Super Bowl LIX: Patrick Mahomes apologises to Kansas City Chiefs fans after thumping loss to Philadelphia Eagles

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes apologized to Kansas City fans after the team was dismantled by the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. In the game held in New Orleans, the Eagles defeated the Chiefs with a score of 40-22, with Mahomes and his team performing poorly.

Mahomes, a three-time MVP, struggled against the Eagles' formidable defense, with the Eagles' defensive line penetrating the Chiefs' offensive line to complete six sacks. Even when Mahomes wasn't sacked by the Eagles' defenders, he was still forced out of the pocket to make difficult throws, ultimately completing 21 of 32 passes, including two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Cooper DeJean.

The lopsided defeat from start to finish left Mahomes deeply remorseful, and he apologized to fans on social media after the game, saying, "I let you down." It was a rough night for the 29-year-old quarterback, who was being discussed as potentially the greatest NFL player of all time after leading the Chiefs to an overtime comeback victory over the San Francisco 49ers last year.

In the past six years, Mahomes has participated in five Super Bowls, achieving a record of three wins and two losses, which is the same record that another GOAT contender, Tom Brady, had in his first five championship games. Brady was 35 years old after his fifth Super Bowl and later won four more rings, including defeating the Chiefs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. This means Mahomes has plenty of time to achieve more success in the Super Bowl, but he needs more help from the rest of the team than he received in the Super Bowl against the Eagles.

Rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy was Mahomes' most reliable target, catching all eight passes thrown his way, including a stunning 50-yard touchdown reception to punctuate the game. Mahomes' most reliable passing targets were either tightly covered or underperforming for most of the game, with DeAndre Hopkins catching two passes and having one of the worst drops of the night, while superstar tight end Travis Kelce didn't appear until the second half.

Kelce's first catch came late in the third quarter, when the game was already out of reach. He finished the night with four receptions for 39 yards—both career lows in his five Super Bowl appearances—and missed a potential two-point conversion in the end zone as the Chiefs attempted a miraculous comeback. His performance was so poor that it barely registered when he became the most prolific receiver in Super Bowl history, finishing the game with 35 receptions, two more than legendary 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice.

Now, the focus is on whether Kelce will catch another pass, as his fame has transcended even his Hall of Fame NFL career due to his relationship with pop star Taylor Swift. The 35-year-old is uncertain about returning to the club in 2025, as rumors of retirement have swirled around him for most of the season, but Mahomes has expressed his hope that Kelce will return for his 12th full NFL season.

"I know he still loves playing the game," Mahomes said. "He's going to have time to kind of get away and make that decision himself. He'll be welcomed back with open arms." Chiefs' brass are reportedly not convinced Kelce will return, but he did not address his future after the loss to the Eagles. "If you lose like that, it has to be that something went wrong all around," Kelce said.

Kelce ranks second in Super Bowl history with 389 receiving yards, surpassing Lynn Swann and Rob Gronkowski (both with 364 yards) in New Orleans. Rice holds the record with 589 yards. As a 10-time Pro Bowler, Kelce had career lows this season in receiving yards, touchdowns, and average yards per reception, with 823 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 8.5 yards, respectively. He caught 97 passes, narrowly missing his fourth 100-catch season.