Reid, Mahomes and the Chiefs aren’t going away any time soon

Feb 12, 2024, 5:58 AM | Updated: 5:59 am

Denver Sports Analyst

The Super Bowl didn’t go the way I wanted it to. Instead of the San Francisco 49ers winning like I wanted, the Kansas City Chiefs became back-to-back Super Bowl champions. The game went to overtime, and the Chiefs pulled off the 25-22 win on Super Bowl Sunday.

I like that we’re fully into draft season now. The Super Bowl is done, the Chiefs won (again), and now it’s time for the competition that will determine who makes the Super Bowl next year.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep Wrangler TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

***

Don’t Forget to Run the Ball

Entering the big game, I said it would come down to the performance of the backfields. The 49ers have Christian McCaffrey, and the Chiefs have Isiah Pacheco; two of my favorite backs in the league. Not only was it going to come down to these two players, but anyone toting the rock for their respective teams.

During the game, the announcers revealed that 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said that he wanted 40 carries in this game. He wanted to let the ground game lead the way, yet as the game went on Shanahan, didn’t stick with the rushing attack. In fact, in the third quarter it seemed like Shanahan went away from the rushing attack too soon – and the Chiefs were able to take the lead.

Yes, McCaffrey had 22 carries for a hard-fought 80 yards on the ground, but as a team the 49ers had only 31 carries. Elijah Mitchell is a talented backup who could start for many teams out there, but he only received two carries against the Chiefs. To get to those 40 carries, it would have been nice to see Mitchell get some more work. Instead, QB Brock Purdy got 39 passing attempts and failed to come up with enough big plays with his arm.

Kyle Shanahan has had a double-digit lead in all three Super Bowls as an OC or HC.

He's 0-3. pic.twitter.com/sju6yFJGi2

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) February 12, 2024

I’m not sure if the 49ers are going to make the Super Bowl again, but if they do (and they’re not playing the Broncos) then I hope Shanahan doesn’t forget to run the ball – again.

***

Just Getting Started

I have some bad news for Broncos Country. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is just getting started. It seems like Mahomes could do what he’s done over the last six years as a starter again for the next six seasons – and perhaps even beyond that.

I’m not going to put Mahomes in the “Greatest of All Time” conversation as many rushed to do while the confetti was falling. Yes, Mahomes could wind up the GOAT at the quarterback position, but he’s not done playing and could have another decade of this dominating play. By the time Mahomes is done, we’re going to have a good idea where he ranks on the list of best quarterbacks of all-time.

Right now, Tom Brady is at the top of the mountain when it comes to being the GOAT. Joe Montana is somewhere near that peak, and I’ve always maintained that John Elway is the best quarterback of all time from a tool’s standpoint (something Brady and Montana are not). Mahomes does a lot of what Elway did in his pro career, but the Kansas City megastar quarterback is winning championships early in his career – something Elway did not do. Yes, Mahomes should end up on the Mount Rushmore of all-time NFL quarterbacks, but we’ve got more time to see him play at a high level.

What Patrick Mahomes has done since becoming an NFL starter 6 years ago:

– 3 Super Bowls
– 3 Super Bowl MVPs
– 2x NFL MVP
– 3x All-Pro
– 6 Pro Bowls
– 2× passing TDs leader
– NFL-record 5,614 total yards in a season.

You are witnessing greatness. pic.twitter.com/3SMt3wYLOT

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 12, 2024

The urgency to find a franchise quarterback is only heightened when considering what Mahomes can continue to do in the AFC West. The Broncos need to find someone who can go toe-to-toe with one of the greatest in the history of the position. That’s a tall order to be sure.

***

Reid Not Retiring?

I felt that if the Chiefs won, head coach Andy Reid would be retiring afterwards. That may not be the case now. Reports have now indicated that Reid isn’t going anywhere.

I had checked around with some of my Chiefs sources, just to see what the plan was if Reid did retire. People I trust said the team could move to Matt Nagy as the successor to Reid if the long-time coach decided to retire. Nagy was a head coach with the Chicago Bears (2018-2021) but came back to the Chiefs to be their offensive coordinator again in 2023. Overall, Nagy had a 34-31 record with the Bears but he was 0-2 in the playoffs with Chicago. He’s a good coach, and clearly the Chiefs trust him, but it’s a step down going from a future Hall of Fame coach like Reid to an assistant like Nagy.

So, the Chiefs are essentially keeping the band together after winning the Super Bowl. This was the season to knock off the Chiefs, yet nobody was able to stop them even though they struggled at times. The Chiefs are a huge problem for the Denver Broncos and HC Sean Payton – and the rest of the league.

#chiefs owner Clark Hunt just told me he fully expects Andy Reid to return next season. Watch the full interview on @nflnetwork

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) February 12, 2024

So, Reid may not retire and Mahomes is just getting started. That’s not great news for a Broncos team just trying to get back to the postseason.

***

First Trailer = AWESOME

I was excited about the game, but I was also looking forward to seeing the first trailer for “Deadpool 3.” There’s only one film coming out in 2024 for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it’s going to be a big one. Ryan Reynolds has turned Deadpool into a household name with the first two movies, but this is the first installment that will be officially a part of the MCU. It’s also the first Deadpool movie overseen by Disney, so some fans are concerned it won’t have the trademark edge we’ve come to know from the merc with a mouth.

If the first trailer was any indication, it looks like all the violence and humor we’ve come to expect from Deadpool will be in the new movie. Reynolds cares about the character, and it was through his will that the first movie was made anyway. Deadpool became a huge franchise because of Reynolds, so I always had confidence that Disney would just kind of leave him alone so he could make Deadpool 3 the way he wanted. Things have gone off track in the MCU, so Disney needs a hit – and Deadpool 3 looks like a mega-hit.

It was revealed at the end of the trailer that this movie is now officially titled “Deadpool & Wolverine.” We didn’t get to see Hugh Jackman as Wolverine yet in the trailer, but we saw his shadow at the end of the trailer. The addition of Jackman’s character, and the trademark Deadpool notes, should put this movie over the top. July 26 cannot get here soon enough.