Top MVP candidates credits to their profession, and efforts to change
PHOENIX » It will be a shocker if neither Jalen Hurts nor Chiefs counterpart Patrick Mahomes fails to win the Associated Press Most Valuable Player award Thursday. It should be one of the two, marking the third time in five years a black quarterback will take the crystal home.
That’s every bit as impressive as the victory one of them will score Sunday in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium.
With the future of 2020-21 MVP Aaron Rodgers in flux and Tom Brady retired, Hurts and Mahomes have the skills, savvy and credibility to dominate the award, although Joe Burrow and Josh Allen certainly are worthy opponents.
Mahomes, who threw 43 touchdown passes, and Hurts, who accumulated 35 scores passing and running are formidable competitors on and off the field. Their takes on the evolution of black quarterbacks are almost as interesting as they play the game.
Hurts was deliberate in his remarks on Super Bowl Opening Night, again calling the significance of this Super showdown of quarterbacks, “historic.”
“When you think about all the rich history in this game to be a part of such an historic event, it is special,” Hurts said. “There’s been so many quarterbacks before me that laid the foundation for me to have this opportunity. Now for the first time for two to go head-to-head, that’s uplifting.”
Over in Scottsdale, Mahomes spoke to black history so rapidly and completely a tape recorder could barely keep up.
“It’s special and I think we talked about it the entire week,” Mahomes said. “It’s been something that’s been way, long overdue. You see a lot of quarterbacks that haven’t had this opportunity that we have had. It took the quarterbacks before us to pave the way. For us to be in this moment on this stage and to be able to show where we’ve come as a league, this will be just the start of it. Just the beginning of it and we want to make sure we set the stage for future generations to come.” Consider the latter all but done.
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Speaking of Mahomes, he said his sprained right ankle is better than it was for the AFC title game, but not much more of substance.
“This week I’m just going to go and push it and be as close to 100 percent as I can,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, I don’t want to try to tweak it or do anything like that. It’s been a great week and it’s definitely in a lot better condition than it was before this last game. And I’ll try to get it as close as I can to 100 percent.”
Interestingly, the Chiefs have been practicing in pads here at practices closed to the media. That typically is done to amp up the physicality the coaching staff wants their players to exhibit.
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Travis Kelce had a game day pullover made for his mother, Donna, that blends the Chiefs colors with the Eagles.
Travis and the Chiefs are on the front, center Jason Kelce and the Eagles on the back. Anything but neutral.
The love they share came out when Jason tried to rip his brother’s creative side.
“Travis made that jersey for her,” Jason said Tuesday. “He’s always pandered to Mom. He’s the baby. He would do it for new shoes growing up. Basketball shoes, sports equipment, he knows how to use his puppy dog eyes to his advantage. He got the jersey for her. Put me on the back, which is fine. I’m good with that.”
Only a Kelce can take a veiled shot at his brother on the biggest stage and forgive him almost in the same sentence.
The Kelces grew up in Cleveland Heights pretending they’d both play in the championship game. But always on the same team, the Browns.
“But it ended up being alright,” Jason said. “Even though we’re not on the same team, to be able to play against him is something I don’t think any of us ever envisioned.”
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Eagles veteran Fletcher Cox, the 32-yearold defensive tackle indicated he’s approaching a new phase in his career.
It’s the will he, or won’t he play another
year or retire.
“Right now I’m just taking it year by year as I always do,” Cox said. “I always tell my mom I’m going to take it year by year.”
Michael Irvin unabashedly said to Cox, “Make them drag you off the field.”
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Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert might be upstaged by K.C.’s Kelce, who is destined to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But Goedert’s knowledge and analysis of football is second to none.
Almost forgotten in such storylines as the Kelce Bowl, the Eagles having to beat Andy Reid to be world champions and the history with the quarterbacks is what typically settles all football games.
“We look at games we’ve won, games we’ve lost, the turnovers in them,” Goedert said. “I don’t think the Chiefs have lost a game all year when they’re even or positive in the turnover margin. Taking care of the football is obviously a key factor of winning games. I think that’s a big reason of why we’ve been successful this year.”