Because it seemingly has to be said every time he gets brought up in any way shape or form, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the best player in football. So don't put this on your podcast, Travis Kelce. 

That said, there are certain aspects to Mahomes' game that make him unique to protect him from pass rushers. Former Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who signed on to play that position this year for the Cincinnati Bengals, knows this better than most.

Brown will go from protecting the current G.O.A.T. to the only quarterback who's beaten him three times in his career thus far in Joe Burrow. There are a couple of similarities shared between Mahomes and Burrow, but a key difference separates the two.

Brown made the rounds on ESPN Monday afternoon and brought up that blocking for Burrow will entail accounting for shorter drop backs compared to Mahomes, who oftentimes goes much deeper after drifting backwards. This in turn will lead to facing more power moves to try and get through him.

“Now, as opposed to having to play in a lot more space with guys on my edge, guys have got to rush through me because Joe isn’t necessarily at 12-1/2 or 13 yards on certain drops. He’s going to be at 7-1/2 getting the ball out.” – Brown on blocking for Burrow compared to Mahomes

This answer sparked up some controversy as it reached Chiefs fans, who received it as a slight towards Brown's former quarterback. It's an interesting response to a statement that's simply rooted in truth. You can check out the quote tweets and replies below by viewing the original tweet from Arrowhead Report's Jordan Foote.

Orlando Brown Jr. on blocking for Joe Burrow:

“Now, as opposed to having to play in a lot more space with guys on my edge, guys have got to rush through me because Joe isn’t necessarily at 12-1/2 or 13 yards on certain drops. He’s going to be at 7-1/2 getting the ball out.”

— Jordan Foote (@footenoted) June 26, 2023

Mahomes is the best in the game right now for many reasons. He is the best combination of accuracy and timing in structure with sheer arm power and creativity. He also tends to drift in the pocket, leaving his tackles out to dry at times, and still create a positive play more times than not. 

Claiming he does in fact bring on more pressures than average is not discounting his ability as a quarterback, rather bringing to light an idiosyncratic aspect of his play style that makes him even more unique.

He's not wrong. Last year, Mahomes was partially responsible for 21.2% of the total pressures he dealt with. That's the 7th highest percentage of all QBs.

Joe Burrow was partially responsible for 6% of the total pressures he faced. That was the 3rd lowest percentage.

(Via PFF) https://t.co/ELQ61g7vNa

— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) June 27, 2023

Burrow has become accustomed to getting the ball out quicker due to the style of offense he's comfortable with, and the quality of offensive line he's had to deal with since coming to Cincinnati. 

Brown's presence at left tackle should make things easier for him, but expecting his average Time to Throw raising that much from his career mark of 2.57 seconds in 2023 is unlikely.

For comparison's sake, Mahomes' career Time to Throw average is 2.85 seconds. Plenty of added pressures can arise in what seems like not much of an added difference.

It's not necessarily a wart on Mahomes' game, but rather something that his lineman always need to be aware of. Elongated drop backs only make it more challenging to protect for longer periods of time. Going from that style to a more quick-hitting approach will naturally create differences in Brown's approach. 

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