Patrick Mahomes' best trait as a leader was on display with how he handled one ugly play in AFC title game

• Mecole Hardman muffed a punt early in the AFC championship, helping the Kansas City Chiefs, leading to an early 9-0 deficit to the Buffalo Bills.
• Patrick Mahomes was unperturbed by Hardman's miscue and quickly got him back involved in the offense.
• Safety Tyrann Mathieu said that the moment was an example of Mahomes' brilliant leadership.

Patrick Mahomes proved once again why he one of the best leaders in the NFL in the Chiefs' win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC championship on Sunday.

Buffalo scored a field goal on their opening drive of the game, and then later in the first quarter, recovered a muffed punt by Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman on the three-yard line, setting up an easy touchdown to put the Bills up 9-0.

Once again, Kansas City needed a playoff comeback.

It started on the very next drive. While Hardman was on the bench and still in his head about his fumbled punt, teammates and coaches came over to hype him back up. At that moment, Hardman needed to have a short memory - with Sammy Watkins missing the game due to injury, Kansas City would need Hardman in a bigger role than usual.

"We good. Be you. You're gonna make a play this game," Mahomes told Hardman on the sideline.

Back on the field, Mahomes did his part to get Hardman back on track, connecting with his receiver on the second play of the drive for a first down. A few plays later, Mahomes would find Hardman again for a three-yard touchdown pass to get the Chiefs back into the game.

Hardman had given the Bills an easy seven points, but with Mahomes' help, he was able to get them right back.

Both Hardman's time on the sideline, and his redemption were captured by "Inside the NFL."

As Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu told Peter King of NBC Sports after the game, the stretch is just one example of the kind of leader Mahomes is for the team.

"That's what great leaders do," Mathieu said. "Patrick is a natural-born leader. He knows what guys need and when they need it.

"Patrick has a good feel, especially when the games get really big like this one. Mistakes get magnified in a conference championship game. But as long as Mecole's in the game, Patrick's gonna keep him in the game. Doesn't surprise me at all what happened on the next series. Big ups for getting him right back in the game."

It's not the first time Mahomes has been there to lift his teammates during tough times. Last year through the postseason, Mahomes led Kansas City to three straight double-digit comebacks en route to winning the Lombardi Trophy.

Thanks to their win on Sunday and Mahomes' leadership, they're back in the Super Bowl this year to defend their title.