Playing with a three centimeter tear in the thigh? No worries for Novak Djokovic. Continue to send against mastiffs after chaining a plethora of concussions? Child’s play for Jonathan Sexton. Coming back to the field after a sprained ankle? A formality for Patrick Mahomes. The body does not respond the same way in some people. Better still, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, after this incident, masterfully advanced his team to the conference semi-finals and allowed the Chiefs to continue their journey to the Superbowl this Sunday against Philadelphia.
“People don’t realize how hurt he was,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. Ligament sprains are terrible injuries, and sometimes players miss two or three weeks. He was there running for a first down. But it adds to his already incredible story. MVP of the 2018 season, winner of the Superbowl in 2019 and a shovelful of records already to his credit, Patrick Mahomes could enlarge his legend in the event of victory on Sunday.
The contribution of baseball
But beyond the figures, which nevertheless occupy such an important place on the other side of the Atlantic, the Texan is, on his own, revolutionizing a position, and even a game. And it was not necessarily won for observers. “I have been since his last year of college at Texas Tech before the Draft [dixième choix], and he already had a big arm and mechanics a bit to him, explains Adrien Roux, quarterback of the Molosses d’Asnières and the France team. And I thought that, in the NFL, it would be a guy with a big arm and no more than that. Actually not at all. »
Mobile, precise, efficient, Mahomes has above all an impressive technical background. The fruit of a childhood and adolescence spent juggling between several sports. “He played American football, basketball, where he was a leader, baseball, tells us Adam Cook, his coach at Whitehouse high school. He was also on the athletics track and did the high jump, where he was very good. Patrick excelled in every sport he practiced. All that helps him in his gestures, his way of throwing. Especially since the father, a former MLB pro player, was able to give some advice.
“With his baseball background, he has a bit of a pitcher’s throw, which allows him to have arm angles and therefore balls that go in all directions at any time and at any distance”, details Adrien. Red. His ability to improvise, when defenses thwart the plans laid out by the Chiefs, also makes him elusive. As during this action which ended with a blind pass against the Broncos, at the end of the year.
A crazy ability to improvise
“They say he improvises a lot, but I have the impression that it’s still a little worked,” says Léo Cremades, QB of Flash de la Courneuve and the France team. The receivers are so used to seeing their quarterback perform that they know, when the play initially planned does not work, that they must find another zone. And they know Mahomes will find the solution. »
Especially since Mahomes can count on the unfailing support of two men: coach Andy Reid, who gives him total freedom, and Travis Kelce, the “tight end”, with whom the connection is perfect, like the Brady duo. -Gronkowski to the Patriots. “It works too well, emphasizes Léo Cremades. Today, the position of quarterback is much more than a guy who throws in his pocket. When Mahomes plays, it looks like he’s playing dodgeball because he’s so comfortable with his playbook and his players. And I think if we put him on another team it wouldn’t be the same at all. »
And the defenses may be prepared, Mahomes and the Chiefs (almost) always manage to find a solution. Just ask the Cincinnati Bengals, who came into the conference finals with a positive record against Kansas City, and who will ultimately have to watch the Superbowl at home. “They had largely succeeded in controlling him by forcing him to do checkdowns [des passes courtes] and blitzing it [mettre une grosse pression] to prevent him from finding late solutions, notes Adrien Roux. If you give him too much time, he’ll manage to beat you with a pass he’s not supposed to give you. »
“A QB who runs and throws, there is nothing worse for a defense”
For a defense, a running QB, there is nothing worse. And Mahomes, he knows how to run and throw, it’s the worst of the worst, adds Léo Cremades. And that inspires the newcomers a lot, with unconventional ways, throws with the left arm, throws with the arm at 180°. When you’re QB, you’re told never to throw away when you’re out of pocket. Mahomes does, and it works. »
Enough, already, to consider him, at 27, as a legend of this sport? “I don’t think it’s too early for him to be considered as such, because he’s a different player, in a good way, concludes Adam Cook. Even people who are not fans of American football can appreciate and be interested in the way he plays. He does things in his position that no one else has done. When you see him play, you always see him happy, with a smile. And that since he was a kid. And I think that’s also why people like him. »
“In addition to that, he wins individual and collective trophies, which already enlarges his legend, adds his former coach. Afterwards, he didn’t earn as much as Brady [7 Superbowl], but he enters into the discussion. And I’m sure he’s going to go after Brady’s records. Knowing that the latter played until the age of 45, that gives Mahomes some time to erase the No. 12 from the shelves. And it starts on Sunday.