[News Figures] Super Bowl Winning MVP 'Monster' Mahomes

Key Player Leading Kansas City to Third Overall Victory
Versatile Sportsman with Former MLB Pitcher Father

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] In the NFL championship game, the Kansas City Chiefs achieved a dramatic comeback victory to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Patrick Mahomes, who played a decisive role in the team's win, is being hailed as the dawn of a new era.

On the 13th (Korean time), Kansas City defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in the 57th Super Bowl held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. This marks Kansas City's third Super Bowl championship, following their wins in the 4th tournament in 1969 and the 54th tournament in 2019. Mahomes, the regular season MVP this year, earned his second Super Bowl MVP honor, following his first in 2020.

The hero of the comeback victory, Mahomes, made a pass in a situation where the wide receiver (a position that catches passes thrown by the quarterback by exploiting defensive gaps) could not catch the ball, drawing a defensive holding penalty from the opposing team and creating an opportunity. Ultimately, with 8 seconds left in the game, kicker Harrison Butker successfully made a field goal to secure the championship trophy.

MVP Patrick Mahomes lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the Super Bowl championship trophy. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

Standing 190 cm tall and weighing 104 kg, Mahomes boasts tremendous strength and excellent athleticism. He was a versatile athlete in high school, playing football, baseball, and basketball. His father, Patrick Mahomes Sr., was a pitcher who played for 11 years in Major League Baseball, including with the Minnesota Twins starting in 1992. Inheriting his father's genes, Mahomes demonstrated outstanding talent not only in football but also in baseball and basketball during high school. As a baseball pitcher, he was known to throw pitches exceeding 95 mph (about 153 km/h). This broad vision helped Mahomes locate receivers and make precise passes.

In his senior year (12th grade), Mahomes showcased his exceptional sports talent by recording 4,619 passing yards and 50 passing touchdowns in football. After graduation, he enrolled at Texas Tech University, where he focused solely on football as a quarterback.

The skills honed as a pitcher manifested in football through accurate passes and a wide field of vision. His accuracy in throwing while running is unmatched. Having played baseball, his quick reflexes and fast feet make it difficult for opposing defenders to block him. Mahomes, who exhibits near-complete physical abilities, led his team to the Super Bowl in January 2020 by gaining a team-high 53 yards in the AFC Championship game.

After the game, Mahomes humbly stated in an interview, "People say I performed magic, but that's not true." He added, "Actually, I made several mistakes early in the game that caused trouble for my teammates. No one on our team gave up until the game was over. We believed in each other until the end, and that's how we won."