Patrick Mahomes set the NFL ablaze in 2018. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback threw for 50 touchdowns and 5,097 yards this season, becoming the first quarterback since Peyton Manning in 2013 to reach those thresholds simultaneously. Even more impressive than those godly statistics, though, were the eye-popping throws Mahomes made seem frightfully routine during his first season as a starter.
The sky is truly the limit for the 23-year-old, who earlier this week was named league MVP, the youngest player since Dan Marino to win the league's highest individual honor. It's not just natural talent that makes Mahomes special, though. Chiefs right tackle Mitchell Schwartz believes his poise is among the record-breaking signal-caller's most valuable attributes.
“It doesn't seem like any moment has been too big for him, so I don't know why that would change now,” Schwartz said before Kansas City's first-round win over the Indianapolis Colts, per ESPN's Adam Teicher. “Pretty much everything that's [been] thrown at him through the year, he's handled really well. I think he gets more excited for these games than anything. I've never seen him be nervous or anxious or any of that. I think he's always just ready and excited to show himself and really lead this team.
“He's a different guy. He's a special guy. He grew up around sports his whole life. … This is what he was kind of meant to do, in a way. He just kind of knows this is the way things roll.”
Well, there was one moment that seemed a bit too big for Mahomes: The first half of the AFC Championship Game, when he and the Chiefs' league-leading offense were shutout by the New England Patriots. How did Mahomes respond? By throwing for three touchdowns and leading his team to score 31 points after intermission, enough to send the game to overtime with a last-minute drive that resulted in a game-tying field goal before time expired.
Unfortunately for Kansas City, the Patriots won the toss in the extra session, marching down the field for a game-winning touchdown and ticket to Atlanta before Andy Reid's offense had the opportunity to take the field.
Mahomes will be back next season. And if his teammates' confidence is any indication, this time he'll truly be ready for whatever the league, and New England, throw at him.
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