In his junior year at Whitehouse High School in a small Texas town 100 miles East from Dallas with a population of 7,660, Kansas City Chiefs all-world signal caller Patrick Mahomes was in a quarterback battle with his best friend Ryan Cheatham.
NFL on ESPN on Twitter
Patrick Mahomes has turned heads since the start of the season. But his stellar performances haven’t been a surprise to those who know him best. https://t.co/UYEl9yZIAu
The coach decided to rotate the quarterbacks each half, but by the third game Mahomes had established himself as deserving of the job. He was patient and humble, but when he got his chance he went in for the kill.
I knew I was good. I knew I could compete with anybody, but I just knew there was something about him that was just special, Cheatham said on an ESPN special about Mahomes rise to NFL superstardom. Every single pregame, me and him would toss and the other team is on the sidelines warming up and he would just let one go and hit a wide receiver in the back of the head and Id be like, Alright I cant really keep up with this.
Barstool Sports on Twitter
Patrick Mahomes warming up by throwing a football a smooth 135 yards (Via @KCTVDani) @LacesOutShow https://t.co/S75KYzLrZS
The way Mahomes handled that competition in High School was a blueprint for how he would handle every level of football.
It was raining that night and I knew in my mind that this was the moment where he takes off just because of the way he handled it.., said Mahomes’ high school coach Adam Cook, whos now Whitehouse athletic director. I made the decision that we’re going to let Patrick take this…thats when you saw the light come on in him.
That same light illuminated Mile High Stadium on Monday night, where Mahomes orchestrated the first electrifying comeback of his NFL career, leading two late TD drives to erase a 10-point Denver Broncos lead in a 27-23 win. Its clear that Mahomes is no fluke and his 304 passing yards say he is on his way to breaking Cam Newtons rookie passing record of 4,051 yards.
The 23-year-old QB had the Twittersphere geeking.
Max Kellerman on Twitter
@PatrickMahomes5 has been the best player in football through the first 4 games of this season, and it’s not particularly close. #MondayNightFootball
The Ringer on Twitter
Let’s add some context to just how great @PatrickMahomes5 has been to start the season. Only 2013 Peyton Manning threw more TDs through the first four games of a season. This kid is good. #RingerNFL
Fast forward to 2018 and few have been able to keep up with Mahomes who leads the NFL with 14 TDs and 0 interceptions through the first four games of the season. The hype concerning Mahomes was at an apex entering Monday nights game against AFC West division rival Denver. Mahomes has combined uncanny passing abilities with speed, athleticism, strength and intelligence to captivate the league and immediately establish himself as the NFLs prototype QB of the future.
Kurt Warner on Twitter
The kid @PatrickMahomes5 showed that backyard, ad-lib ability that makes him so special… not always pretty, but u find a way! Great finish for the @Chiefs – fun to witness in person!
Denver had 65 straight wins when leading by double digits in the fourth quarter before Mahomes chucked, flung, side-armed and ambidextrously launched missiles that lead Kansas City to an improbable victory and obliterated the hearts of Broncos fans.
Jeff Rosen on Twitter
Patrick Mahomes’ LEFT-HANDED throw whaaaaaaattt?? https://t.co/VTtSd7X4Ge
Mahomes made a highlight reel of preposterous throws, converting key third downs. And he flexed the unique creativity that his dad Patrick Mahomes Sr. — a former MLB pitcher — attributes to Patrick Jr.’s background as a multi-sport phenom.
He throws passes side arm and no look and that’s all stuff he learned from playing shortstop in baseball, Mahomes Sr. told TSL in an exclusive interview. So he’s taken a little bit of that and added it to other parts of his football game and it’s not something that a lot of people have seen before. It’s going well right now, but the objective is to keep learning and keep doing great things out on the football field.”
Some questioned his desire for football in high school and he proved everyone wrong. Coming out of college, scouts criticized Kansas City for drafting him so high.
Some prognosticators looked sideways at Chiefs HC Andy Reid when they let Alex Smith go and put the ball in the hands of a second-year quarterback with a rifle for an arm and limited NFL game experience.
Kansas City Chiefs on Twitter
Waking up after the win like… @PatrickMahomes5 https://t.co/WYqAhHnIPw
Now everyone is on The Showtime bandwagon. Mahomes has hit the scene like a comet crashing into the earth creating an extraterrestrial spectacle for all too see. If you didnt think he could top his first three games, his Monday night football debut was his best showcase yet and left us wanting more of the NFLs latest QB prodigy.
