Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes after AFC title win over Bills: ‘Job’s not finished’

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes muttered familiar words as he was interviewed on the podium following the team’s 38-24 win over the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium.

“Job’s not finished.”

The quote is not new. It actually dates backs to 2009, when the Los Angeles Lakers were up two games to none over the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals. The late NBA great, Kobe Bryant, was asked why he did not look all that happy after the team’s 101-96 win in Game 2.

“What’s there to be happy about?” Bryant asked. “Jobs not finished. Job finished? I don’t think so.”

Mahomes’ tone was somewhat similar to Bryant’s as he spoke to media members via Zoom after his most recent AFC title win on Sunday. Respectful, as always, but far from celebratory. Laser-focused.

“Kobe has one of the best mentalities of all time as far as a competitor,” said the quarterback, who had just thrown for 325 yards and three touchdowns while dealing with turf toe. “Going out there and winning championships — not just winning games. I take a lot from that, going out there every single day and not being satisfied with where you’re at.”

That mentality extends to Mahomes’ head coach in Andy Reid.

“We’ve got room to get better — we can improve,” explained Reid, after his 16th total win of the season, 17th postseason win and eighth conference championship appearance. “We had a couple things that went a little haywacky [Sunday], but we stayed on course and we did a lot of good things — more good things than bad things, but this job’s a little bit like — and I’m talking about players and coaches — like being a farmer.

“The work’s never done. You could always work to get better as a team, so that’s what we’re going to do here the next couple of weeks. We’re playing a heck of a football team in the Buccaneers.”

Reid and Mahomes know the challenge up ahead in the Bucs in Tom Brady, a player with two wins and two losses head to head against the duo. In the rubber match, Brady will be seeking his seventh ring, Mahomes his second.

Asked how long he would celebrate the AFC title victory, Mahomes said he planned on beginning his Buccaneers film study on Monday.

“Like I said, the job’s not finished,” repeated Mahomes. “When we went into the season, we weren’t talking about going to the Super Bowl. We were talking about winning it again and we’re trying to run it back. And we mean that — and I’m excited for the opportunity to go out there and play against a great football team and try to do that.”

The Lakers beat the Magic in five games, and Bryant was named the MVP of the series. He won his fourth title and won another the next year.