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A 12 months after reaching the very best level in his skilled profession, Patrick Mahomes confronted the aftermath of the largest defeat he had skilled as an NFL participant — dropping to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tremendous Bowl LV.
It was a sense Mahomes had skilled earlier than, however not one which was going to shake the muse of one of many league’s brightest younger stars.
“It’s probably not a lot of a change, however you’re undoubtedly pushed to go tougher within the offseason,” Mahomes instructed AOL.com. “I bear in mind after we misplaced the AFC Championship recreation, it was the same feeling. You’re proper there and also you don’t end the job.”
Very like how the Chiefs parlayed the feelings from the 2019 playoff loss — once more to Brady — right into a Tremendous Bowl win the next 12 months, Mahomes envisions a state of affairs the place final February’s defeat sparks Kansas Metropolis.
“Clearly you need to win it and win as many as attainable however, in the event you use [defeat] the fitting manner, as motivation to organize your self understanding each single week you can win or lose, it might assist,” Mahomes mentioned. “Time will inform. All of it comes all the way down to how individuals are going to deal with it and I believe we’ve got guys who’re going to deal with it the fitting manner and we’re going to discover a technique to get again in that recreation once more.”
Though the “one week at a time” mantra is a drained soccer cliche on the floor, it’s one which has confirmed profitable in constructing NFL dynasties just like the one Kansas Metropolis is on the cusp of cementing, having simply develop into the third staff this century to make back-to-back Tremendous Bowls.
It additionally exhibits Mahomes’s understanding of the sport from a psychological standpoint, providing a constant strategy whatever the Chiefs’ standing within the league.
“I’ve all the time thought that each single week is simply as vital because the one earlier than or the one after,” Mahomes mentioned. “The NFL is totally different from all different sports activities as a result of each recreation counts for a lot on the finish of the 12 months. On the finish of the day you begin each season from scratch, so even final 12 months we needed to are available in with the mentality of constructing day-to-day, placing in a ton of labor if we wished to have an opportunity of attending to the place we wished to be.”
As philosophically secure as Mahomes and the Chiefs look to stay heading into the season, there have been important roster adjustments this offseason, virtually actually straight influenced by February’s loss.
After Tampa Bay’s protection sacked Mahomes 3 times and had 9 QB hits throughout Tremendous Bowl LV, Kansas Metropolis dramatically overhauled its offensive line.
In March, the Chiefs launched longtime tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz and signed Kyle Lengthy, Joe Thuney and Austin Blythe. Then, in April, Kansas Metropolis made a blockbuster commerce, sending three draft picks, together with its first-round choice, to Baltimore in change for Professional Bowl sort out Orlando Brown.
The flurry of transactions, mixed with the return of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif — who opted out of final season to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic — means 80% of the Chiefs’ projected beginning offensive line will primarily be new.
“I believe having some guys that we had the previous couple of years and having some new guys with new vitality, it’s undoubtedly been an amazing combine and I’m undoubtedly excited to get in and get issues rolling,” Mahomes mentioned.
“It’s been actually cool to see how [the offensive linemen] have already come collectively and develop into this unit the place they’re virtually like finest associates. It solely took a few weeks. I’m excited for them as they proceed to gel, proceed to study. It’s a bunch of gifted dudes, so after they actually begin jelling, I’m excited for the long run that they’ve.”
Mahomes and his teammates will seemingly profit from a bit extra of normalcy on the subject of the offseason applications. Final 12 months, groups had been compelled to conduct organized staff actions and minicamps just about because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regardless of the affect of COVID-19 nonetheless being seen across the nation, the uncertainty that existed this time final 12 months is basically gone and, on July twenty eighth, the staff will open coaching camp at Missouri Western State College for the eleventh time up to now 12 seasons.
“It undoubtedly does really feel a little bit extra regular,” Mahomes mentioned. “To have the ability to undergo considerably of a typical OTA schedule, to be round a few of your teammates and be capable of know what to anticipate going into the season. We’re going again to coaching camp on the faculty that we normally go to so it’s much more regular.”
From a private standpoint, Mahomes’ life modified dramatically this offseason as properly. Weeks after Tremendous Bowl LV, Mahomes and his fiancee, Brittany Matthews, welcomed their first baby, Sterling Skye Mahomes. On prime of that, Mahomes and Matthews are within the midst of planning a marriage, scheduled to happen in 2022.
“Clearly it’s superior to be a dad, to have a child lady and see her develop each single day,” Mahomes mentioned. “I believe having nice individuals round me [helps], beginning with Brittany, she’s been a tremendous mother and is planning the marriage. She’s nice at juggling all of these issues and nonetheless having a constructive angle each day. It is made it simple for me to be a dad and plan the marriage as finest I can, whereas additionally with the ability to do what I have to do to be nice on the sector.”
As if juggling fatherhood, wedding ceremony planning and offseason exercises weren’t sufficient, Mahomes has additionally continued to develop his model this offseason. The 25-year-old quarterback renewed his partnership with Head and Shoulders for a 3rd 12 months. Mahomes and NFL legend Troy Polamalu are once more partnering for the corporate’s “By no means Cease Working” marketing campaign this summer time.
“It’s humorous as a result of I bear in mind watching Troy in these commercials rising up and all the totally different hairstyles I had rising up,” Mahomes mentioned. “Once I began doing this mohawk, I knew at some point I wished to be in a Head and Shoulders industrial. It’s been type of cool to see it get rolling now and seeing children, particularly across the Kansas Metropolis space, copying the coiffure. I actually recognize it. It’s actually a cool factor.”
And regardless of being two of the best soccer gamers at their respective positions, the 2 stars normally keep away from speaking store after they get collectively on set.
“We discuss our household stuff, off-the-field stuff like charities and issues like that,” Mahomes mentioned. “I believe that’s one of the best half about it, we actually get pleasure from being round one another and capturing the commercials. It’s superior to work with him as a result of he’s such an excellent dude and actually cares about you as an individual.”
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