Patrick Mahomes is Not Getting Nearly Enough Attention For His Greatness
By Bobby Burack
Patrick Mahomes won the MVP award last season in one of the most speculator showings in NFL history. And instead of suffering from a slump like most do after a season of that degree, Mahomes has taken it up several notches to a historic level. Yet, for some reason, his greatness is actually being under-discussed.
The media right now is instead focusing on Daniel Jones, the Patriots, Dak Prescott, Antonio Brown, Baker Mayfield, and constantly recycled NBA topics. None of which have the long-term impact of what Mahomes is doing-- playing the sport at the highest level it has ever been played at.
The eye test is one part of this. Regardless of your knowledge of football, you watch this guy, and can diagnose his magnificence instantly. The debate between Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady has always centered around the belief that Rodgers is the most talented quarterback the game has ever seen. And yes, he was that. But everything he can do, Mahomes can do better. There is no throw Mahomes cannot make, and there is no throw that someone can make better. Even if you take away his breathtaking no-look passes, he is still making a mockery of the rest of the NFL weekly. But the eye test doesn't need to tell the whole story, because the facts finish it.
Mahomes' stats are insert laughing emoji great. He has recorded a 100.0+ passer rating 16 times in his 20 career starts. In his first season as a starter, he joined Peyton Manning as only the second player to throw for 50 touchdowns and 5,000 yards in a season. And those numbers are in jeopardy of being dunked on because he has been that much better this season. Mahomes has been so electric, so unstoppable, so otherworldly, that he is on pace to throw for, wait for it: 6,384 yards and 58 touchdowns. No, really.
Mahomes' opening slate of games this season have consisted of three consecutive outings of at least 300 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and no interceptions. That has only been done in three straight games once before in the 100 years of the NFL's existence. And it was from Tom Brady during his legendary 2007 campaign.
Mahomes is not just a stat-padder that doesn't translate to wins, either. His team is undefeated this season, had the best record in the AFC last season, and was one Dee Ford infraction away from making the Super Bowl. Mahomes is also doing this with uncertainty surrounding much of his key personnel. His superstar running back Kareem Hunt was cut at the end of last season, his top wide receiver Tyreek Hill was facing a suspension most of the offseason and is out now with injury. Not to mention the horrific defense KC trotted out last season. None of this has negatively impacted Mahomes, however. In fact, he has only gotten better as the weeks have progressed.
He is an all-time talent. And it doesn't take hours of watching film to know it. As a player, Mahomes is already one of the best to ever do it. I mean, how is he not? Pick any other player, any point in history, and stack them up against Mahomes right now. It won't be kind to them. And unlike other players that have this impact (or even less), Mahomes isn't getting the attention he deserves. Maybe he doesn't have the swagger of Rodgers, the personality of Peyton Manning, the attitude of Favre, or the look of Brady. But on the field, he is dramatically more interesting than all of them. Mahomes is in the NFL what LeBron James was early on in the NBA -- just better.
Again, this is only his second year starting in the NFL.