Kansas City Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman had a brutal start to AFC Championship Game, muffing a punt that resulted in six points for the Buffalo Bills. He stayed mentally strong, however, helping to get the Chiefs on the scoreboard for the first time in the game.
On second-and-goal, Hardman caught a quick pass three-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes. Travis Kelce was out in front blocking, providing Hardman with the tiniest crease to dart into the endzone for the score. It was an important play for Kansas City as they already were at a nine-point deficit and failed to score any points in the first quarter.
Mahomes to Hardman gets us on the board at the beginning of the second quarter!
📺: https://t.co/p7gycaVnZ5 pic.twitter.com/SUi9nRTlRu
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 25, 2021
Fans would gladly have seen Hardman benched after his muffed punt, but good on Andy Reid to go back to him in a crucial moment. This will help build his confidence and make him a better player for the team moving forward. He’ll need a little coaching-up from Dave Toub on those punt situations, but Hardman is already redeeming himself by making a positive impact on this game.
