Chiefs: Andy Reid reveals the jump from last year to this year for Patrick Mahomes
The Kansas City Chiefs are still as good as they were last year, and maybe even better. They finished with 14 wins this year, tying their franchise record for wins in a season, and with a win over the Jaguars, will have been to five straight AFC Championship games. Oh, and Patrick Mahomes is in […]
The Kansas City Chiefs are still as good as they were last year, and maybe even better. They finished with 14 wins this year, tying their franchise record for wins in a season, and with a win over the Jaguars, will have been to five straight AFC Championship games.
Oh, and Patrick Mahomes is in line for the second MVP award of his career, only getting better with less, and breaking all the offseason narratives.
How has he gotten better with less though? How does a quarterback who is so reliant on the guys around him, lose a top-five receiver in the league, but get better? Andy Reid knows exactly how.
“I think he’s done a great job of working with change," Reid told reporters on Tuesday. "That was something that he didn’t have to worry about for a few years so all of a sudden his coach leaves, his position coach, (and) a new one comes in (and) he works with that. All of a sudden his receiving core, for the most part, with the exception of Mecole, they leave (and a) new group comes in.
"He didn’t flinch on it, he didn’t complain, he didn’t run up to (General Manager Brett) Veach and go, ‘What are we doing,’ or that type of thing, that’s not what he did. He just said, ‘I understand, let’s go.’ That’s why my hat goes off to him for doing that and then playing at the level he’s playing at and those guys are playing at (is) tremendous.”
Mahomes had maybe his best season ever in 2022. Either this season or the one in 2018, but I'd say this one. He has been so much more efficient in taking what the defense gives him, and breaking down the opponent. Mahomes isn't always going for the home run ball.
Mahomes lost Tyreek Hill and became a smarter player. He couldn't rely on Hill anymore to be that bailout or security blanket that he and Kelce have been for so long. Now he just has Kelce to be that for him, and even sometimes the defense has that covered.
The soon-to-be two-time MVP has had a stellar season and proved everyone wrong. All of the narratives from this offseason of him having great guys around him being why he is so good, or the fact that you take Hill away and the Chiefs and Mahomes are average, he defied all of those.
Could the young superstar still improve in some areas? Sure. He can work on not bailing out of the pocket so quickly, his footwork could improve, and not force throws that aren't there.
Reid has seen it up close and personal. Mahomes is on another level, and he isn't really in his prime yet.
Featured Image Via Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
