From Project to MVP: How Patrick Mahomes Took the NFL by Storm

For over a decade now, when analysts talk about who the best quarterbacks in the NFL are, the same names keep popping up.

Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, and the recently retired Peyton Manning.

Sure some names have challenged the status quo, by they were short-lived at best, and fans all over the country are hoping to find the next big thing.

In the 2018 season, NFL fans may have gotten their wish, and from an unlikely source.

Let’s take a look at how Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has officially become the future of the NFL.

Early Life and Baseball Stardom

Patrick Mahomes was born on September, 17^th 1995 to parents Pat and Randi Mahomes.

Pat Mahomes might be a name that some of you recognize, as he was a pitcher that bounced around to several teams in the MLB for 11 seasons.

Son Patrick was an outstanding athlete of his own at Whitehouse High School in Whitehouse, TX, playing football, basketball, and baseball.

Though Mahomes had outstanding stats in football during his career, it seemed destined that he would follow in his father’s footsteps to a future in professional baseball, as he was a top prospect in the upcoming MLB draft.

However, Mahomes had other ideas. Despite being ranked as one of the top dual-threat QBs in the nation, he was only considered to be a 3 out of 5 star recruit. That didn’t matter to Texas Tech University though, who offered him a scholarship, which he took. Mahomes would go on to be drafted into the MLB, but because he had committed to Texas Tech, he would fall to the 37^th round. He did not sign with a MLB team, and continued on to college.

Starting Off Hot with the Red Raiders

When Mahomes walked onto campus at Texas Tech, he was deemed as the first backup on the QB depth chart for the Red Raiders. There, he would sit for most of the season, getting limited playing time when incumbent starter Davis Webb got hurt.

However, for the final 3 games of the season, coach Kliff Kingsbury, recently hired as the Head Coach by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019, decided to move Mahomes up to number 1, which actually gave him some starts.

Mahomes didn’t disappoint either. In the final game of the season against rival Baylor, Mahomes threw for an astounding 596 yards, 6 TDs, and 1 INT.

Though Texas Tech would finish the season with a 4-8 record, the future certainly looked bright with Mahomes at the helm.

Continued Success

At the start of his sophomore season, Mahomes was named the starting QB for Texas Tech, to the surprise of no one.

Coach Kingsbury wanted to see the continued growth of his young quarterback, and he wanted to see his team start to accumulate more wins because of it. Mahomes would oblige.

Finishing the year with 4,653 yards, 36 TDs, and 15 INTs, Mahomes would lead Texas Tech to a 7-5 record in the regular season, and earned a spot in the Texas Bowl.

They would eventually lose to LSU, but Red Raiders’ fans were buzzing with excitement at their quarterback’s potential, and absolutely fell in love with his arm strength.

Breaking Out

The 2016 season started off as a promising one on the Texas Tech campus, but things would not go as everyone hoped it would.

The team would finish the year with a disappointing 5-7 record, but there were two bright spots for the program during the season. They were finally able to defeat rival Baylor, and of course, the play of Patrick Mahomes.

Before we delve into his season statistics and accolades, it would be foolish to not talk about the evening of October, 22^nd.

On that day Texas Tech would face the 16^th ranked team in the nation, Big 12 powerhouse, the Oklahoma Sooners. Though the game was played in Lubbock, TX, the Red Raiders were severe underdogs heading into the game.

What followed was a shootout of epic proportions. Oklahoma would go on to win the game by the score of 66-59. However, the star of the game was the QB on the other side of the field. To put it simply, Mahomes went off. He would finish the game going 52 for 88, 734 yards passing, 5 TDs through the air, 85 yards rushing, and 2 additional TDs with his legs.

He would set several NCAA records during the game, and came close to a few more. His 819 total yards set the new mark, and 734 yards passing would tie the record. His 88 pass attempts were just one short of the all-time record.

Mahomes finished the year with 5,052 yards passing, 41 TDs and 10 INTs, leading the nation in many categories. He would win the Sammy Baugh Trophy, given to the top passer in college each season, and was 2^nd team Academic All-American.

Mahomes decided to skip his senior year in college, and declare himself eligible for the 2017 NFL Draft. Stiff Competition in the NFL

Entering into the NFL Combine, Mahomes had some tough competition when it came to quarterbacks eligible for the draft. He would dazzle scouts with his statistics, including posting a time of 4.8 seconds in the 40 yard dash, and a combine record tying 60 mph pass.

However, Mahomes was seen as a project by many. Scouts would say that his talent is off the charts, but his decision making was questionable. He was labeled as a “Gunslinger,” which means a quarterback with a huge arm, but tries to make too many risky passes because of it. Scouts thought that the safer picks were accomplished Clemson QB Deshaun Watson, or prototypically sized North Carolina QB Mitchell Trubisky.

