Patrick Mahomes dismisses superstitions as Chiefs aim for third straight Super Bowl title

Don't expect Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to rely on any "Tay-voodoo" or "Angels in the Outfield" magic as the team pursues a third consecutive Super Bowl title. "I've always believed you create your own luck," Mahomes, 29, told USA TODAY after the Chiefs secured the AFC West with another dramatic, last-second victory. "Sure, there's some luck involved, I guess. But at the end of the day, we have a lot of people who work incredibly hard. Maybe we’ll get lucky with a field goal, maybe it won’t hit an upright, and maybe we won’t have to block a field goal. But ultimately, we've put ourselves in a position where luck can help us get those wins." The idea of Taylor Swift's "influence" and a 1994 Disney movie was brought up by Jason Kelce, brother of Chiefs tight end Travis, on their "New Heights" podcast. Travis also downplayed the idea of either factor playing a significant role in the Chiefs' season, which has featured a series of close calls that helped propel them to a 15-2 record and the AFC's top seed. Meanwhile, Mahomes, who became a father for the third time on Monday, is also involved in another national ad campaign. The three-time Super Bowl champion, alongside teammates Creed Humphrey, Xavier Worthy, and Chris Jones, is helping Doritos reveal the finalists for the brand's "Crash the Game" contest. Fans can vote for their favorite at DoritosCrash.com, with the grand prize being a commercial spot during the Super Bowl, $1,000,000, and a trip to Super Bowl LIX. The day after the Chiefs clinched the division with a last-second field goal, Mahomes and his teammates filmed content for the Doritos contest at Arrowhead Stadium. All three finalists will air during the playoffs. "I think a great commercial starts with the product, but you also need to have fun and add creativity to it," Mahomes said, later noting that Cool Ranch is his "ultimate go-to" flavor. "I'm excited for fans to see and judge these commercials." When it comes to evaluating the finalists, Mahomes isn’t playing the role of Simon Cowell. "I'm not that critical, but I do offer my advice on what could be improved," he said. "The commercials I saw today—any of them could be Super Bowl-worthy, and I'm excited about that." On the field, Mahomes is focused on another Super Bowl-worthy campaign. "We've embraced it," he said of the team's growing popularity. "We love playing in primetime. We enjoy having these big, high-profile games, and we love winning. We like the spotlight, and it’s been a fun ride these past few years."