KANSAS City Chiefs star Mecole Hardman has been rewarded for securing the Super Bowl-winning touchdown.

The wide receiver entered NFL folklore when he caught a three-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes in overtime to seal Super Bowl LVIII for the Chiefs.

Mecole Hardman secures the Super Bowl for the Kansas City Chiefs
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Mecole Hardman secures the Super Bowl for the Kansas City ChiefsCredit: Getty

The wide receiver celebrates with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes
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The wide receiver celebrates with Chiefs quarterback Patrick MahomesCredit: Getty

Hardman holds the Lombardi Trophy
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Hardman holds the Lombardi TrophyCredit: Getty

The NFL star gets a huge from popstar Taylor Swift
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The NFL star gets a huge from popstar Taylor SwiftCredit: Getty
Now Hardman has been given a new one-year contract with the Chiefs, per ESPN.

The move is a boost for the Chiefs who are aiming to secure a Super Bowl three-peat.

Kansas City have also signed free agent wide receiver Marquise Brown, and drafted Xavier Worthy in the first round.

They also released Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Hardman has had a stunning rise over the past year after starting last season on the New York Jets.

The 26-year-old was brought into the Chiefs midseason and he played a key role in the team’s postseason run.

As well as securing the Super Bowl-winning touchdown, Hardman also caught a 52-yard pass earlier in the game.

Hardman’s season could have turned out very differently had he stayed with the Jets, who signed him to a $4 million contract last season.

The wideout was sparingly used by the Jets before he was traded to the Chiefs in October.

The Super Bowl hero remains baffled why things did not work out for him at the Jets.

“It was a roller coaster,” Hardman told the New York Post.

“Things definitely didn’t go like I wanted it to go.

“I guess I just wasn’t on the same page with everybody.

“There’s no bad blood over there. I’m happy for everybody over there. I’m still cool with some of those guys.

“I wish them the best. I think things happened like it was supposed to.”

 

 

The former Jet played just 28 offensive and two special teams snaps during the first six weeks of the season.

He had just one catch for six yards.

“It was a little bit confusing,” Hardman said.

“I just really didn’t know what was the thing.

“Obviously, they probably saw something different than I saw.”

Hardman added that he was not on the same page as the coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.


“I don’t know if he didn’t know how to use me, in a sense, or just felt like he didn’t need to,” Hardman said.

“I don’t know what their thinking was when it came to me and having me on the field or not.

“There were plays where I could have gone into the game. Was it called? Not really.

“I think Hackett is a great guy. When it came to me, I don’t know what the thought process was.”

Hardman was one of the stars of the Super Bowl for the Chiefs, with three catches for 57 yards.

“I caught the ball and I blacked out. I’m not going to lie,” Hardman recalled of his Super Bowl-winning catch.

“I saw Pat running toward me and I was like, ‘Oh, we just won.’

“After that, the rest is history.”