I began watching football in 1993-1994. I was 15. I was a nintendo head that knew nothing about sports and didnt care. My stepdad and uncle changed that. They taught me the game, and explauned who, and what Joe was.
Joe getting concussed with 13:33 left in the 3rd quarter at Buffalo was my first taste of sports heartbreak.
In the years that followed, I remember just getting emotionally hollowed out. The kicker, The donks, just soul crushing losses. Losing seasons, the no punt bowl, eventually over two decades without a playoff win.
By the time Andy and Alex were turning things around, I still cheered, i just never got invested anymore. Blowing a 28 point lead in Indy, Allowing only 6 fgs and still losing, blowing an 18 point lead, the losses sucked, but they no longer affected my life.
When Mahomes dragged that dead last defense kicking and screaming to the afc title game, on the way to 5k and 50, earning an mvp, I started to feelit again. The excitement, and for lack of a better word, hope.
While I have infinite disdain for dee ford for lining up offside, that AFC title loss did not crush me. For one, Patrick never got the ball back. we lost to a coin. Everything i was looking at told me we would be back.
The knee injury in week 7 was momentarily soul crushing, a feeling i had not had in decades. Seeing him return got me pumped, and his playoff heroics are simply legendary.
once again, i found myself jumping up, shouting, losing my mind over football again. Patrick Mahomes reignited my ability to feel emotion during games. Not just sit, detached, prepared for the worst and hoping for the impossible.
When he delivered the title, it was unlike anything i had ever felt as a sports fan. I still watch the game at least once a month, i can practically say every line the announcers say.
Nobody understands at the house. Its just a sigh and eye roll, and "Again?"
They will never know what that game means to me, and what that kid wearing 15 did for me in terms of how i view football games again. The high is indescribable. Finally. The Chiefs are world champs once again.
Just as with the season that fell short, I know he isnt done. We are going back.
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