Mecole Hardman began his 2023 NFL season as a member of the New York Jets.
Hardman put a close to everyone's season when he hauled in the game-winning touchdown of Super Bowl LVIII, propelling his Kansas City Chiefs to a 25-22 overtime win against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night.
The whirlwind hasn't ended for the Super Bowl hero, who was joined by teammate L’Jarius Sneed working a shift at Raising Cane's in Kansas City on Tuesday.
When Hardman hauled in the 3-yard game-winning score from Patrick Mahomes, he briefly paused before celebrating. It's a play that even two days later he doesn't even completely recall.
"I kinda don't remember it in a sense, I kind of blacked out, for real," Hardman told TMZ Tuesday, decked out in Raising Canes attire. "Like I knew I caught the ball, man, and we won the game, but after that it was kind of blank. The magnitude of the game was kind of just overwhelming, but after that it was just nothing but celebration out there."
Hardman cradled his third Super Bowl win with his catch, and it culminated an unpredictable campaign for the 25-year-old. Or was it?
Having played his first four seasons with the Chiefs, Hardman began this one with the Jets. He was featured on Hard Knocks speaking with mentalist Oz Pearlman. When asked who he would be playing against in the Super Bowl, Hardman said the 49ers. It proved to be true, only he was doing it back with the Chiefs, whom he rejoined in October after a trade.
Thusly, even though he departed from the franchise for a bit, he's been part of all three of their Super Bowl wins over the past five seasons.
"They're all special, but I don't think they ever get old," he said. "It's better after each one, I didn't get to play in last year's Bowl because of injury, and this year just being able to play in it and the roller coaster I was on, so a little bit more emotional for this one, but just happy to get another one."
This one was the biggest in terms of exposure, as it was the most-watched telecast in history. The historic viewership was no doubt aided a bit by the presence of Taylor Swift, who attended the game to support boyfriend Travis Kelce, the Chiefs' standout tight end. The pop megastar took a moment to congratulate Hardman after the game, as well.
"Taylor's cool, man, she was just saying she was proud, congratulations, so just the regular-degular stuff," he said. "But she's a great person, happy to see her on the field, and just her being there saying congratulations was cool."
Hardman ended his and the Chiefs' season in joyous fashion. Whether the catch also ended his tenure with Kansas City (again) remains to be seen for the impending free agent.
"Well, yeah, that'd be the goal for sure, to come back, but we've got to see what happens when the negotiation starts and see what happens, see what (general manager Brett) Veach's got planned for me," he said.
Hardman had more than one big play in Super Bowl LVIII, as he also hauled in a 52-yard catch -- the longest play of the game -- and had three catches in total for 57 yards and a touchdown that will live on in history -- whether he remembers it or not.
"Oh, it's awesome, I'm glad to be part of history, so you can't take away," Hardman said. "I mean I'm trying to figure out what's bigger than a walk-off in the Super Bowl, but I don't know yet."
