Getty Peyton Manning shakes hands with John Elway after agreeing to a contract with the Denver Broncos.
Patrick Mahomes has put the entire football world on alert. The Kansas City Chiefs traded up in 2018 to draft what they hoped would be their quarterback of the future. After backing up Alex Smith his rookie season, Mahomes made the Chiefs look like geniuses in his first season as a starter.
In 2018, Mahomes became the second player in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in the same season. The other was Peyton Manning in 2013 when he finished with 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns. Recently, Manning joined the Peter King podcast to discuss the current state of the NFL and the Denver Broncos. during his interview, Manning had some high praise for Mahomes.
Follow the Heavy on Chiefs Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
Patrick Mahomes Impresses Peyton Manning
Manning has a show on ESPN+ called “Detail” where he watches film of current NFL quarterbacks, breaks them down, and gives analysis. Like all of the country, Manning was impressed by the reigning MVP.
“I mean some of the throws that he’s making, I just don’t think anybody has seen those throws before,” Manning said. “Whether it’s kind of the no-look throws. Sort of the ability to sprint left and throw back to the right, he’s got a little (John) Elway in him. Elway was kind of famous for that. I mean the Broncos actually started designing plays to sprint left and throw back right. Mahomes is still improvising, but what I like about him is that he’s taking coaching. Andy Reid is going to coach the stew out of him, I like that for him and his future.”
Player comparisons are done every day, but when one of the best quarterbacks ever in Manning compares someone to Elway, it is something to listen to. Elway finished his career with 51,475 yards and 300 touchdowns. He is now the current general manager and president of football operations for the Broncos. Manning has spent plenty of time around Elway during his days in Denver.
Patrick Mahomes’ Connection With Andy Reid
Mahomes has the luxury of playing under one of the best head coaches in the league. Andy Reid has a long resume of success as a coach in the NFL. He has not won a Super Bowl in his career, however, it is not crazy to think that Mahomes is the quarterback that can lead them. As a duo, Reid and Mahomes have something special.
“I like head coaches calling the offensive plays because you know they’re going to be there,” Manning said. “They’re not going to have a coordinator leave the next year and you’ve got to learn this new system, that’s hard learning a new system. Alex Smith told me that he had five coordinators during his first five years. That’s tough. And so I like the fact that Mahomes is going to be coached and that he takes coaching and that he plays in a disciplined system.”
Mahomes is playing in a completely different league than Elway did because of all of the new rules and defensive restrictions. They are similar in the way they both improvised when on the field. Mahomes has the ability to keep plays going and throw the ball accurately at weird angles like Elway. If Mahomes can turn into half of the player that Elway was, the Chiefs will be more than happy.