Getty Patrick Mahomes knows how to hurt defenses with his legs.
Patrick Mahomes is known for his arm strength but the Chiefs quarterback has no problem hurting opposing defenses with his legs. Mahomes ran the 40-yard dash in 4.8 seconds at the NFL Combine. The Chiefs quarterback also ran the 20-yard shuttle in 4.08 seconds and the three-cone drill in 6.88 seconds.
Mahomes is far from the fastest player on the field, but his game speed looks a lot faster than his 40 time indicates. He was just the sixth-fastest quarterback (of those timed) in the 2017 NFL draft class, per Forbes.
Mahomes Has a Rare Combination of Arm Strength & Mobility
Peyton Manning & Patrick Mahomes had the same 40-yard dash time coming out of college (4.8 seconds)
Heading into the Super Bowl, Mahomes’ signature moment of his NFL career is arguably the touchdown run against the Titans to give the Chiefs their first lead of the AFC Championship. Mahomes described what prompted him to go the distance on the touchdown run.
“I was thinking about just running out of bounds,” Mahomes said, per ESPN. “As I got to the sideline, I realized I could cut up. I was running down the sideline and I knew we had two timeouts, so I might as well try to cut it back. I cut it back, and luckily I was able to hold on to the ball and get into the end zone.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid credits Mahomes’ passing ability as well as their receiving weapons for opening up rushing opportunities for his quarterback.
“They’re doubling our guys and you’re getting not just one guy doubled but two guys doubled,” Reid explained to ESPN. “The defensive linemen, they’re trying to sack him, so if they make one miss on him or get out of their lane a bit, it’s over. He’s got all this running space.
The Chiefs QB Has Been Utilizing His Legs More in the Playoffs After Recovering From a Knee Injury During the Regular Season
Who ran the fastest 40-yard dash? #NFLCombine
⬜️ Russell Wilson
⬜️ Andrew Luck
⬜️ Patrick Mahomes
📺: @gmfb
Earlier in the season, Mahomes’ mobility was somewhat limited as he recovered from a knee injury. During the postseason, Mahomes has had the green light to run when there are opportunities. There are a lot of times when Mahomes uses his legs to open up passing lanes and create on the move for his receivers.
“It’s something I’ve always done whenever I’m scrambling,” Mahomes explained, per Forbes. “I’ve never been the fastest guy, so I’ve always wanted to get it to guys like Tyreek.”
Reid does not worry as much when Mahomes runs given his ability to slide at the right time to avoid taking unnecessary hits. The Chiefs coach understands that Mahomes’ mobility gives the opponent an additional layer to prepare for prior to their matchups.
“That’s a positive for us that you have that threat,” Reid noted, per Forbes. “He is smart with it. He knows when to get down and stay up.”
Mahomes has modest rushing numbers combining for 490 yards and four touchdowns in his two seasons as the Chiefs starting quarterback. Mahomes has nearly half as many rushing yards in the playoffs as he did the entire regular season. Heading into the Super Bowl, Mahomes rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown in their two postseason matchups.