Commentary: With Mahomes, all we can do is watch

There’s a funny GIF out there on the information superhighway of then-Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury surrounded by three or four players. They are on the sidelines watching a play unfold against Oklahoma State. Then, almost in unison, their chins all fall to their chests.

Whatever happened was not good.

What happened was Patrick Mahomes’ first pass as a Tech quarterback in 2014. The untamed freshman entered the game in the second half for an injured Davis Webb and his first pass was intercepted in a 45-35 Red Raiders’ loss.

His first start was five games later at home against Texas. It didn’t last the entire first quarter as he was knocked out of the game on a helmet-to-helmet hit.

For some of us baseball nerds, he was still the son of Pat Mahomes, a relief pitcher of some note who toiled for seven teams over 11 years and was probably on everyone’s fantasy team at one time or another. The young Mahomes was more a promising curiosity than certain talent.

Then came the next week against Oklahoma – a coming-out party of 393 yards and four touchdowns. Then he led a comeback at Iowa State in a 34-31 win.

Finally, in the regular-season finale at AT&T Stadium in Arlington against No. 7 Baylor, Mahomes was slinging the ball all over the field. He threw 56 times for 598 yards and six touchdowns in a wild 48-46 loss.

The legend of Mahomes was born. At least the local legend. It took a while for the name to creep across the rest of the country.

Mahomes’ name was never on any Heisman Trophy lists. He was not to be found on any All-America teams. It’s nothing he didn’t do. It’s what the Raiders didn’t do – win enough.

Despite Mahomes throwing for 9,705 yards and 77 touchdowns in his final two years in 2015-2016, Tech was only 12-13. A transcendent quarterback didn’t matter. Four times Mahomes led Tech to 52 or more points – and lost.

In an unreal game with Baker Mayfield and OU in 2016, the two teams set an NCAA record with 1,708 yards. Mahomes tied an NCAA record with 734 passing yards to go along with five touchdowns. He also rushed for 85 yards. Of course, Tech lost, 66-59. It was a foregone conclusion that he would skip his senior year in 2017 for the NFL draft.

Mahomes did things most quarterbacks couldn’t even imagine. I remember a throw against Louisiana Tech in his final season. Mahomes rolled to his left around midfield. Throwing across his body, like skipping a stone across a lake, he casually flicked the football 60 yards downfield to a receiver wide open eight yards deep in the end zone.

As the 2017 draft approached, Mahomes got dinged a bit because of his footwork, his tendency to free-lance, and some other things that look silly now. But certain coaches loved his talent, none more so than Kansas City’s Andy Reid. The Chiefs traded two No. 1 picks and a third-rounder to move up from No. 27 to No. 10 and happily take him.

He sat all but the last game of that rookie season, an apprentice under Alex Smith. Mahomes did start the last game, throwing for 286 yards. Going forward, the Chiefs would be his team now.

On the second Sunday of the 2018 season, my youngest son Chad and I were on a father-son sports bucket list weekend at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. As the Packers and Vikings played before us, Chad checked his phone from time to time.

“Mahomes just threw another touchdown pass,” he said, “That’s four.”

It would go on to be six touchdowns and just five incompletions in 28 attempts in a 42-37 win over the Steelers. The NFL hasn’t been the same since.

Mahomes takes Kansas City into Super Bowl LVII on Sunday against favored Philadelphia, his third Super Bowl in five years. It’s clear by now that this former wild colt of a quarterback is now the greatest quarterback in the NFL, and so by extension, the greatest football player on the planet.

He was the NFL MVP in his first full season in 2018. He was the Super Bowl MVP the following year, and assuredly will be the MVP again this season with his league-leading 5,250 yards and 41 touchdown passes.

As the face of the NFL, he is appointment television. Many watch who wouldn’t otherwise. Mahomes is to the NFL what Michael Jordan once was to the NBA, and Nolan Ryan was to Major League Baseball. You watch because you might see something you’ve never seen before.

It has been a beautiful blend of talent with the perfect coach and perfect system. Mahomes and the Chiefs have taken each other to new heights.

Mahomes has the arm, the vision, the smarts, the instincts, and now add courage. He played through that high ankle sprain and the loss of his three top receivers in that 23-20 win over Cincinnati in the AFC championship.

Mahomes is to that height now where a decent amount root against him, much like Tom Brady. It’s not Mahomes per se. He’s as humble as he is good.

They tire of color analysts gushing over his every throw or they don’t like his brother. Something, anything. In this country we like to build up figures to legendary status and then tear them down.

No matter if fan or foe, we’ll all be watching next Sunday. Unlike eight years ago, chins will not fall to chests.

We are all witnesses to that which is uniquely Patrick Mahomes.

Jon Mark Beilue writes about regional sports for The Eastern New Mexico News.