Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Lavon Mahomes II[4] (/məˈhoʊmz/;[5] born September 17, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Mahomes has led the Chiefs to six consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances and four Super Bowl appearances since becoming the team's starting quarterback in 2018. He is one of five quarterbacks in NFL history to win three or more Super Bowls.[6][7] Mahomes's career accolades through seven seasons in the NFL have earned him widespread praise from sports journalists, and he is considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.[8][9][10]
"Mahomes" redirects here. For other uses, see Mahomes (disambiguation).No. 15 – Kansas City Chiefs
September 17, 1995
Tyler, Texas, U.S.
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Texas Tech (2014–2016)
2017 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10
Active
3,590
3,590
2,386
66.5%
219–63
28,424
103.5
Mahomes played college football and baseball at Texas Tech University. Following his sophomore year, he quit baseball to focus solely on football. In his junior year, he led all NCAA Division I FBS players in multiple categories including passing yards (5,052) and total touchdowns (53). He was selected 10th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2017 NFL draft. Mahomes spent his rookie season as the backup to Alex Smith. He was named the starter in 2018 after the Chiefs traded Smith to the Washington Redskins. That season, Mahomes threw for 5,097 yards, 50 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He became the only quarterback in history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single season in both college and in the NFL. He joined Peyton Manning as the only players in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 passing touchdowns in the same season.[11] For his performance in his first season as starter, he was named to the Pro Bowl, named first-team All-Pro, and won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year and NFL Most Valuable Player awards. Mahomes is one of four black quarterbacks to win the AP MVP award.[a][12]
In the 2019 season, Mahomes led the Chiefs to Super Bowl LIV, their first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years, where they defeated the San Francisco 49ers.[13] Mahomes was awarded the Super Bowl MVP for his performance, the second black quarterback and youngest overall to do so.[b][14] He is also the third African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl.[c] In 2020, Mahomes signed a 10-year contract extension worth $477 million with another $26 million in potential bonuses, for a total of $503 million, making it the fourth-largest known contract in sporting history.[16][17] The year after signing his contract, he led the Chiefs to their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance, but they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV. In the 2022 season, Mahomes won his second career NFL MVP and his second Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl LVII over the Philadelphia Eagles, becoming the first player to win NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP in the same year since Kurt Warner in 1999, and joined Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the only quarterbacks to win multiple regular season and Super Bowl MVPs.[18][19] In the 2023 season, he advanced to Super Bowl LVIII, his fourth Super Bowl appearance in five seasons, where he defeated the 49ers in a rematch of Super Bowl LIV. With three Super Bowl wins in five seasons, many consider this a dynasty.[20]
Early life
Mahomes was born on September 17, 1995, in Tyler, Texas. His father is Pat Mahomes, a former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher,[21] and his mother is Randi Martin.[22] Mahomes has a younger brother, Jackson, who is a social media influencer.[23][24][25] Mahomes's parents divorced in 2006.[22] His half-brother through his father, Graham Walker, plays football at Brown.[26] He is also the godson of former MLB pitcher LaTroy Hawkins, who was his father's teammate on the Minnesota Twins.[27]
Mahomes is biracial.[28] His father is Black[29] and his mother is White.[28]
Mahomes attended Whitehouse High School in Whitehouse, Texas.[30] He played football, baseball, and basketball.[31] Mahomes believes that training in pitching and playing basketball improved his quarterback skills.[32] In football, he had 4,619 passing yards, 50 passing touchdowns, 948 rushing yards, and 15 rushing touchdowns as a senior in high school. In baseball, he threw a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts in a game his senior year.[33] He was named the Maxpreps Male Athlete of the Year for 2013–2014.[34]
Mahomes was rated by Rivals.com as a three-star football recruit and was ranked as the 12th best dual-threat quarterback in his class. He received offers from Texas Tech, Rice, and Houston.[35] He committed to Texas Tech University.[36] Mahomes was also a top prospect for the 2014 Major League Baseball draft, but was not expected to be selected high due to his commitment to Texas Tech.[37][38][39] He was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 37th round of the 2014 MLB Draft, but did not sign a contract.[40]
Professional career
Pre-draft
Mahomes was projected to be a first or second round pick by the majority of analysts and scouts.[61] During the throwing drills at the NFL Scouting Combine, his passes were clocked at 60 mph, tying Logan Thomas and Bryan Bennett for the fastest pass ever recorded there.[62] Mahomes was ranked second best quarterback by SI.com,[63] third by ESPN,[64] and fourth by NFLDraftScout.com.[65] Representatives from 28 NFL teams attended his pro day at Texas Tech. He became one of the fastest rising prospects during the draft process and had 18 private workouts and official team visits, the most for any prospect in 2017.[66] Among the coaches that he had workouts and visits with were the Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, Cincinnati Bengals quarterbacks coach Bill Lazor, and coaches from the Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, and Pittsburgh Steelers.[67]
NFL
College awards
Other awards
Playing style
A former baseball pitcher and considered by some a dual-threat quarterback and the "most talented player in the NFL" due to his elusiveness in the pocket, arm strength, running ability, and athleticism despite being a pass-first quarterback,[222][223] Mahomes is also known for attempting and completing innovative throws, including no-look passes and behind-the-back tosses.[224] FiveThirtyEight also cites his unique and "uncanny" ability to know his receivers' timing and use his athleticism to fool defenders and get his receivers open.[222] Mahomes credits his years playing baseball with developing his arm strength while throwing the football.[225] Ahead of Super Bowl LVII, which was the first Super Bowl to feature two black starting quarterbacks as the Chiefs faced off against Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles, Mahomes acknowledged that his creative playing style was inspired by that of Negro league baseball players, especially Satchel Paige, who likewise inspired his father's baseball playing style.[224]
A number of defensive coordinators have cited Mahomes's ability to improvise as one of his key skills.[226] Since Mahomes's breakout 2018 season, NFL general managers and scouts have sought out prospects that can break out of designed plays. Number one overall draft picks Kyler Murray and Bryce Young are regarded as examples of this effect, with the two being highly touted prospects despite lacking traditional size for the position.[227]