Former wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders recently revealed that one particular loss to Patrick Mahomes during the 2021 AFC Divisional Round was so devastating it pushed him to retire from football altogether. Sanders, who played for the Buffalo Bills that season, joined FS1’s “The Facility” to share his story.
He recalled the infamous moment when the Bills took a 36-33 lead with just 13 seconds remaining in the game. It seemed like Buffalo had finally toppled Mahomes and the Chiefs. But as every NFL fan now knows, 13 seconds was all Mahomes needed.
After the kickoff, Mahomes connected with Tyreek Hill for 19 yards and then hit Travis Kelce for another 25, setting up a 49-yard field goal for kicker Harrison Butker to tie the game as time expired. The Chiefs would go on to win in overtime, eliminating Buffalo from the playoffs.
For Sanders, that moment was the final straw in a career filled with heartbreaks courtesy of Mahomes. “I still remember, after we scored, my family was going crazy,” Sanders noted. “I told them to calm down because I’ve been in the division with Pat, you’ve got to play him for four quarters. In my heart, I knew…13 seconds…he a bad boy.
“I retired after that game. You know how many times Patrick Mahomes made me cry though? I was in the AFC West, it happened with the 49ers in the Super Bowl – I’m a grown man and he’s making me cry. … I retired, dog. I’m up here right now because of him.”
A stellar career ends with painful defeat
While the 2021 playoff loss to Mahomes may have marked the end of his career, Emmanuel Sanders has plenty to be proud of. Over the course of 12 NFL seasons, he racked up 704 receptions, 9,245 yards, and 51 touchdowns while playing for five different teams: the Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills.
His career highlights include two Pro Bowl selections in 2014 and 2016 and a Super Bowl championship in 2016 with the Denver Broncos. Sanders was also a key contributor in Super Bowl LIV with the 49ers, though that game ended in another Mahomes comeback, with the Chiefs rallying to claim the title.
