Patrick Mahomes might have used some of Michael's Secret Stuff at halftime. The MVP-winning quarterback channeled his inner Michael Jordan and had his very own flu game to drag the Kansas City Chiefs to victory in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday.
In 1997, Jordan willed his Chicago Bulls to victory while battling a flu that depleted his energy. He scored 38 points in Game 5 to propel the Bulls to a series victory in the next game.
In the same vein, Patrick Mahomes willed his Kansas City Chiefs to victory while battling a serious high ankle sprain that he aggravated in the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Chiefs trailed by 10 points at half time, but rallied in the second half to secure a 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Mahomes was clearly hurt. After suffering a high ankle sprain (an injury that usually requires at least a month to recover from) in the Divisional Round against Jacksonville, Mahomes helped the Chiefs limp over line against the Cincinnati Bengals and found the vaunted Eagles waiting for him.
Every scramble showed how much pain Mahomes was in. He ran at a much slower speed and one key scramble late in the second half might have been a game-winning touchdown if he wasn't so hobbled.
Even walking on and off the field, there was an ever-present limp. After a three-yard run in the first half, Mahomes could barely get off the field -- clearly, the ankle was causing major problems.
Nevertheless, Mahomes put the team on his back and hobbled them to victory. In the second half, he played like the MVP he is.
The Chiefs scored on every possession in the second half, including two Mahomes touchdowns to Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney.
In between hobbling on and off the field, Mahomes put on an absolutely legendary performance on the way to a Super Bowl MVP award.
Facing an elite defense, a well-rounded team, a seriously injured ankle and top quarterback in counterpart Jalen Hurts, Mahomes showed why everyone gushes over him.
The numbers might show a solid if unspectacular performance from the quarterback, but it was far more than that.
Was this Patrick Mahomes' best game as a pro?
Over the six seasons NFL fans have been privileged to watch Patrick Mahomes, he's had a few unbelievable performances.
It's tough to crown one of them the best, but this Super Bowl display has to be up there. The odds were stacked against him. He didn't have Tyreek Hill or really any top-tier wide receivers.
His ankle was completely banged up. Hurts and the Eagles played incredibly well and there were a few curses working against him.
None of it mattered to Mahomes, who truly put on a Michael Jordan-esque performance and dragged the Chiefs to their second Super Bowl trophy in the Mahomes era.
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