I remember the night. It was a cold January game at Arrowhead Stadium. My family had gone to watch the Chiefs (hopefully) win their first home playoff game in what felt like forever. They were playing the Tennessee Titans.
Alex Smith was the quarterback, and the Kansas City Chiefs were division winners with an okay 10–6 record. The game kicked off, and it was awesome. The Chiefs sailed to a 21–3 halftime lead. It was finally here: the first home playoff win in my living memory.
And then it all started falling apart. The quarterback was Marcus Mariota. Despite being the No. 2 overall pick at one point, he still hadn't really established himself as a good quarterback. But that night, like so many painful Chiefs collapses over the years, Mariota made a name for himself.
The Kansas City Chiefs have one very painful memory of Marcus Mariota, but in hindsight, we should be thanking him.
The Titans came back to win that game, punctuated by a ridiculous passing touchdown to Mariota himself. It was as embarrassing as it was frustrating. The loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this season, when the Chiefs let quarterback Trevor Lawrence score a TD after falling down, evoked painful memories of that Mariota touchdown.
"Seriously?"
That AFC wildcard game in January 2018 went downhill so quickly that, admittedly, my family and I left a few minutes early. I still remember walking down the concourse and hearing the crowd go wild. We had apparently sacked, stripped, and recovered a fumble of Mariota! Just kidding.
As the Chiefs prepare to face the Washington Commanders this coming Monday night, they'll be looking across the field at a familiar face. Yep, Marcus Mariota. Mariota long ago became a backup quarterback in the NFL, and he's in because reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jayden Daniels is hurt. Mariota seems pretty harmless (knock on wood).
But Chiefs fans will likely never forget that playoff game against him and not feel some bitterness. It's understandable. But it shouldn't be viewed as all bad. Why?
Because, if we're being completely honest, that playoff collapse sealed Alex Smith's fate with the Chiefs. He’d been around for several years and had played admirably. But it was clear he was not getting this team over the hump, not when the Chiefs had just drafted an intriguing new quarterback that year named Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes probably would have started the following season regardless of the outcome of that particular game against the Titans, but a win might have at least given a reason for the team to think about having him wait a little bit longer. Instead, Mariota’s heroics ushered in a new era—not just for the Chiefs, but the NFL at large.
I remember leaving that game in January and swearing, “I won’t come back for a playoff game at Arrowhead until this team proves they can win a playoff game.” I expected to not go back for several years. Instead, I was right back at Arrowhead the following year with my grandpa for the AFC Championship game. Why? Patrick Mahomes broke the curse.
That game didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to either, but it was hope. I still remember before the game, the Jumbotron said, “This is the first of many AFC Championships at Arrowhead.” It seemed ambitious. Now? It seems prophetic.
And to think, it might all be attributable to one man catching his own touchdown pass. Thanks Marcus Mariota.