On this day in the 2019 NFL playoffs, the Kansas City Chiefs faced the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship Game and Patrick Mahomes managed one of the most iconic plays of his career. Unlike many of the other iconic plays in the NFL, this one was made on the ground and not with his arm.
The second quarter of the game was winding down, the Chiefs were trailing by three and found themselves just on the other side of the Titans’ 30-yard-line. With just 23 seconds remaining, Mahomes would scramble for a touchdown, in a play that has become known by fans as “The Run.” This gave the team a 21-14 lead over Tennessee heading into halftime and helped them punch their ticket to Super Bowl LIV — making their first Super Bowl appearance and eventual win in 50 seasons.
On this day, @PatrickMahomes made one of his greatest playoff moments in the 2019 AFC Championship. 😤 pic.twitter.com/PcSQtqBLfb
— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2023
Heading into the AFC divisional round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Saturday, it’s a solid reminder that Mahomes’ legs are the most underrated weapon in the Chiefs’ arsenal come playoff time. People have called his athleticism into question after he ran a 4.8 40-yard dash at the combine, but the truth is he’s much faster than that.
It’s hard enough accounting for all the weapons at WR, TE and RB in Kansas City. When opposing defenses get locked in on those players, that’s when Mahomes typically burns them with his legs. It always seems to come when the team needs a big play too.
Mahomes actually has the 10th most career rushing yards by a quarterback in NFL playoff history with 55 attempts for 323 yards and five rushing touchdowns in 11 career playoff appearances. Of players with 10 or more playoff appearances, Mahomes’ 5.9 yards per carry ranks fourth in NFL history behind Steve McNair, Russell Wilson and Steve Young. He has a chance to climb the leaderboards even more in the upcoming playoff run.
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