By Rory Carroll
TAMPA, Fla (Reuters) – Patrick Mahomes has been virtually unstoppable since becoming the starting quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs three seasons ago, but said the reigning Super Bowl champions are far from satisfied.
Mahomes, who is 44-9 as a starter, took home Super Bowl MVP honors last year after leading his team to a gutsy, come-from-behind win to end the franchise’s 50-year title drought.
Now he says the team is hungry for more.
“The thing I’m most proud is that no one has become satisfied,” Mahomes told reporters on Wednesday ahead of Sunday’s showdown against the Buccaneers in Tampa.
“No one has become happy with winning one Super Bowl championship,” he said. “Everybody is trying to make themselves better every single day and not trying to take a day for granted. You don’t have that in every single organization or every single locker room.
“It comes with the culture (general manager) Brett Veach and coach (Andy) Reid have instilled in us, and that’s to get better 1% every single day. That’s why we’re in this game and have a chance for another Super Bowl championship.”
Mahomes will be going against veteran quarterback Tom Brady, who is making his 10th Super Bowl appearance and gunning for a record-extending seventh ring.
The 25-year-old Mahomes, who could become the youngest quarterback to win two Super Bowl titles, said he did not want to get ahead of himself when asked whether he would be satisfied with six championships at the end of his career.
“We don’t look that far ahead,” he said. “I’m focused on this game right now, trying to win this second Super Bowl and being able to hold that Lombardi Trophy and have that second ring.
“But if I’m at the end of my career and I have a lot of Super Bowl rings on my hand, I’ll be happy.”
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
