NFL quarterbacks, the superstars, cash the biggest paychecks of any player in the league. With that high status comes a massive spotlight and complete responsibility for a team’s success. Patrick Mahomes has often been on the good side of that reality throughout his Kansas City Chiefs career. But not this season.
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After his disappointing Super Bowl LIX performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, Mahomes is seeing time on the dark side. And Bill Belichick isn’t a fan of that.
The legendary NFL coach commented on the discourse surrounding Mahomes, acknowledging that the quarterback didn’t play his best during Super Bowl LIX. However, Belichick insisted that the quarterback shouldn’t be the only person taking the blame for the loss.
“Sometimes the coaches and quarterbacks get a little too much credit, maybe a little too much criticism for the final result of what the total team performance is. I would be the last one to ever criticize Mahomes. I thought that he was under pressure all day. There weren’t many receivers open… sometimes that’s the way it goes,” said Belichick on the Let’s Go! podcast.
The coach also discussed the supposed impact the loss had on Mahomes’ legacy. While fans and analysts may think the defeat somewhat tarnishes his quest to attain GOAT status, Belichick doesn’t. And he’s confident others who have played and coached in the NFL will feel the same.
“I don’t think he’d be diminished by anyone who really competes in the game. Football is such a team sport… [QBs] can’t play defense. [They] can’t kick, [they] can’t block in the running game. They’re a key part of the team. In some senses, kind of like a point guard. [But] somebody else has to make [some] shots, too,” elaborated Bill.
Belichick and Tom Brady went for a decade in between Super Bowl victories with the New England Patriots. As the Chiefs retool, they too could be in for a lengthy period without a Lombardi Trophy.
Belichick sees Kansas City facing tougher path back to Super Bowl win
The easiest way to make the NFL playoffs is to win the division. Andy Reid and Mahomes have reigned over the AFC West in all seven of the quarterback’s seasons as a starter. In total, they’ve won the AFC West nine consecutive times. Mahomes is an impressive 51-8 against his divisional foes — the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, and the Los Angeles Chargers.
However, after all this time, those teams are on the up. The Chargers and the Broncos each made the playoffs in 2024. The Raiders, with Brady as a part-owner, have a real sense of direction now. Belichick didn’t predict the Chiefs wouldn’t capture the AFC West crown again in 2025 but didn’t guarantee they would, either.
“[The] division [has] suddenly gotten a lot harder. The Chargers are coming, the Broncos are coming and I think the Raiders will be coming too, now… [but] they’ve really built the team well. They have cap space [and] money. They have their draft choices… to make things a little bit stronger. And I’m sure they’ll make some good decisions,” said Belichick.
The first decision that will impact Kansas City is in the hands of tight end Travis Kelce. If he elects to retire, his departure would represent a true paradigm shift in the Mahomes Era. The Chiefs and millions of fans will await his choice as the offseason rolls toward the NFL Scouting Combine from February 27 to March 2.
