Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is no stranger to playing January football. The worst the Chiefs have ever done in the postseason was losing the AFC Championship game since he took over under center. This year, Mahomes and the Chiefs have traversed through various circumstances of adversity but have made it to the playoffs and will host the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Wildcard on Saturday night.
A winter storm will also be coming to Kansas City over the weekend, which will bring temperatures down into the single digits, making Saturday’s game at Arrowhead Stadium one of the coldest environments in NFL history.
Mahomes has gone on record and said he loves playing in the snow and cold weather. Some of his best games were during cold weather conditions. During his Tuesday presser, Mahomes told reporters he’s ready to play in the extreme elements.
“I mean yeah, what could be better?” he began. “Playing playoff football in January at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. It’s going to be cold; it is what it is. I’d rather be playing a football game than chasing my kids around the backyard,” he said. “I’ll have a little bit of the adrenaline rush, and I’m excited for it.”
While Mahomes is ready to take on the cold, other players will need assistance preparing to play in the extreme conditions. Mahomes explained that head coach Andy Reid is getting guys ready by leaving the doors and windows of the team’s practice facility open to get his guys used to the cold weather.
“Practicing with [Head] Coach [Andy] Reid, you kind of have to,” Mahomes said. “If there’s an opportunity to go outside, he’s going to have you outside. He’ll have the doors open in the indoor [facility] to let the cold air in,” he explained. “I’ve realized that practice in the cold is a lot harder than playing in the cold – just with the heaters and stuff that you have on the sideline.”
Kansas City will host the Miami Dolphins, whom the Chiefs defeated earlier in Week 9 of the regular season. This week, the Chiefs view the cold snap at Arrowhead as an advantage over their opponents from South Beach. The upcoming playoff matchup will be the coldest game in Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s football life. The coldest game Tua’s ever played in was 48 degrees, which he lost.
Factor in the way the Chiefs’ defense is playing and a healthy Isiah Pacheco rushing the ball on offense, and Mahomes feels pretty confident about his team’s chances.
“I’m extremely confident,” Mahomes explained. “Not only in our offense but in our football team. You see how the defense is playing, [and] I feel like we’re going to play our best football at the right time. I think if we can just score enough points, our defense will shut the door, and we can find a way to get the win.”
Kansas City also has a lot of postseason experience, which pays dividends for going on a long run and playing in crazy circumstances such as the weather this weekend. The Chiefs have also gained experience from this season with all the ups and downs they’ve been confronted with that led to them finishing with an 11-6 record.
“We play in a lot of big games, playing games on short rest, we play in night games, whatever it is,” Mahomes continued. “I think just having that experience is going to help us. Having those games where not everything is going your way, you have to find a way to pull through and get a win. Just being able to rely on our experiences and go out there and be the best team we can be and play our best football and see what happens.”
Aside from the cold weather that’s hitting the Kansas City metro, this postseason features the former Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill’s return to Arrowhead for the first time he was traded to Miami.
“I’m excited for it,” Mahomes said of playing his former teammate. “I have not heard from Tyreek [Hill] this week. I don’t know if we’ll be talking this week, but I’ve talked to him every once in a while. I know he’s excited. He’ll be excited to come to Arrowhead. But this week, I won’t talk to him as much. I’ll say.”
As teammates, Mahomes and Hill were a dynamic combo that created countless historic moments at the GEHA Field. This time, they’ll return to the same field as opponents. While they may still have a good relationship off the field, Mahomes explained his sights set on sending Hill and the Dolphins back to Miami.
“You are still friends in the offseason. But when you play on the field, you’re trying to compete to win. That’s just kind of how it is. And I’m excited for the opportunity for our defense. I’m excited for the opportunity for our team to go against a great football team.”
