It’s almost five years to the day since Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes made his first career start against the Denver Broncos.
Mahomes has come a long way since that game — his first career win — where he completed 22 passes for 284 yards and an interception. He’s now on pace this season to come close to the NFL’s single-season passing yards record and he’s a strong contender to earn his second league MVP award.
The Week 17 matchup against the Broncos brings a certain level of nostalgia. Mahomes reflected on his memorable debut after Wednesday’s practice with reporters.
“Yeah, it was cool,” said Mahomes. “First of all, it was cold. It was really cold, and being from Texas, I wasn’t ready for that cold weather in Denver that day. But it was just a great experience to be out there and playing. It was more gratifying that all that work I put in — I felt so much more advanced than I did in the preseason before just because of how much I’ve been in the building and going through the process. And I think that kind of just gave me another stamp of approval, ‘This is how you have to do things.’ And so, I think that was the biggest thing more than going out there getting the win, it was all that work that you put in the entire year without playing had paid off.”
The cameo during his rookie season set the groundwork for his eventual role as the full-time starter the following year. Mahomes entered the offseason with a firmer understanding of the pro level and utilized those instincts for his record-breaking 2018 season.
“It was like I learned like a new language just to that next training camp,” said Mahomes. “When I first got in the preseason that first year, I was so focused on getting us in the right position and getting the offense lined up and all that different type of stuff that I wasn’t even worried about what the defense was doing. I was just trying to go out there and make sure we were doing stuff the right way, whereas at the end of that last game and then into that next preseason, I was focused on what the defense was doing because I was so comfortable in the offense. I think that’s where you take the biggest step in quarterback position.”
Mahomes is on pace to break the passing yards season record but has his sights set on another Super Bowl title. The visit to Denver will continue to hold a special place in his memory, but it may be the victory needed to get the Chiefs the top seed they covet before the postseason.
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