Getty Images Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes
Have NFL quarterbacks become fan favorites more because of their ‘flashiness’ nowadays? Let me explain. The always controversial Colin Cowherd decided to stir up some drama between highly-touted NFL quarterbacks on Thursday ahead of Patrick Mahomes’ big matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night. While Cowherd believes that Mahomes is a good quarterback, he doesn’t quite understand why people are so hesitant about showing Andrew Luck this kind of love, and he has a theory as to why that is.
Last season, both Mahomes and Luck weren’t playing football. Luck was out with a shoulder injury, and Mahomes was spending his rookie season with a clipboard in his hand just learning the game at the next level. This year, Mahomes finally got an opportunity to start, while Luck returned to the game. Mahomes quickly established himself as one of the league’s best quarterbacks, while Luck had to work his way back into the conversation.
Are Mahomes and Luck in the Same Tier?
At this point in the year, Mahomes is still the talk of the NFL. Luck, on the other hand, isn’t as ‘cool’ as the popular kid, as Cowherd would put it. With 3,759 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, Luck has been trending the right direction during his first year back with the Colts. Mahomes, on the other hand, has posted 4,300 yards, 43 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
So, by the numbers, it doesn’t even look close. Mahomes is the better quarterback this year, and there shouldn’t be a comparison. But that’s not Cowherd’s point though. The bottom line here is the fact that Mahomes’ two losses came against championship caliber teams. And during those two games, Mahomes turned the ball over seven times. In Cowherd’s mind, he believes a ‘less-cool’ quarterback would catch a ton of heat for those kinds of turnover numbers given the importance of the game. Does he have a point here?
Colin Cowherd Throws out His Theory
“I’m not saying Patrick Mahomes isn’t really good, but he’s not Andrew Luck… Let’s just hold everyone to the same level. Andrew Luck with far less, to this point, had done far more.” — @ColinCowherd
There’s no critisim here for Mahomes being a bad quarterback. Nobody with even the slightest knowledge of football would say that Patrick Mahomes is terrible. But if he does come up short in big games, there is some room for concern. The only difference between comparing Luck and Mahomes is the fact that Mahomes is 23-years-old in his Sophomore year. Meanwhile, Luck is 29-years-old and playing in his sixth NFL season.
If Luck comes up short in big games, there’s no excuse for him being young and inexperienced. Mahomes has that room for error since 2018 is his first full season of being an NFL starter. Granted, Cowherd makes a point that ‘Mahomes Mania’ may be going overboard with over-hyping yet, another young quarterback. But being recognized as an MVP favorite doesn’t really have anything to do with somebody being cool. Mahomes has earned the attention that he’s received throughout the season. Being cool off the field is just a plus for his fanbase.