Patrick Mahomes leads tributes to Chiefs teammate who played through injury
Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes has praised his teammate Nick Allegretti for playing on despite a severe injury during their Super Bowl LVIII victory.
The offensive lineman reportedly tore a ligament in his elbow but continued to play, helping the Chiefs secure a 25-22 win over the San Francisco 49ers. The 27-year-old left guard, proved to be an unsung hero for the Chiefs after Joe Thuney was ruled out due to an injury earlier in their post-season run.
Despite tearing the UCL in his elbow during the second quarter of the game, Allegretti played on and his contributions were crucial in lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy once more. The valiant efforts of the athlete were celebrated by MVP Mahomes, who was in awe of his teammate's bold approach during the match.
A sign of high respect for his comrade, he reflected on the efforts of his colleague, as he waxed lyrical about his co-star's resilience in the face of adversity. The Super Bowl MVP told his 2.6 million Twitter/X followers: "Beast man! We told him we needed him out there and he didn't miss a snap!"
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Allegretti's determination also won applause from fans, as they responded to the news of the offensive lineman's courage when met with difficulty. Responding to Mahomes' comment, one user remarked: "That's love Pat, you as one of the leaders helped bring the fight in. Well deserved win yet again!"
Similarly, another impressed follower joined the admiration circle, agreeing with the quarterback and saying: "He sure is. Glad to see him do so well when given the opportunity. We also watched him successfully trap (Nick) Bosa a couple of times," as another fan noted: "Good Lord. That's warrior status right there."
How the triple time Super Bowl player from Illinois will handle his recovery remains unknown, given that surgery is likely needed for the injury. However, he can take heart as his former opponent Brock Purdy managed to bounce back last year after a similar UCL tear in the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Meanwhile, Allegretti is set to become a free agent in March as he has been with the Chiefs on a one-year deal during the 2023 season. Despite only starting one regular season game, he made a significant impact in their post-season campaign as he took on the baton from Thuney.
As for Mahomes, it is clear that he is taking a similarly relentless approach when it comes to ensuring that the Chiefs continue to experience success. After their latest Super Bowl triumph, he said: "I mean, I'm gonna celebrate tonight. I'm gonna celebrate at the parade.
"And then I'm gonna do whatever I can to be back in this game next year and try to go for that three-Peat. So, it's ongoing thing in the NFL, I think Tom [Brady] said it best once you win that championship and you have those parades and you get those rings, you're not the champion anymore.
"You have to come back with that same mentality, and I learned from guys like that, that have been the greatest of all time at the top of the level and so that's my mindset. I'm gonna celebrate with my guys because of how we've done this but then we're gonna work our way to get back to this game next year."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.