to win 2023 Championship
PHOENIX – Winning a Super Bowl is something special. Patrick Mahomes knows. He already has a ring.
But lose a Super Bowl? This feeling could last even longer. Mahomes knows all about it too. The last time his Kansas City Chiefs were in the Super Bowl, they were embarrassed. The Chiefs lost 31-9 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Two years later, that memory hasn’t faded.
“This loss still hurts,” Mahomes said. “That motivates you for years.”
Many of the Chiefs have experienced the Super Bowl “Opening Night” before. They were part of the Super Bowl in Miami two years ago. The Chiefs are back now, ready to play the Philadelphia Eagles, and they want to make sure they don’t have to repeat that feeling after a loss.
“It’s still going on,” said defense attorney Chris Jones.
Chiefs recall blowout loss to Buccaneers
Jones was also part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl championship team three years ago and the Super Bowl loss two years ago. So which feeling is stronger, the euphoria of winning a Super Bowl or the desperation of losing?
“The desperation of losing,” Jones said. “You learn a lot when you lose.”
The loss to the Buccaneers was one of the worst losses the Chiefs have suffered in Mahomes’ five seasons as a starting quarterback. The 22-point loss was the second-worst of any Mahomes start (Kansas City lost 27-3 to the Tennessee Titans in 2021). The Chiefs came into this Super Bowl with an injured offensive line and the Buccaneers took advantage and pressured Mahomes all game. The defense gave up too much to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay offense.
The Chiefs, who were on the field that night in Miami, are still pondering what went wrong.
“So often,” said defense attorney Frank Clark. “You watch the movie 100 times.”
No team comes to a Super Bowl to lose, but those who have suffered a loss definitely don’t want to repeat it.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Devin White tackles Patrick Mahomes during the Chiefs’ final Super Bowl appearance. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Bosses want a better result
Two years is a lot of time to think about doing things differently during Super Bowl week, even the smallest details.
“The biggest thing you learn is what not to do,” Clark said. “It’s like, damn, I warmed up wrong. I was wearing the wrong headset. My socks were a little too low. It’s all those things, if you look at it, if I had done the little things. A little more learning. In Wednesday’s practice, I could have done better, I could have pushed a little harder. It’s the smallest things that count. Literally, in the Super Bowl, if you make a mistake or two, you can be the mistakes that cost you the game.”
This matchup might feel like a little déjà vu. In that Buccaneers game, the pressure on Mahomes ruined the Chiefs. Kansas City’s offensive line has been rebuilt, but the Chiefs will face off against an Eagles defense that led the NFL with 70 sacks. That’s not far from the record 72 sacks set by the Chicago Bears in 1984.
“It’s one of the best defenses in history,” Mahomes said. “We know it will be a challenge.”
The Eagles will be a tough opponent just like the Buccaneers were two seasons ago. Perhaps the things the Chiefs learned from that loss will come in handy this time.
“The lessons you learn after this loss will stay with you for life,” Clark said.
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