Patrick Mahomes almost never wore a Kansas City Chiefs uniform, but a trade during the 2017 NFL draft made it happen. The Chiefs were slated to pick No. 27, which was not going to be high enough to select Mahomes. Instead, the Chiefs made a deal with the Bills for the No. 10 selection. Kansas City also sent a future first-round pick along with a third-round selection to the Bills.
In an article detailing the behind-the-scenes process, Mahomes’ agent Leigh Steinberg explained the Chiefs expressed interest in Mahomes as early as January of 2017. As the draft drew closer, it became clear the Chiefs would have to trade up if they wanted to get the Texas Tech quarterback. Steinberg detailed the Chiefs move in an article for Forbes.
Last year, Patrick Mahomes assembled friends, coaches and teammates at a country club in Tyler, Texas. We knew that Kansas City was trying to trade up. Teams at No. 11 and below, like Arizona and New Orleans, liked Patrick. The Chiefs had to calculate how high they had to trade.
We had told Patrick that either Arizona or New Orleans would probably take him if he lasted that long. Other teams began indicating that they, too, were trying to trade up. The Cincinnati Bengals made their selection at No. 9, putting the Buffalo Bills on the clock. Here we go.
The Chiefs called to say they were making the trade. Then the phone rang, and it was coach Andy Reid and owner Clark Hunt — they had picked Patrick.
Mahomes Threw For 11,252 Yards & 93 Touchdowns in College at Texas Tech
Mahomes may not have been as widely known coming out of college like star quarterbacks Baker Mayfield or Lamar Jackson, but he was not exactly an under-the-radar prospect either. Mahomes played for Texas Tech, a team routinely out of the College Football Playoff picture, but his eye-popping numbers along with his arm strength grabbed the attention of NFL scouts.
Mahomes threw for 5,052 yards and 41 touchdowns in his final season at Texas Tech. He threw for 11,252 yards and 93 touchdowns over his college career at Texas Tech.
The Chiefs quarterback ran a 4.8 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. Mahomes measured 6’2″ and 225 pounds. He had a 30-inch vertical and 114-inch broad jump.
Mahomes spent his first NFL season sitting behind veteran quarterback Alex Smith. Over the offseason, the Chiefs decided to turn over the reins to their young quarterback by trading Smith to the Redskins. Current Browns GM John Dorsey was with the Chiefs at the time Mahomes was drafted, and spoke with ESPN about his decision to trade up to get Mahomes.
I tried to read as much as I could in terms of reading the other 31 teams and seeing where they were positioning. I felt, to get this player, I had to be at 10. There were some that were sitting in there saying, ‘You should go up earlier.’ I thought 10 was the appropriate level to go. I know there were three teams that wanted this player very badly.
I’d been working about five or six different deals. I started this one probably about five days [before the draft], and then [Buffalo general manager] Doug Whaley and I just talked through the whole thing, and then we talked every day. We talked before the draft and, ‘Do you still agree?’ and he says, ‘Yes, I still agree.’ So, we had come to a gentleman’s agreement, but you can never underestimate when you go through that draft. Somebody can pull the rug out from under you, and all of a sudden you’re left holding nothing.