Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has taken the league by storm in the 2018 NFL season. His emergence has been reminiscent of how New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady got started.
There are plenty of parallels to draw between how both players began their respective careers. However, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, Brady feels the game has changed quite a bit since he first entered the league:
“Football was different then. I think now, in some ways, pro football is more glorified college football. Maybe the transition is a more similar game than what it used to be when I first started,” Brady said. “I think football now, removing some of the physical elements of the game, it’s more of a space game, you see a lot of college plays more in the pro game than what I remember when I started. That’s kind of how things have went over the last bunch of years.”
It is difficult to gauge whether or not Brady is indicating that Mahomes was more prepared than he was coming out of college. However, there is no denying that the pro game has drawn plenty of elements from college football over the last two decades.
Most offenses featured a run-heavy scheme when Brady first began his career. However, the NFL has slowly transitioned to a more pass-friendly league over the years. As a result, the field has really opened up.
Needless to say, Patrick Mahomes is the new prototype for NFL quarterbacks. He is a product of Texas Tech's air-raid offense which featured little to no run game. His cannon arm, poise in the pocket, and sneaky mobility make him an ideal fit for this system which has slowly leaked into the league.
The Chiefs have asserted themselves as one of the most dominant offenses in the league. Tom Brady and the Patriots have clearly taken notice.
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