The Curse of the Passing Yard Leader: Can Mahomes Overcome it?
The passing yard leader curse has been a haunting presence in the history of the Super Bowl. As the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs prepare to face off in Super Bowl LVII, there is a notable curse that Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes will have to overcome.
In the 56-year history of the Super Bowl, only seven regular-season passing yard leaders have reached the big game, but all of them have lost. Additionally, 49 times the leader didn't even make an appearance in the Super Bowl.
Leading the charge for the Chiefs is quarterback Mahomes, who had a remarkable regular season. He led the league in passing touchdowns (41) and yards (5,250) and had a quarterback rating of 105.2, making him a strong contender for the MVP award.
Mahomes will face off against Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who also had a standout regular season. He led the Eagles to a 12-1 record before being sidelined by injury, and the team finished 14-3, tying the Chiefs for the best record in the NFL.
While Hurts has had a less impressive postseason showing, he still managed to secure victories for the Eagles in the divisional round against the New York Giants and in the NFC championship game against the 49ers.
INSANE STAT: The NFL regular-season passing yards leader has never won the Super Bowl (0-for-56).
🏈 INSANE STAT: The NFL regular-season passing yards leader has never won the Super Bowl (0-for-56).
This year's leader was Patrick Mahomes. Can he break the curse? https://t.co/MSvOlJ1vn6
Despite his average postseason numbers, the Eagles' playoff success has largely been due to the team's effort rather than his individual performance.
Mahomes, on the other hand, has been a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. He has appeared in every conference game since becoming a starter and has a postseason touchdown average of 2.85, the best in the league.
Although he has the passing yard curse and a recent ankle sprain to worry about, Mahomes' experience and success in the postseason make him a formidable opponent.
5 years as a starter, hosts 5 AFC championship games, goes to 3 Super Bowls, wins 1 (so far). 2x MVP, 1 Super Bowl MVP (so far). 1st 5 seasons of Patrick Mahomes career are the greatest 1st 5 quarterback seasons of all time. Not close.
This will be Mahomes' third Super Bowl appearance in five years, while Hurts will be making his debut in the championship game. The passing yard leader curse has lasted for 56 years and has affected some of the greatest quarterbacks in history, with Tom Brady being the most recent victim in 2017.
Regardless of the outcome, Super Bowl LVII is a high-stakes showdown between two talented teams and their star players. The curse only adds to the excitement of what promises to be a memorable game.