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Watch: Chiefs win Super Bowl 58 with game-winning OT drive
Patrick Mahomes found Mecole Hardman for the game-winner.
Mecole Hardman didn’t begin his season with the Kansas City Chiefs. But he ended it on the receiving end of a Patrick Mahomes game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl 58.
After the San Fransisco 49ers settled for a field goal in the opening drive of overtime, Mahomes and the Chiefs marched down the field methodically to secure their third Super Bowl victory in five years.
Watch Mahomes and Hardman’s connection here:
Mahomes orchestrated multiple big plays to keep the game-winning drive moving prior to that play. Facing a third and one with the pocket collapsing around him, the Super Bowl MVP escaped downfield for 19 yards, giving Kansas City a fresh set of downs in great field position.
Mahomes also remained patient and made the exact right play on two other third downs.
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On a third and six, he hung in the pocket through pressure, waited for wide receiver Rashee Rice to find open space, and delivered a perfect ball for a first down.
A creative play call by Andy Reid and the Chiefs’ coaching staff was perfectly executed by Mahomes earlier in the drive. Rolling out of the pocket on third and short, Mahomes had the option to throw a short pass to Travis Kelce or keep it himself on the ground. Seeing San Fransisco stay with Kelce, he secured a first down with his feet.
Mahomes secured his third Super Bowl and his third Super Bowl MVP, further fueling his path toward passing Tom Brady as the greatest quarterback of all time.
And, it was a fitting end of the season for Hardman, who brought the Lombardi Trophy off the stage and towards the Kansas City locker room. Hardman began his career with the Chiefs and spent four seasons there from 2019-2022. He departed for the New York Jets in the offseason, but never quite found his footing there. Kansas City made a trade with the Jets to get Hardman back, and he came up big when it mattered most.
Once again, the Chiefs end their season on top of the NFL.
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