems like only yesterday that Patrick Mahomes came into our lives, yet after two whirlwind seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback stands on the precipice of immortality. The 24-year-old son of former MLB pitcher Pat Mahomes patiently observed from a distance as a backup throughout his first year after being drafted in 2017. But it has not taken Mahomes long to repay the Chiefs for the haul they gave up to climp to No 10 and snag the cornerstone of their franchise for the next decade or more.

The San Francisco 49ers and their polished, complete roster, led by the ingenious coaching of Kyle Shanahan, stand in his way on Sunday. But victory for Mahomes might see him inherit the aura of inevitable victory on the big stage that the New England Patriots had and perhaps lost for good after crashing out of the play-offs during Wild Card weekend. After four near-flawless post-season games (10 touchdowns and no interceptions), it needed the greatest sporting dynasty of all time in Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, as well as a controversial overtime rule to deny him him last year.

Despite backing up his scintillating MVP season with fireworks at times in the regular season (namely the 278 yards and four touchdowns in the 2nd quarter against the Raiders), Mahomes briefly disappeared for three weeks after dislocating his patella. But despite an unprecedented MVP season of his own from Lamar Jackson with the Ravens, Mahomes soon reminded us in the last few months that he is still very much the guy in this league. Not that the Chiefs needed any more evidence as they plan to make Mahomes the first quarterback in history to earn $200 million (£153 million) over five years. It’s a “priority”, according to Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, and will happen “in the next 12 to 15 months”.

So, on the eve of the big dance, Chiefs fans stand to possibly win big twice: most importantly should they win their first Super Bowl in 50 years, but also by at least having the thrill of knowing they have a transcendent quarterback set to dazzle for years to come. While many eulogise about him and his mind-boggling numbers, 87 touchdowns and 10,326 yards over just 34 games in the last two years, which has never seen him lose a game by more than seven points, it is the less tangible impact that also speaks to his true greatness.

Teammate and punter Dustin Colquitt felt compelled to begin stashing his gloves required for PATs inside his jersey, according to SI’s Jenny Vrentas. A 15-year routine adjusted due to the breakneck speed at which Mahomes and the Chiefs plot their way down the field. Mahomes has also played a pivotal part in establishing the desired culture in Kansas City, often dragging teammates to college basketball games. And his mystique is really what makes Super Bowl 54 so compelling, as well as ensuring the last remaining scepticism surrounding this phenomenal Niners side and whether they can cope with this offensive juggernaut.

Mahomes is most certainly an outlier and unlike anything the Niners have chewed up and spat out this season. They’ll be tasked with halting Andy Reid’s ardent commitment to the pass. The Hard Rock Stadium will see Mahomes fling it early and often: the Chiefs pass it 65 per cent on first downs in the first half – the next highest team plummets down to 55 per cent, while the league average tumbles even further to just 48 per cent, according to Sharp Football.

Perhaps the key for the Chiefs to nullify this intimidating defence of co-ordinator Robert Saleh will be to, in effect, force them to run a series of shorter, more intense races: increase the volume to beyond 35 drop backs over the course of the game and reap the rewards coming down the stretch like an elite runner dropping a rival. It's undoubtedly a plausible scenario for this team of track stars.

Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid chat during training (Getty) (Getty Images)

That’s because Saleh’s unit, namely through Arik Armstead (10 sacks), Nick Bosa (9), DeForest Buckner (7.5) and Dee Ford (6.5), have seen their sack rate drastically drop after quarterbacks go beyond the magic number of 35 to just 3.7 per cent. Compare that to 10.6 per cent on drop backs 1-11, 9.4 per cent on drop backs 12-22 and 8.8 per cent on drop backs 23-34.

Each scenario is different of course and when the Niners have taken opponents apart to build up demoralising leads, they naturally allow the quarterback to flounder in the pocket, forcing him to beat Richard Sherman and his crew in the secondary.

But Mahomes’ two-year streak, should he clinch the title on Sunday, would therefore stand up to anything seen in sport over the last 20 years. Think Lionel Messi and his 133 goals and 45 assists from 2011-13, Novak Djokovic winning six out of eight Grand Slams from 2014-16 or Tiger Woods winning six majors in nine in the first two years of the century. So while debate will rage about Mahomes’ ceiling due to his youth, staggeringly Miami could already see the coronation of sport’s latest superstar.