Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes Reveals 2025 'Motivation'

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Adam Schultz | Last updated Jun 1, 2025 11:04 AM ET

Motivation comes in a lot of different forms, and for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, he doesn't have to look too far to find it.

A serial winner ever since he stepped into the starting role, Mahomes and the Chiefs have been the gold standard for winning in the NFL for the past six years...but the ending to last season was tough to take.

The 40-22 Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles was brutal, and such was the manner of the loss, some think the Chiefs' era is now over.

As the Chiefs prepare for the 2025 season, Mahomes knows that last year's loss can be the fuel that fuels the team's fire as they look to embark on a redemption tour.

"Every team's different, and you don't want to miss an opportunity, but when you lose a Super Bowl, I think there's sometimes in those workouts where you may be a little tired, you have that extra added motivation to finish even harder," Mahomes said

"I think it'll be good for us at the end of the day. Looking back, you want to win the game, but a lot of these guys hadn't lost one, hadn't ended the season on a loss, so I'm sure they'll be motivated to go back out there and try to find a way to get to the Super Bowl and win it this year."

Losing a Super Bowl in the way Kansas City did, the ego and pride would have been severely dented, and now the outside perception of the Chiefs has changed drastically.

We aren't there yet in thinking the Chiefs are about to fall off a cliff, but others do, and that in itself is ample enough motivation for professional athletes.

Couple that with what could easily be described as a humiliating Super Bowl loss, the Chiefs and Mahomes don't have to look too far to find the motivation to push forward in 2025.

Having been at the top of the NFL mountain for so long, the crown is beginning to slip. However, one thing we know about this Chiefs team is that when faced with criticism, as they are now, they more often than not bounce back.

But can they do it one more time with an aging roster?

We're about to find out.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: