By Steve Keating
MIAMI (Reuters) - Patrick Mahomes, one day removed from leading the Kansas City Chiefs on a Super Bowl comeback for the ages, said on Monday he will savor the victory for a couple weeks before turning his focus to mounting another championship run.
Mahomes, at 24, became the youngest quarterback to be named the Most Valuable Player of a Super Bowl after he led the Chiefs on three touchdown drives in the final six minutes of a 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Despite achieving the pinnacle of success in his sport just three seasons into his NFL career, Mahomes is anything but complacent and intends to be back at work very soon.
"I am going to enjoy it for a couple weeks but knowing that the mindset of we're going to get back grinding this offseason, go back in and try to do more stuff," Mahomes, in a red shirt with 'Showtime' emblazoned across the chest above his number 15, said on Monday during the Super Bowl MVP news conference.
"We know that everybody is going to be gunning for us and we are going to have to go out there and try to win games next year and be back here and hopefully back on this stage."
Mahomes, making his debut on the NFL's biggest stage, was statistically having the worst games of his young career as his team was bottled up by the stingy San Francisco defense through three quarters until coming alive when it mattered most.
The 49ers, who came into the game looking to snap a 25-year championship drought, began the fourth quarter with a 20-10 lead. But their vaunted defense simply had no answer as the Chiefs' high-octane offense finally found its gear en route to ending a 50-year title drought of their own.
Mahomes, who the Chiefs selected 10th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, finished the game having completed 26 of 42 passes for 286 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ran for a touchdown.
Mahomes, the new face of the NFL, is due for a contract extension this offseason and is undoubtedly in line for a major payday. But Mahomes said he will not let the negotiations get in the way of his preparations for the 2020 season
"That's stuff that's handled with other people," said Mahomes. "Obviously I want to be in Kansas City for a long time, I understand that. Also I want to win a lot of football games here."
Mahomes was named the MVP of the 2018 regular season and overcame a knee injury earlier this season to top that with a Super Bowl triumph. Asked what he could do to top his latest achievements, Mahomes was quick to offer an answer.
"Win another one. That's it."