Superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes experienced the third game of his career with less than 200 yards passing (196 and two interceptions) on Sunday and they’ve all come this year. Despite his uncharacteristic play, the Chiefs are still 9-1 and the current No.1 seed in the AFC.
Winning is all that matters to Mahomes and coming off two straight Super Bowl wins, the only goal is a third straight trophy and the culture of the team come playoff time will be in tact.
With Sunday’s 30-21 road loss to the Buffalo Bills, the two-time Super Bowl defending Kansas City Chiefs fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, but if you expect a minor setback to stop a team that is built to overcome then you don’t understand the Chiefs.
Porter Ellett Has One Arm and The Heart and Guts That Personify KC Chiefs
Consistency and culture are the staples of this Chiefs Dynasty, driven to become the first team in NFL history to win three rings in a row. The team is full of heart and guts and Mahomes’ pregame preparation explores just how deep the roster of world beaters on the Chiefs runs.
Prior to every game Chiefs assistant running backs coach Porter Ellett catches the football for Mahomes as he’s warming up. While this may not mean much to most, it’s amazing in itself when you consider Ellett is doing it with one arm.
Fans Love Ellett For His Efforts: How Did He Start Catching Balls For Mahomes?
A lot of times as quarterbacks warm up you may see other coaches or players catch the football for them. Other times the quarterback catches it himself, and in Mahomes case that’s what he used to do until one day the three-time Super Bowl MVP says Ellett just started doing it.
In an interview with ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, Mahomes said, “He just came and started doing it. It’s not like I asked him to do it. He saw me doing it and he just took it upon himself to say hey I’ll come catch if you want me too.”
That routine has been in place since 2020, and it’s something that Mahomes now looks forward to every week before stepping in between the white lines for battle.
Ellett Lost Arm In Farm Accident: Became All-State Baseball and Basketball Player
In the interview, Ellett talks about losing his arm in a farm accident at four-years-old and how it didn’t stop him from pursuing his dreams of playing baseball and basketball.
In fact, he became an all-star player in both in high school, and in many ways his story is inspirational, just like that of college basketball player Hansel Emmanuel, who also lost him arm in an accident at a young age. The most amazing thing is neither let that stop them from pursuing and conquering their goals.
Ellett Coaching With Chiefs, Emmanuel Starring In College
Ellett has been with the Chiefs for eight seasons, the last two as assistant running backs coach. He’s been a part of all three Super Bowl-winning teams and is a fan favorite for his story and efforts to help Mahomes weekly.
RELATED: College Football Programs In Hot Pursuit Of Gifted Quarterback With Seven Fingers | Meet Ty Kelley
As for Emmanuel, he’s doing his thing playing at Austin Peay since last season. Emmanuel began his college career at Northwestern State but followed coach Corey Gibson to Austin Peay prior to the 2023 season.
Both are inspirational stories of fortitude, will and perseverance to continue despite that which would hinder most. As a result of those things, these two have shined brightly.
