Instead of celebrating his game-winning touchdown pass with the Chiefs after their 42-36 overtime victory over the Bills on Sunday night, Patrick Mahomes went straight to Josh Allen and hugged him.
The moment was caught on video, and the Bills quarterback also discussed Mahomes’ gesture during his postgame news conference.
“To be in that moment, I have a lot of respect for Pat. He throws a touchdown and he comes right up and finds me,” Allen said. “To be in that situation and do that, it was great of him to do that.”
Mahomes joined in the celebration with his team after his moment with Allen. He will play his fourth straight AFC Championship Game on Sunday to try to send the Chiefs to their third straight Super Bowl.
The hug can definitely be seen as a “game recognizes game” moment after a notable quarterback duel that was evident on their stat lines.
Mahomes finished with 378 yards and three passing touchdowns, while Allen finished with 329 yards and four touchdowns. Mahomes rushed for 69 yards and a touchdown, while Allen had 68 rushing yards.
This is the second year in a row that Allen and the Bills have lost to the Chiefs and Mahomes in the playoffs. Last year, Kansas City won 38-24 in the AFC Championship.
After the Bills’ loss at Arrowhead Stadium last year, wide receiver Stefon Diggs stayed on the field to watch the Chiefs celebrate to get him motivated for this season. Allen decided to stay on the field for a while on Sunday and watch the celebrations for the same reason.
“I was taking it all in and holding on to that feeling, making sure we never felt that way again,” Allen said. “Years in a row in the same place, it’s hard to take in, but it’s part of the game, part of the learning process.”