Chiefs’ Joe Thuney puts an end to Patrick Mahomes' streak

Heading into Super Bowl 59, Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes was on the precipice of history. He was not only looking to become the first starting quarterback to lead their team to a Super Bowl three-peat but also to become the first player to win the Super Bowl MVP award three years in a row.

However, he fell short on both fronts, as the Philadelphia Eagles thrashed the Chiefs 40-22 to deny them the unprecedented three-peat, and quarterback Jalen Hurts took home the MVP award. Those weren't the only hat tricks Mahomes was denied.

The Chiefs quarterback was the reigning two-time winner of the Derrick Thomas Award. It's an honor given to the franchise's MVP for the season as voted by the players and coaches. Mahomes had won the award in 2018, 2022 and 2023 and was looking to join retired running back Jamaal Charles in winning it four times and becoming the first player to complete a hat trick.

However, the Chiefs' players and coaches voted left guard Joe Thuney as the team's MVP for the 2024 season, ending Mahomes' bid to win it thrice in a row.

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Patrick Mahomes' underwhelming season

Patrick Mahomes was likely aware that he wouldn't be winning the award for the fourth time in seven years after an unimpressive campaign. While the Chiefs ended the season 15-2, it wasn't due to the quarterback's impressive performances but rather despite them.

Mahomes finished the season with 3,928 passing yards, and 26 passing touchdowns, both career lows since he became the Chiefs' starting quarterback in the 2018 campaign. He also did not have an impactful year as a rusher. The 29-year-old rushed for 307 yards, the third-fewest mark of his career.

His worst performance of the year came in the biggest game of the season. In the first half of the Super Bowl, he completed only six of his 14 pass attempts for 33 yards and threw two interceptions, including one pick-six.

Mahomes finished the game with 257 passing yards and three touchdowns. However, the majority of his completions and all of his touchdown passes came after the Eagles built a 34-0 lead by the end of the third quarter and swapped their starters for their backups.

It was inarguably the worst season of Mahomes' career, and his performance and why he missed out on three different hat tricks.