Kansas City Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman had a rough start to the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills, but a pair of teammates helped pick him up when he was at his lowest.
A muffed punt by Hardman put the Chiefs at a 9-0 deficit early in the game. A Mic’d Up moment caught by NFL Films for Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” shows that Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes had Hardman’s back. When Hardman went to the sideline after the gaffe, he was clearly distraught and frustrated by the situation. Kelce and Mahomes both offered up words of encouragement, ones that inspired him to make some big plays later in the game.
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All @MecoleHardman4 needed was a boost from @PatrickMahomes and @tkelce 🔋 @Chiefs #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/l0jQb2kMVb
— Inside the NFL (@insidetheNFL) January 25, 2021
Mahomes spoke a bit about this moment after the game.
“Yeah I mean I just told him to keep his head up,” Mahomes told reporters. “We’ve been in that situation before, so I told him he’s going to make a play in this game that’s going to change the game and he made multiple of them. We believe in each other; we think we’re going to do whatever it takes to win, and those guys did that.”
Beyond the incredible athletic talent and playmaking ability, this team boasts elite leadership from top to bottom. It’s why they’ve been so special over the past two seasons when it comes to handling adverse situations. They lean on each other and encourage each other to go out and be great.
After Kelce and Mahomes’ words, the team went right back to Hardman. He scored the first points of the game and recorded the longest rushing play in Chiefs postseason history. He went out there and made some plays, just as Mahomes said he would.
