Patrick Mahomes may have walked out on the losing end of Super Bowl 59, but he took away a ton of respect for the quarterback on the other sideline.
Yes, as Jalen Hurts was raising the Super Bowl MVP award — and the Lombardi Trophy, along with his Philadelphia Eagles teammates — it was Mahomes who stopped to admire his adversary. There is a ton of mutual respect.
Patrick Mahomes Praised Jalen Hurts’ Ability To Win
The one thing Hurts knows how to do is win. He’s done it at every level, from high school to college to the pros. That winning swagger (and cigar-wielding smile) wasn’t lost on Mahomes.
The three-time Super Bowl MVP took a moment to give Hurts his flowers after a 40-22 loss for his Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59.
“I mean, there’s a lot of things. But the one thing I’ve always respected about Jalen is that he’s a winner,” Mahomes said. “And I know that sounds … some people take that as like, it’s not a good thing, but you have to find ways to win with your football team that you have around you, and that’s what I’ve learned in my entire career and that’s what he’s came into the NFL and done his entire career.
“If he needs to run the ball, he’s going to run it. If he needs to throw the ball, he will throw it. If he needs to make a big play, he will make the big play. And so that’s stuff that not everybody has and that’s something that I have a lot of respect for Jalen, and I said it after the first Super Bowl we played against him, I said he will be back.
“And he was and he got the better of me today and I’m sure we’ll face off again at some point in our careers in a big game like this.”
Patrick Mahomes spoke highly of #SBLIX MVP Jalen Hurts ❤️ pic.twitter.com/7HE0r6saC5
— NFL (@NFL) February 11, 2025
Hurts Discusses His Winning Mindset
Hurts has received a lot of press for making the wallpaper on his cell phone a picture of the Chiefs’ confetti coming down on him after Super Bowl 57. He refused to change it, using the image as motivation to get back and win.
“I don’t measure my success off of any numbers or statistics or passing yards or touchdowns or anything like that,” Hurts said. “I measure it off of rings and championships. And that’s how I look at it.”
“Money is nice. Championships are better.” 🦅
— Eagles QB Jalen Hurts pic.twitter.com/AUscVwlTen
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) April 24, 2023
Well, Hurts did what he set out to do. He completed 17 of 22 passes for 221 yards and threw for two touchdowns in Super Bowl 59. He also added 72 rushing yards and tush-pushed his way into the end zone for a rushing score.
His 72 rushing yards set a new record by a quarterback in a Super Bowl, breaking his own record of 70 yards from Super Bowl 57. It was truly a full-circle moment for the Eagles’ leader.
“I’ve talked all week about it … this idea of winning, beating an opponent and improving,” Hurts said. “I think my entire career I’ve been challenged with different things, and it’s put me in a place where I was just trying to improve, improve, improve so I can be the best that I can be.
“Then, there’s the other side of it where you experience a shortcoming and a failure, and you see the importance of winning and beating an opponent. I think both of those things, and both of those components, are essential to being great and achieving the ultimate success.”