Patrick Mahomes' heart-rate spiked close to 200 during intense Bills clash
Patrick Mahomes' legend is ascending with each passing game. The 26-year-old is already one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. His arm talent is second to none, and his mental understanding of football has caught up to his physical gifts.
Mahomes is also calm and collected in high-pressure moments. Despite having played in two Super Bowls and three AFC championship games, no game he's played has been more heart-pounding than the one against the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs last Sunday.
Those who questioned how high Mahomes' heart rate was throughout the game now have answers. Mahomes partnered with the WHOOP company to have his heart rate monitored during the game.
Calm under pressure. Pumped up in peak moments.
See more of @patrickmahomes’ WHOOP data from Sunday’s historic game: bit.ly/3rTLsow #WinningonWHOOP https://t.co/rYtevb3NIL
The peak heart rate Patrick Mahomes attained against the Bills was 191 beats per minute. That came in the first quarter when he ran for a touchdown. His heart rate leveled out throughout the rest of the game, and his average leveled at 146 beats per minute.
As the game intensified in the fourth quarter, Mahomes' heart rate spiked again. During the Kansas City Chiefs' game-winning touchdown drive in overtime, Mahomes' heartbeat was at 169 beats per minute.
This data shows how intense being an NFL competitor truly is. Mahomes is as poised as any player in the league, so an average heart rate of 146 speaks to the intensity of the NFL playoffs.
Patrick Mahomes played in one of the best games in NFL history
Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen dueled in one of the most memorable games in NFL postseason history. The game finished with a score of 42-36, but the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime saw enough lead changes to make it feel like an entirely new game.
With two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the score was 26-21, with the Chiefs winning. Both Allen and Mahomes were as poised and confident as they could've been going toe-to-toe on their touchdown drives at the end of the game, which saw 31 points scored.
There have only been two postseason performances in NFL history where a QB passed for at least 325 yards, threw at least 3 TDs, had no INTs and rushed for 60 yards.
Josh Allen vs. the Chiefs, Jan. 23, 2022
Patrick Mahomes vs. the Bills, Jan. 23, 2022
It would've been intriguing to see Allen's heart rate in comparison to Patrick Mahomes'.
Mahomes will now lead the Chiefs in the AFC championship game this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals match up well against the Chiefs with their personnel, giving their game the potential to be a classic.