Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes credited God after advancing to his fourth Super Bowl in five years, while the San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy gave glory to the Lord after his team also advanced to Super Bowl LVIII. In a post-game interview with CBS, Mahomes said that God put obstacles in his team’s way this year, but they have persevered.
The 28-year-old said, “They were going to challenge us, and the guys stepped up and made plays. I mean, God put a lot of adversity in our way this year. And we accepted the challenge, and we’re better for it. I mean, it’s been a heck of a year. We’re not done yet. But this is a way to get there.” He added, “[We’ve] got a lot of guys on this team that know how to win. Playoffs get around, and we’re going to make it happen. And now we’re going full circle. The job’s not done. We got to go out there to Vegas, play a great team in the Super Bowl.”
Chiefs’ Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt also praised God in his post-game interview following Sunday’s win. Hunt said, “It’s such a special night for us. First of all, I want to give God the glory, and I want to congratulate the Ravens on an amazing year. Four years ago, when you handed us our first Lamar Hunt Trophy, I gave it to my mom, and the first thing she did was kiss it. That moment showed how much she loved my dad and how much she loved the Kansas City Chiefs. She would be so proud of our coaching staff and the entire team tonight. We’re going to the Super Bowl.”
The Chiefs will face off against the 24-year-old Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers, the top seed in the NFC. The 49ers overcame a 24-7 halftime deficit to beat the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game 34-31. This year’s Super Bowl, which will be played on Feb. 11, will be a rematch of Super Bowl LIV in 2020 when the Chiefs beat the 49ers 31-20.
In his post-game comments, Purdy, who is in his second year in the league and was the last person selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, praised God after the victory. He said, “First of all, Glory to God. He’s given us this opportunity, and for us, it’s a team sport. You know, we knew we had [a] half left. Defense did their job. Boys on offense took care of business. Coach called a great game, and we had the faithful behind us the whole way. We love you guys.” Neither Mahomes nor Purdy have shied away from sharing their faith in the past.
Mahomes, a two-time winner of the NFL MVP Award, told reporters before last year’s Super Bowl that his faith plays a role in everything he does. He told the press, “My Christian faith plays a role in everything that I do. I mean, I always ask God to lead me in the right direction and let me be who I am for His name. So, it has a role in everything that I do. And, obviously, it will be on a huge stage in the Super Bowl that He’s given me, and I want to make sure I’m glorifying Him while I do it.”
As for Purdy, he said during an appearance on the Sports Spectrum podcast last year that he always tries to remember the words of Jesus as he navigates injuries and the highs and lows of an NFL career. He pointed to Jesus’ warning in Mark 8:34: “Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, ‘If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.’”