Patrick Mahomes put the San Francisco 49ers through a long and painful history

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – For the San Francisco 49ers, the numbers tell a painful story.

In 4 profession starts against the 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is 4-0, including 2-0 in the Super Bowl. Moreover, the Chiefs overcame double-digit deficits in each of their Super Bowl victories over the 49ers this decade.

It’s true that the 49ers and their fans aren’t the only ones tormented by Mahomes (the Buffalo Bills and their staunch supporters can attest to that). But considering Mahomes played a significant role in denying the 49ers two more Vince Lombardi trophies so as to add to their collection of 5, well, who could blame them in the event that they were concerned about the prospect of facing the Chiefs?

On Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers can have a fifth opportunity to beat the Chiefs with Mahomes at quarterback. In one in all the most anticipated matchups of the regular season, the teams that faced one another in Super Bowl LIV and LVIII will meet again on the 49ers’ home field.

Mahomes has had this date circled on his calendar for a while.

“That means it’s as big a game as a regular-season game you could play in,” Mahomes told reporters in Kansas City, Missouri. “They’re a great football team. I all the time wish to compete with the best and that is exactly what we’ll be up against this week. … We understand that to win we can have to provide our all, so we just should be as focused as possible.

In the teams’ last meeting, the Chiefs cemented their place amongst the best teams in NFL history, repeating as Super Bowl champions and winning their third title this decade with a 25-22 additional time victory at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

On the first possession of additional time, San Francisco kicker Jake Moody hit a 27-yard field goal to provide the 49ers a 22-19 lead with 7:22 left. Mahomes, who was named Super Bowl MVP for the third time after gaining 399 all-purpose yards (333 passing, 66 rushing), two touchdowns and an interception, then drove the Chiefs 75 yards, capping the contest with a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mecole Hardman and scored the winning rating.

As all the time, when Mahomes faced the 49ers, the Chiefs finished higher.

“The most important thing is that the guys just stepped up and played,” Mahomes, a two-time NFL MVP, told the Associated Press. “It wasn’t one guy, it was everyone. The guys just kept playing and doing what that they had to do. That’s what special teams do in football.

In 2020, the Chiefs outscored the 49ers 21-0 in the fourth quarter in a 31-20 victory at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami to win their first Super Bowl in 50 years. Mahomes threw 286 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions en path to winning his first Super Bowl MVP award.

With five Super Bowl wins, the 49ers are ahead of the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, who each have six. Mahomes played a leading role in stopping the 49ers from catching as much as the leaders.

He first faced the 49ers in Week 3 of the 2018-19 season. In the Chiefs’ 38-27 home victory, Mahomes accomplished 314 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also had a masterful performance in Week 7 of the 2022–2023 season for the visiting Chiefs, rushing for 423 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in a 44–23 victory.

Recently, in an try to move forward, the 49ers have looked back.

“Everyone understands that we lost two Super Bowls to them. It might give you a little bit of post-traumatic stress when you start the tape,” San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters the other day.

“It’s human nature. You have to be careful not to get caught up in this. This game has nothing to do with previous games.”

Of course, from a psychological perspective, all of it adds up, the 49ers admitted.

“It’s definitely a little emotional,” 49ers linebacker Nick Bosa said. “We just have a look at the tape and attempt to learn something from it.

“Quite a lot of similarities from last 12 months, some recent guys, but really good defense and attack. They obviously have (Mahomes) there, so (they) are all the time dangerous.

Despite a variety of major losses on offense (top wide receivers Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice are out for the season, and first-line point guard Isiah Pacheco is on injured reserve), the Chiefs (5-0), who’ve a bye this week, are one in all just two undefeated teams in the league (the Minnesota Vikings are also 5-0). The 49ers (3-3) are also missing several key players, including All-Pro guard Christian McCaffrey, who’s sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury.

In an effort to vary the narrative, the 49ers will once more face the Chiefs and Mahomes. They hope that this time the numbers will finally tell the story they like.