Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Selected as 'World's Most Influential' for TIME Magazine Cover

The Kansas City Chiefs are the latest Super Bowl winners, and that is in large part to their star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes had a 2023 season that left fans questioning how deep he could take the team in the playoffs, mainly because his receivers were not helping him in the catching department.

The Chiefs led the league with 44 dropped passes in 2023, and many believed the team would be on the outside looking in when the playoffs rolled around. However, Mahomes and company rallied to not only blow away their competition in the playoffs but come home with their third Super Bowl victory in the last five years.

Mahomes has shown plenty of grit and leadership amid the Chiefs' hardships in 2024, including the dropped passes. Instead of throwing blame on the receivers, he acted like a true leader and admitted his throws could have been better on his end.

Because of his ability to lead his team when it matters, the star quarterback was selected for TIME Magazine's cover on its "Most Influential People" issue:

When speaking to Sean Gregory of TIME, specifically about the team showing up when they needed to, Mahomes stated, "We didn't let other people's outside noise affect us," says Mahomes. "Even though we struggled throughout the season, we kept our minds in the right places. Whenever the lights got the brightest, guys showed up."

They certainly did show up, and their efforts were awarded with their back-to-back Super Bowl rings. The Chiefs managed to pull off three playoff wins against some of the most dynamic AFC teams. They trounced the Miami Dolphins and handled both the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens on the road.

The newest Super Bowl victory has led to many people referring to Mahomes as the Greatest of All-Time (G.O.A.T.). Tom Brady and his seven Super Bowl wins have a strong claim to that title at the quarterback position. Even though Mahomes has showcased elite skills in his seven-year NFL career, he still believes he is nowhere near that level yet.

"You have to build a consistency of a career," Mahomes told TIME. "You see that in any sport. I've had a great run. I think I've done a great job so far. But it's hard to take away from what Tom did for so long, what Peyton Manning did, or Aaron Rodgers. There are so many guys, they were at such a high level for such a long time. In order to be in that conversation, you have to do that on a year-to-year basis. You can't take it for granted that you did it the year before."

Mahomes has a valid point; his veteran counterparts changed the game during their time. The same can be said for Mahomes, though. He is currently the one NFL quarterback teams are game-planning to beat, or figure out how to beat.

Despite being placed among the pantheon of great NFL quarterbacks like Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Peyton Manning, Mahomes wants to wait until he has finished playing the game for people to label him as anything great. His ability to be critical of himself and maintain a humble attitude while winning championships is a big reason why he is on the cover of TIME Magazine.