Patrick Mahomes

David Aretha

Description

In his first season as a starting quarterback, in 2018, Patrick Mahomes threw for 50 touchdowns and won the NFL MVP Award, leading Kansas City to the AFC Championship Game. A year later, his eye-popping playmaking and magical postseason comebacks resulted in a Super Bowl victory. By age 25, Mahomes had signed the most lucrative sports contract ever, reigned as the biggest star in football. All the while, his humility and boyish enthusiasm endeared him to fans nationwide. This is his story.

Sujets

• Sport
• Autour du sport
• Autres sports
• Athlete
• Athletics d'Oakland
• American
• Football
• Recreation
• Professional
• Athletics
• América
• Fútbol
• Sports

Informations

• Publié par: Infobase Publishing
• Date de parution: 01 décembre 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781438197920
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Patrick Mahomes
Copyright © 2020 by Infobase
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ISBN 978-1-4381-9792-0
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Contents Chapters "Let s Do Something Special" Major League Talent Texas Gunslinger Skyrocketing to Stardom Ultimate Glory Choosing to Lead The Face of the NFL Support Materials Timeline Bibliography Further Resources About the Author Learn More About The Honor Roll Who s Got the Strongest Arm? The Original Pat Mahomes History of the KC Chiefs
Chapters
"Let's Do Something Special"
On a bone-chilling January afternoon in 2020, amidst a freezing drizzle, Kansas City fans soldiered into Arrowhead Stadium. Donned in red coats and hats, they shivered from excitement as much as they did from the cold. Their 12-4 Chiefs were 9.5-point favorites against Houston in this Divisional Playoff Game. Many of these fans predicted an even bigger blowout, as they had come to love and trust their explosive offense, led by superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes. 
In the locker room before taking the field, Mahomes, just 24, fired up his team. "We were built for moments like this," he blared, his teammates shouting their approval. "When the ball comes your way, you make a play. Play together, play fast, and let's dominate!"
As the Chiefs stormed onto the field, screaming motivational words such as "attitude," "family," and "championship swagger," the dark clouds continued to loom. Little did they know they were about to experience the most gut-wrenching first quarter in the history of the franchise.
It was the Texans, led by electrifying quarterback Deshaun Watson, who played together, played fast, and dominated. The Chiefs, meanwhile, committed blunder after blunder. 
On the opening drive, Watson found Kenny Stills wide-open for a 54-yard touchdown pass. No one had covered him. On third-and-six, KC's All-Pro tight end, Travis Kelce, dropped an easy pass. On the next play, Houston blocked the punt and returned it for a touchdown. Stunningly, the Texans led 14-0. But they weren't finished. 
The Chiefs' Tyreek Hill fumbled a punt away on his six-yard line, which Houston turned into a quick touchdown: 21-0. Early in the second quarter, they upped the score to 24-0.
As cameras panned the crowd, viewers saw worry, stress, and defeat in the expressions of Missourians. Chiefs fan Paige Habiger watched the game on TV in a Kansas City bar. "My head was down on the table," she told 41 Action News, "and I was…crying."
Never in the 57 years of Chiefs football had they overcome a 24-point deficit. For many, the situation seemed hopeless. But not to Patrick Mahomes.
"Let's do something special," he preached to his teammates on the sidelines. "They're already counting us out. One play at a time, do something special!"
And that is exactly what they did. Mecole Hardman returned the next kickoff 58 yards, sparking a resurgence. Mahomes hit Damien Williams for a 17-yard catch-and-run for the touchdown, and the comeback was on. 
Stunningly, the Texans tried a fake punt on their own 31; they were stopped short. Mahomes quickly turned it into a touchdown, slinging a sidearm pass to Kelce for a five-yard score: 24-14. "It ain't over with!" Kelce declared.
One play at a time , they continued to do something special . On the next play, three Chiefs nailed the kickoff returner, popping the ball into the air. KC's Darwin Thompson caught it in midair and returned it to the six. Moments later, Mahomes rolled way right and hit Kelce for another score: 24-21.
Still in the second quarter, "Magic Man" Mahomes led a 90-yard drive. Twice he rushed for huge gains. With seconds to go in the half, he rolled to his left and dumped a short pass to Kelce for another touchdown. "I love…having Patrick Mahomes…on…my…team!" safety Jordan Lucas said to the camera.
"You saw him going up and down the bench. He was talking to everybody: 'Just settle down'," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said about Mahomes after the game. "As a head coach, you can't ask for more than that."
In the second half, the Chiefs kept up the offensive assault: Seven plays, 85 yards, touchdown. Six plays, 77 yards, touchdown. Four plays, 72 yards, touchdown. Mahomes and Co. wore them out, physically and mentally.
"I mean, it was an amazing thing. Everything was working," Mahomes said afterward. "Everybody was getting open against man coverage, which we've been preaching all season long, and guys were making plays."
The Chiefs ripped off 41 consecutive points, and Mahomes threw five touchdown passes, as KC prevailed 51-31. In this first month of 2020, they pulled a 20-20. They became the first NFL team ever to overcome a 20-point or more deficit in a playoff game and win by 20 or more.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws a 25-yard completion to tight end Travis Kelce (87) in the second quarter of an NFL playoff game between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs on January 12, 2020 in Kansas City.
Source: Newscom.
Throughout the 21st century, a select group of NFL quarterbacks had dominated the headlines. Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Ben Roethlisberger—and few others—consistently had led their teams deep into the playoffs. Now, a new group of young, explosively talented QBs was emerging: Russell Wilson of Seattle, Deshaun Watson of Houston, Lamar Jackson of Baltimore, and—most notably—Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City. 
In 2018, in his first season as a starting NFL QB, Mahomes won the NFL MVP Award. In 2019, he spearheaded not just one but three remarkable come-from-behind victories in the NFL's postseason—including one in the Super Bowl. He became, arguably, the biggest star in football. And in 2020, while all of sports was shut down due to the coronavirus epidemic, Mahomes signed the biggest contract the sports world had ever seen: over half a billion dollars!
It's hard to believe that less than a decade earlier, Patrick had considered quitting football in favor of a sport he thought he was better at. Patrick Lavon Mahomes II dreamed of becoming a Major League Baseball player—just like Patrick Lavon Mahomes I…his father.
Major League Talent
At an age when children have only a vague understanding of baseball, five-year-old Patrick Mahomes roamed the outfield at Yankee Stadium. His father, New York Mets pitcher Pat Mahomes, had often brought his son to the ballpark. This was a special day, as the Mets were facing the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series. The Mets were taking pregame batting practice, and little Patrick was among those in the outfield retrieving batted balls.

