Patrick Mahomes Says Getting Three-Peat Would Solidify Chiefs as ‘Best Team of All Time’

No NFL team has ever achieved a three-peat in the Super Bowl era. Entering the 2024 season, which begins on Thursday, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are one ring away from being the first team to do so. The Chiefs host the Ravens in the season opener Thursday night.

Aside from having three MVPs, two Super Bowl rings, and a best friend dating Taylor Swift, the Texas native is just like the rest of us. He’s a family man who likes to get a round of golf in with friends and gets nervous when meeting GOAT athletes.

Mahomes may go down as the best quarterback of all time, but he won’t tell you that. In the middle of a photo shoot for his new Mahomes II Signature Series Oakley sunglasses, the future HOFer gave us a look into his offseason, played a game of I Got Time Today, and talked about what a three-peat would ultimately mean for his legacy.

(This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity)

West: What would it mean to you to achieve a three-peat?

Patrick: Getting a three-peat in the Super Bowl era has never been done before, and so to be able to do that as well as all the other stuff that we’ve done in the past few seasons, even the ones where we haven’t even won the Super Bowl, it’d be iconic and it’d be something that would solidify us as one of the best teams of all time. And that’s what you want when you play a game like football.

West: Does a three-peat cement your GOAT status?

Patrick: I don’t know if that does in a sense, but it definitely makes us, I think, the best team of all time and have the best run. And so I think I’m more worried about that. I think at the end of my career is when I’ll be able to decide or I’ll be able to make a decision for myself if I can become the GOAT. But it’s going to be hard, man. Tom had like three Hall of Fame careers, so it’s going to be a long run, but I got to keep the consistency going.

West: Obviously we know a three-peat has never been done and there are very few back-to-back Super Bowl champions. What makes consistency in the NFL so challenging?

Patrick: I think it’s complacency. I mean, whenever you win, it’s an incredibly long season. You end the season in the middle of February and then you’re going back to OTAs in April. Guys get complacent, man. They want to spend that extra time vacationing and whatever that is. We’re already back at it and I’m excited to make a run at it, but you got to keep guys motivated to be the best.

West: On the topic of GOATs: Messi was at Arrowhead this spring. What was that moment like for you meeting and sharing a platform with someone else who’s considered the greatest of their sport?

Mahomes: Yeah, I don’t know if you could see the video, but it seemed like I was nervous because that’s meeting someone that I grew up watching as a GOAT figure, someone that goes out there and dominates even to this day. And it was cool to just see him in person. Obviously I was rooting for Kansas City, but it’s like every time he touches the soccer ball, football, whatever you want to call it, he goes out there and dominates, and you can see his imprint on the game every single time you watch him play.

West: You’ve started golfing more and more during the offseason. What do you like so much about golf?

Patrick: I think it’s just the challenge, man. The challenge. Every single golf round being different. I mean, you could play the same course a hundred times and you’re going to have a different round every single time. And so, being able to do that as well as just relaxing and trying to get better at it, and all my buddies play and we can get out on the course and have a round and have fun doing it. It’s not always about playing great. It’s about having a good time and I feel like I’m getting better. So hopefully one of these days I can actually compete and have something to show for how my golf game’s gotten.

West: Top three athlete golfers, go.

Patrick: From my experiences watching Steph Curry, Mardy Fish, the tennis player, he is legit at golfing. And then I would say Tony Romo. Those are the three that I’ve seen in person. But I mean, I know there’s some other guys that I’ve heard legendary stories about, so we’ll have to see if I ever get around with them.

West: No Trav?

Patrick: Trav, no man [chuckles]. But I will say, he’s the number one guy that you want to golf with. Everyone needs someone that they want to golf with whenever and Travis Kelce is the guy you want to golf with.

West: Before we go, congrats on expecting your third child. Dad life is in full effect for you. Coming off the offseason, what is the perfect offseason day for Patrick Mahomes?

Patrick: Yeah, for me it’s waking up in the morning, getting the workout in and then getting to spend some time with my kids. And the great thing about living on a golf course is I can go out to the golf course, let the kids ride around, they get to swing the plastic clubs, and hang out with them. And the family is always amazing. And so being able to get a workout in, get a round of golf in, have the kids out there, then get to eat dinner with the family.