KANSAS CITY, MO — Patrick Mahomes had the playoffs on his mind even as he waited for the birth of his third child.
The Chiefs quarterback said Tuesday that he let his wife, Britney, watch Sunday’s wild-card game while she waits to give birth. She gave birth to a second daughter named Golden Raye, along with a 3-year-old daughter named Sterling and a 2-year-old son whom she nicknamed Bronze.
“Brittany knocked it down,” Mahomes said before heading out to practice for Saturday’s divisional round game against Houston. Houston dominated the Chargers in the wild card round. “It’s been really cool to welcome another daughter into the family and see how the other kids react to her, and having a little sister and all that, so it’s been really fun.
And Mahomes added, “It was cool to have football on TV while I was in the hospital, so I was able to watch a little bit.”
Mahomes, a self-proclaimed football fanatic, was glad that the schedule worked out well. The Chiefs clinched a first-round bye with the No. 1 seed before their Week 18 game in Denver, where Mahomes took his place alongside many of the top players. And that meant he could focus on his kid’s arrival rather than worrying about first-round playoff opponents.
When asked if baby number three was easier than the first two, Mahomes gave a wise answer as a husband and father. “I don’t even want to say that because Britney does everything.”
“It was great that we said goodbye because it allowed us to focus on being in the hospital and in the moment,” he added. “It’s a special moment that many fathers and mothers experience. And you don’t forget that.”
Now the two-time NFL MVP can focus on making more memories. The Chiefs are trying to become the first team to win three consecutive Lombardi Trophies. They were early 8 1/2-point favorites to beat the Texans and had the second-best odds to win the Super Bowl behind the NFC’s top seed, Detroit, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
“I think every year is special,” Mahomes said. “Obviously you want to win three in a row and build memories with the players and the community. But every year is special. And when I look back at the different Super Bowls we’ve won, I look back at the special moments we’ve had and the special games we’ve had. So we will try to do that this year as well.”
The Chiefs beat Texas the weekend before Christmas, part of a grueling stretch in which both played three times in 11 days. And they have won four straight against Houston heading into the 2020 playoffs. They were down 24-0 in the divisional round at Arrowhead Stadium, but rallied to win 51-31, Mahomes’ first win. Super Bowl.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said the bye week – actually more than three weeks off for the most important players who played in Denver – has left his team as healthy as it has been all season heading into the playoff opener.
“They have a good attitude.” Reed said. “They came last week and did very well. A lot of them came in even on their days off, but they are excited. They know they are playing on a good football team.”
NOTES: CB Jaylen Watson (broken ankle) could play Saturday for the first time since being injured Oct. 20 against San Francisco. “I’m not saying he can play the whole game, but I definitely think he has a chance to play,” Reid cautioned. … The Chiefs actually plan to rotate Joe Thuney and DJ Humphries before deciding on a starter at left tackle. Thuney was taken out of guard late in the season with Mike Caliendo replacing him as the Chiefs tried to better protect Mahomes’ blindside. But that was while Humphries was nursing a hamstring injury and will be healthy on Saturday. “We’ll see how things go this week,” Reed said.
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