Pat Mahomes Sr. delivered a pitch as part of the MN Twins in 1995.
Source: Newscom.
Mets coaches told Dad that it was too dangerous for Patrick to be out there. He could get hit in the head with a flyball. But Pat chose not to coddle his son. 
At one point, Mets hitter Robin Ventura lofted a flyball to left-center field. Patrick raised his head skyward, tracked the descending sphere, stuck out his glove, and nonchalantly made the catch. Big-leaguers on the field cheered in celebration. This kid was legit. 
"It goes back to Patrick not being afraid of the moment," Patrick Sr. told NFL.com . "Not being afraid to fail. He was determined; that was his goal and he was going to catch the ball."
Energizer Bunny
On September 17, 1995, in Tyler, Texas, Randi Mahomes gave birth to a child who was destined for athletic stardom. Randi, who is white, played softball and basketball and led her high school band as the majorette. Patrick Sr., who is African American, brimmed with athleticism. At Lindale High School, Pat finished runner-up for Texas' "Mr. Basketball" honors, meaning he was the second best hoopster in the state. He was also recruited to play college football, and as a senior, he rocketed to stardom as a hitter and pitcher. In one tournament, he went 12-for-13 at the plate with three home runs.
On the day Patrick was born, Pat was wrapping up his fourth season in the major leagues, all with the Minnesota Twins. He would pitch in the majors until 2003, with six MLB teams. 
Randi and Pat would welcome another child, Jackson Mahomes, in 2000. Until then, little Patrick would be the star of the household—especially with a ball.
"I called him my Energizer Bunny because he would never want to take a nap," Randi told Herlife Magazine. In fact, when his parents were falling asleep, they would throw the ball to tiny Patrick and he'd retrieve it like a sprightly puppy. Then, he said in the book Patrick Mahomes: Showtime , "they would have to throw it back and I would get it and run around the room and get the ball, give it back to them, and they'd throw it again."
"From the beginning," Mom told Herlife , "I saw Patrick played better than kids three years older than he was. I went to my niece's game, and we put Patrick out there. At three, he did better than those older kids."
At age five, Patrick was playing tee-ball with kids two years older than him. In one game that season, he fielded a groundball at shortstop. "I threw the ball and hit the kid straight in the face," he was quoted in Patrick Mahomes: Showtime , "and I realized I'm throwing a little harder than these other kids and I've got to slow it down."
Over the last 30 years, approximately two percent of Major League Baseball players were sons of former Major Leaguers. When Patrick was little, some thought that he would join those ranks. "I knew he'd be a professional athlete when he was seven," Randi told the Kansas City Star . "I'm serious… I knew he had the talent."
His father often to