When the 2017 NFL Draft started, Mahomes was projected to be a first round pick, but was thought to be the 3^rd best QB in the draft behind Watson and Trubisky.

Things got started when the Chicago Bears moved up to the 2^nd pick in the draft, and would select Trubisky. Thus the clock began on when the next QB would be taken.

Fans didn’t have to wait long though, as the Kansas City Chiefs would trade up to the 10^th pick in the draft. Usually, when a team trades up, they are looking to take a QB. It was strange that the Chiefs would make this move, because incumbent starting QB Alex Smith had led them to a 12-4 record, but an early exit from the playoffs.

Conventional wisdom would tell you that the Chiefs were making a pick for the future, and fans everywhere thought that this was the spot for Watson.

Imagine their surprise when Commissioner Roger Goodell would stand at the podium and say, “With the 10^th pick in the 2017 draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select Patrick Mahomes, quarterback, Texas Tech.”

Watson would not have to wait too long, becoming the 12^th pick in the draft to the Houston Texans. Lofty Comparisons and High Expectations

Chiefs’ fans erupted with joy at the selection, hoping that Mahomes would be the exciting new QB of the future. Oh how right they turned out to be.

As NFL Draft analyst Jon Gruden, now coach of the Oakland Raiders, would explain, the Chiefs head coach is offensive genius Andy Reid. Reid would spend a lot of time in the NFL, making his mark as head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles before the Chiefs.

However, Reid would learn his craft as quarterback’s coach for the Green Bay Packers, and had the honor of coaching legend Brett Favre.

Much like Mahomes, Favre had a reputation as a “Gunslinger.” He would set many NFL records in his time, win 3 MVP awards, and lead the Packers to a Super Bowl victory. Reid had seen in Mahomes what he had seen in Favre, and hoped he could mold him the same way.

The Chiefs would finish the 2017 season with a 10-6 record, once again making the playoffs but falling short. Mahomes would start the year the same way he started college, as the backup, this time to the aforementioned Alex Smith.

Also, just like in college, Mahomes would not have to wait long to be named the starter, as Smith was traded to the Washington Redskins in the offseason.

It was now time for Patrick Mahomes to make his mark on the league.

Rising Above the Rest

Before the 2018 season began, analysts talked about new quarterbacks in the league and how they would fair.

Draftmates Watson and Trubisky had been named starters during the previous season, and both excited their respected fanbases with hope for the future. Analysts thought that Mahomes would have a decent season, with a few hiccups along the way. What they didn’t know was that Mahomes was about to set the league on fire.

Starting off hot, Mahomes would throw for 10 TDs in his first two games, his first a beautiful 58 yard bomb to speedy receiver Tyreek Hill. The 10 TDs was an NFL record for the first 3 games of a career, Mahomes having started the last game of the regular season the year before.

The fun didn’t stop there. Mahomes would continue to light up every team they faced, racking up yards, TDs, player of the week and month awards, and surprisingly few INTs. He would also put on a show every week, showing off his arm strength with long bombs, elusiveness by getting out of sacks, and his “Gunslinger” mentality by completing a memorable no-look pass.

The Chiefs were an offensive juggernaut throughout the year, finishing with a 12-4 record, the AFC West title, and the number one overall seed in the AFC playoffs. They would win their first playoff game over the Indianapolis Colts 31-13, but would lose in the next round to the eventual Super Bowl champions New England Patriots37-31 in overtime.

Records and Awards

Patrick Mahomes would have an outstanding season, finishing with 5,097 passing yards, 50 TDs, and only 12 INTs. He is only the 2^nd player in NFL history, the other being future Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning, to throw for at least 5,000 yards and 50 TDs in a single season.

He was the first player in NFL history to throw for 3,000 yards in his first 10 games, became the youngest player to throw for 6 TDs in a game, and tied the record with most consecutive games throwing for at least 300 yards with 8.

He would be named to the Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, and Kansas City Club 101 Awards AFC Offensive Player of the Year.

He would also be named NFL MVP, the first player in the illustrious history of the Kansas City Chiefs to do so.

The future certainly looks bright for the Kansas City Chiefs and for Mahomes.

New Kids in Town

Remember those names we talked about at the beginning? Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger,they are all still making their marks as some of the best QBs in the league.

However, their reigns may soon be coming to an end.

The 2017 NFL Draft might go down as one of the best QB drafts in history. After all, Mitch Trubisky led his Chicago Bears to the playoffs this year with a NFC North division title. Deshaun Watson did the same in the AFC South with the Houston Texans.

Then you have Patrick Mahomes. Only one of the youngest MVPs in the history of the league.

These guys all might be young, but they sure can play.

With that in mind, you might want to get your hands on some Patrick Mahomes sports memorabilia while you still can. They are certainly a hot commodity, and will only get hotter as his career progresses. Check out our section of authentic signed Mahomes memorabiliawhile you still can!