In Week 2 of the NFL Preseason, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes dropped back to pass, avoided pressure in the pocket, stepped up, and threw the ball 70 yards in the air to a streaking Tyreek Hill for the touchdown.
.@PATRICKMAHOMES5 TO THE @CHEETAH!
#KCvsATL https://t.co/33p0q5vU3D — NFL (@NFL) August 18, 2018
Patrick Mahomes is going to be a stud.
70-yard throws do not guarantee Super Bowls, but that throw is precisely what the Chiefs have been missing the past few years with Alex Smith. To his defense, Alex Smith was no slouch. During his tenure, Smith brought the Chiefs to the playoffs in four out of five seasons and made two Pro Bowls. Smith also went almost two years without throwing a touchdown to a receiver and never brought the team past the Divisional Round.
Just like the Toronto Raptors shook up their roster after a successful season in the NBA, the Chiefs decided to do the same thing and trade Smith to the Redskins. The Patrick Mahomes era is set to begin on Sunday. There is a reason why the Chiefs traded three draft picks to select Mahomes. The Texas Tech product was known for his big arm and ability to make all of the throws, which culminated in a 734-passing-yard performance against Oklahoma. Mahomes has a gun-slinger mentality, which has drawn comparisons to Brett Favre.
The Guru
If there is one coach who knows how to evaluate quarterbacks, it’s Andy Reid. Reid drafted Donovan McNabb who, despite being met with a chorus of boos at the 1999 NFL Draft, became a 6-time Pro Bowler and led Reid to his only Super Bowl appearance. In Week 2 in 2010, Reid turned the reigns over to an aging Michael Vick, who was looking for a second chance after spending time in prison. Vick leads the Eagles to the playoffs and won the Comeback Player of the Year. Finally, Reid brought in Alex Smith when he went to the Chiefs and Smith lead the team to the playoffs in 4 of 5 years. The track record speaks for itself. Andy Reid knows a thing or two about quarterbacks.
Patrick Mahomes takes over for a team that has Super Bowl talent but has failed to put it all together. It’s not like Mahomes is going to a team under a rebuild like Josh Allen and the Bills or Baker Mayfield and the Browns. The Chiefs are a legitimate team that has competed for the AFC West title the last five seasons. Mahomes will look to excite fans with his rocket arm and a plethora of weapons like Hill, Kareem Hunt, and Travis Kelce.
ESPN NFL Analyst Louis Riddick said, “I would take Patrick Mahomes over just about any quarterback in this list. I would stack him up against anyone. Furthermore, I think Mahomes is going to absolutely set the league on fire next year. Andy Reid is on to something down there in Kansas City.”
If Mahomes lives up to the hype, fans in Kansas City will have something to cheer about for years to come.