Mahomes won't get over Bengals loss until Chiefs reach Super Bowl again

The Kansas City Chiefs' stunning loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game remains in Patrick Mahomes' head.

"I'm still not over it," the star quarterback said Sunday at the 2022 Pro Bowl, according to The Kansas City Star's Sam McDowell. "I don't think I'll be over it until we're playing in another Super Bowl. I'll have to use that as motivation going forward."

Kansas City looked on track to make its third straight Super Bowl appearance this year after taking a 21-3 lead over Cincinnati late in the second quarter. However, the Chiefs blew their 18-point advantage in the second half, falling to the Bengals 27-24 in overtime at Arrowhead.

Mahomes - who threw two interceptions and was sacked four times in the AFC title game - already knows which mindset his team needs to have to get over the hump in 2022.

"We have to go through the process again. You start from scratch every single year in this league," Mahomes said. "You have to go in with the mindset of 'I'm gonna get better and better every single day' and hopefully give yourself a chance to be in the Super Bowl."

Mahomes turned Kansas City into a juggernaut since becoming the club's starter in 2018. The Chiefs, who took home Super Bowl LIV, have also topped the AFC West in each of the quarterback's four campaigns under center, winning at least 12 games in each of those years.

This season, K.C. became the first team in NFL history to host a conference title game in four consecutive campaigns.