Patrick Mahomes, Jason Kelce and the NFL World Is Hyped After Team USA Wins Gold in Ice Hockey at the Winter Olympics

Team USA just won gold in men’s ice hockey at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy. An overtime goal by Jack Hughes gave the Americans the title at the Winter Games for the first time since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980. And NFL athletes like Patrick Mahomes and Jason Kelce are all excited, celebrating the feat.

It didn’t look like Team USA was going to be able to do it at one point. Against Team Canada, their biggest rivals, they were outshot 42-28. They also took a pair of bad penalties in the second period. However, they were able to bear down, get the game to overtime, and win it 2-1 during 3-on-3. 

In response to Team USA’s first hockey gold at the Winter Games in 46 years, NFL players were on a celebration spree online, exuding national pride. Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes tweeted emojis of the US flag. Jonathan Jones did something similar. Others, meanwhile, added some flavor to the conversation.

“The USA is the greatest hockey country in the WORLD!!!” Taylor Lewan wrote, accompanied by a 2-minute video. 

“This game is absolutely insane,” Jason Kelce chimed in. 

The final game was absolutely insane. After Team USA scored to go up in the first period, the Canadians tied it up late in the second. The third period proceeded to be a tense one. Canada was pushing hard to get the game-winning goal.

But Team USA’s goalie, Connor Hellebuyck, made save after save. This included a massive one that he stopped with just his stick, denying an easy goal for the Canadians. He also stopped a breakaway opportunity that could’ve broken the game wide open. Hellebuyck was by far the best player on the ice. 

In overtime, hockey goes from 5-on-5 to 3-on-3. This allowed for more open ice and easier scoring opportunities for the Americans. They eventually capitalized on a bad Canadian pass, and before they knew it, Jack Hughes slotted away the game-winner, and gloves were flying all over.

It’s always fun to see the sports world come together in moments like these. It shows that guys like Mahomes, Kelce, Taylor Lewan, and Jones are all at home watching the game on their couches just like us. We often think of these guys as superhumans, always honing their skills and never getting distracted. That’s why it’s nice to see them doing something relatable. These moments humanize them a bit.

At the end of the day, this is a historic achievement for Team USA. The 1980 gold medal win is remembered as one of the greatest stories in sports history. A team of college hockey players came together to beat the Soviet Union, which was regarded as a powerhouse that couldn’t be defeated. It was a David vs. Goliath story that inspired many youngsters in America to pursue the sport.

This win for Team USA isn’t on the level of the one in 1980, though. After all, the team was littered with NHL stars after the league allowed players to compete in the games. But 46 years is a long time, and every American is going to celebrate this one. After years of being the little brother to the Canadians, America has finally proven to its friend up north that it is a formidable opponent on the ice.