Patrick Mahomes has already made history vs Eagles before stepping onto Arrowhead field for Super Bowl rematch
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are looking to get their season back on track in Week 2.
After coming away from their NFL season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil with a losing record after a 27-21 defeat, the Chiefs now host a Super Bowl LIX rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles at Arrowhead Stadium.
But before he even takes to the field, the two-time league MVP makes history, as Sunday's contest marks only the second time in Mahomes' career that he enters a game as the home underdog, per ESPN's David Purdum.
Mahomes makes history vs Eagles before game even starts
"Patrick Mahomes begins the week as a home underdog in Sunday's Super Bowl rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles," Purdum wrote.
"The Eagles opened as 1.5-point favorites over the Chiefs. If the line holds, Mahomes will be a home underdog for only the second time in his NFL career (+2.5 vs. Bills, Week 6, 2022).
Of course, the last time that Mahomes and the Chiefs were the underdogs - almost three years ago - they fell to the Buffalo Bills 24-20.
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On that occasion, Mahomes dished out a game-high 338 passing yards for two touchdowns, though he also recorded two interceptions.
On the other side of the ball, Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw for 329 passing yards and three touchdowns to three different receivers to get the job done and hand the Chiefs their second loss of the 2022 season.
This time, though, Mahomes - who broke Dan Marino's record for most regular season touchdown passes by a player under-30 in NFL history - will be up against an Eagles defense that has Jalen Carter back.
This comes after the NFL stated that the defensive tackle had already served his one-game suspension for spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott by missing the entirety of the Birds' season opener.
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But Philadelphia's defense is unrecognizable from the one that held Mahomes to 257 passing yards and intercepted him twice in a dominant 40-22 display in Super Bowl LIX.
This comes as the team no longer has Josh Sweat and Milton Williams after they departed the team in free agency, as well as Brandon Graham who hung up his cleats for the good.
But their young core of Carter, Nolan Smith and Cooper DeJean - whose Super Bowl pick-six went viral - looks a very promising outfit indeed.
Furthermore, Mahomes also has to contend with a shortage of offensive weapons at his disposal with wide receiver Rashee Rice serving the second of his six-game suspension for his role in a multi-car crash last year.
Then, Xavier Worthy - who was primed to have a breakout season in 2025 - went down on the Chiefs' first drive of their contest against the Chargers after being taken out on a slant route by his own teammate in Travis Kelce and was unable to return to the game.
Close Encounters
Mahomes' career record vs. Eagles (inc. postseason)
Passing: 90-of-13
Yards: 894
Rushing: 21 carries for 133 yards
Touchdowns: 13
Interceptions: 4
Passer Rating (average): 107.5
Overall Record: 2-2
Chiefs-Eagles is a closer matchup than many may think
In the Mahomes era of Kansas City football, the Chiefs are 2-2 against the Eagles, losing their previous two outings including that crushing Super Bowl loss.
Against Philadelphia, Mahomes has scored a total of 894 yards, equating to an average of 223.5 yards per game, and has recorded 13 touchdowns to four interceptions.
In those four games, the teams - with the Eagles spearheaded by Jalen Hurts - are separated by just one point when the total points scored are combined, with the Chiefs having posted 123 to the Eagles' 122.
This sets up a hugely entertaining contest between two teams with Super Bowl LX aspirations. Could Week 2's matchup potentially be the preview of what is to come in San Francisco in 2026? Perhaps.
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Nonetheless, the blockbuster encounter is certainly a game not to be missed.
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