Patrick Mahomes: Revolutionizing the Quarterback Position in the NFL

By Jason Bolton August 06, 2024 05:20

Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images North America

Patrick Mahomes has become one of the biggest game-changers in football who can reshape what we believe a quarterback can do. His unique playing style and groundbreaking accomplishments have changed his career and the entire face of professional football. We take a deep dive into how Mahomes has changed quarterback play, including his variables such as skillset and influence in the game, career resume to this point, and potential breadths beyond.

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Chiefs Believe Mahomes is a Rare Talent

Incredible Arm Strength & Accuracy

Arm strength is one of the most amazing features of Patrick Mahomes. He can zip the ball with velocity and accuracy from any arm slot you want, making him a defender's nightmare. His knack for getting vertical is exactly why defenses hold to protect against the deep ball, enabling all those quick passes underneath.

His mobility separates him from the normal drop-back passer. He can make defenders miss, and he plays a lot of ball from inside and outside the pocket. This type of mobility has become one of his calling card traits, along with the ability to make throws on the run. Mahomes seems to know when it's time to take risks and when he should play safe, making quick choices for big plays.

Great Combination of Traditional Skills and Modern Techniques

What makes him unique is that he combines many of the old fundamental quarterback traits with fresh, inventive techniques. His slingshot throwing motion and sidearm, no-look passes are as unconventional as they come.

Mahomes' Impact on the Game

Morphing the Quarterback Position

The biggest change in thinking regarding the quarterback position is due to Mahomes' success. Before his emergence, many considered the prototype quarterback a pure pocket passer built in a mold similar to legends like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. But Mahomes has illustrated that a mobile, improvisational quarterback can and should enjoy prolonged success.

Inspiring Other Quarterbacks

Mahomes is transforming the outcome of football games with this slide, not just particularly right here and now. He also has a crop of young quarterbacks emulating his style. It has seeped into players like Justin Herbert, Kyler Murray, and, yes, to a lesser extent, Lamar Jackson, making Mahomes part of their games. As a result, the brand of football has come into being, and we are no longer surprised when quarterbacks amass both passing and rushing statistics.

NFL Strategic and Tactical Shifts

Having two high safeties has been adopted by teams more and more to take the big play out of an offense, in theory making opposing offenses have to string together plays. That strategic adjustment alters how teams prepare for both sides of an impending game, as they must now factor in Mahomes' improvisational play-making potential on every inch of turf.

Accolades and Honors for Mahomes

Career Accomplishments

There is little more that Patrick Mahomes could do. As of 2024, he has:

3 Super Bowl wins, 3 Super Bowl MVP
Two NFL MVPs and eight Pro Bowls.

He also broke several records, including being the quickest player to reach 10,000 career passing yards and having the most other touchdowns in a season.

They highlight his prowess and maintain the Chiefs' revival as an elite NFL franchise. In the process, Mahomes helped turn the Chiefs into a powerhouse, now winning six straight conference championships and three Super Bowls in short order.

The Future of the NFL Thanks

The State of the Quarterback Position Going Forward

Surely, as Mahomes scores more touchdowns and wins countless games ahead of him at the helm in Kansas City, his legacy, whether over time, will influence how quarterbacks are perceived forever. As a result, the NFL will probably feature more quarterbacks with those skills, guys who can throw accurately from all different arm slots but who are buys that will run away or extend plays in tight spots or business situations. The evolution will set the league toward blasting traditional definitions of how quarterbacks need to function. As a result, this fueled an overall more diverse and exciting selection pool at quarterback.

Mahomes' play style has long-term implications not only for the quarterback position but also for other positions. His success can shape coaching philosophies, player development, how the game is played on high school football fields across America, and what you see on Sundays.

His clutch gene will now serve as the benchmark for aspiring quarterbacks. They will be asked to do more than just execute plays that are drawn up for them. They will have to bring order in the middle of chaos and make split-second decisions that could affect a game.

Undoubtedly, the Kansas City Chiefs star has completely changed the way people see quarterbacks in today's NFL. The rare blend of his talents, playing style, and achievements have changed how this game was played. His impact will be felt around the league for years as he continues to rewrite record books and lead the Kansas City Chiefs into battle each week. Mahomes' legacy will mold the future of quarterbacks as every new signal caller coming into the league hopes to do what Patrick has done and prove he's not just changing it but reversing generations' worth of status quo from here on out.