The Kansas City Chiefs became the first NFL team to win back-to-back championships since the New England Patriots in the 2003 and 2004 seasons; Patrick Mahomes won his third Super Bowl MVP award in leading the Chiefs to a thrilling 25-22 to win over the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas
Tuesday 13 February 2024 15:36, UK
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid are already targeting yet more Super Bowl success the morning after their thrilling 25-22 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas
The Chiefs became the first team to win back-to-back championships in nearly two decades since the New England Patriots in the 2003 and 2004 seasons, and now they want to become the first NFL franchise to ever 'three-peat'.
After winning his third Super Bowl MVP award, having reached the game itself four times in his first seven seasons in the league, Mahomes insisted he will "do whatever I can to be back in this game next year".
"It's legendary [a three-peat] - no one has ever done it," he said.
"Only eight teams have done it back-to-back. We felt like we had the best opportunity we've ever had.
"All you can do is come back next year with the best mindset and try to do it again.
"I know how hard these guys work. I know how hard they get after it. I know how hard these coaches work."
"To be able to have our stamp on NFL history is something I'll never take for granted."
The Green Bay Packers did win three-straight championships from 1965 to 1967, but their first title in that stretch was the year before the Super Bowl era began in the NFL.
As for examples from America's other premier sports, the most recent three-peat was achieved by the Kobe Bryant-led Los Angeles Lakers, who won NBA championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Michael Jordan also led the Chicago Bulls to two separate three-peats (1991-1993 and 1996-1998), while the Boston Celtics won eight NBA titles in a row from 1959-1966.
In baseball, the MLB has had four three-peats, three of them achieved by the New York Yankees - the most recent of those coming between 1998 and 2000. As for the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens have each three-peated twice, while the New York Islanders won four-straight Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1984.
Coach Reid, who confirmed after the game that he will return with the team next season, ending speculation of any retirement talk, said: "We'll have changeover on our team, there's always the unexpected and we have to keep battling through it.
"I just asked [Mahomes], has anyone done it three (consecutive) times? He said no. It'd be great."
Speaking further on his star quarterback, Reid said that 28-year-old Mahomes' performance and excellence can be easy to take for granted, adding that he's still getting better.
"He makes it look easy," Reid said. "This is a fluid game with the best athletes in this sport in the world... and he's out there playing like he's in the back yard, like it's nothing.
"From a head-coaching standpoint, for a guy that works with offensive guys, that's all you can ask for."
Mahomes was also full of praise for his head coach after their third Super Bowl win together in the space of five seasons.
"He's one of the best coaches of all time," he said. "I believe he's the best coach of all time.
"For me, he brings out the best in me because he lets me be me. That's important. He doesn't make me try to be anyone else.
"I don't think I am the quarterback that I am if I didn't have coach Reid being my head coach."
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins on Sky Sports:
"Mahomes is special. He's clearly the best in the league and, from the looks of his mindset, he's not done. He wants to keep going.
"He's really unfazed. Credit to Mahomes, credit to Andy [Reid], just figuring it out and staying the course of the game.
"They've done this time and time again, every championship they've won they've had to come back and find a way to win. This was no different.
"Being a player in this league, understanding how hard it is to win, and he just does it year after year. And it's funny, it's getting boring at this point because it's so predictable almost. But I say that with the utmost respect because it is incredibly hard to win and the things he's doing is remarkable."
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