Joe Burrow vs. Patrick Mahomes 40-yard dash time: Which star QB comes out on top?
Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes are two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL presently, and they've faced off a couple of times in their careers. Both players are the franchise stars for two perennial Super Bowl contenders, and they'll continue to compete for the highest honors in the foreseeable future.
Burrow and Mahomes are excellent passers of the ball, as evidenced by them racking up 4,000 passing yards seasons on a regular basis. However, here we will take a look at their speed and ability to breeze past edge rushers.
With that in mind, let's look at which superstar QB has the faster 40-yard dash time.
Joe Burrow's 40-yard dash time
According to The Sporting News, Joe Burrow has an unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4.90. The Cincinnati Bengals superstar did not run the 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Combine.
Ahead of the Combine that year, Joe Burrow was viewed as the consensus first-overall pick. Hence, the LSU Tigers product opted against participating in running drills and instead got his physical measurements taken at the Combine.
Patrick Mahomes' 40-yard dash time
Patrick Mahomes ran the 40-yard dash in 4.80 seconds at the 2017 NFL Combine. The Texas Tech product wasn't a nailed-on first-round pick in the draft, and so he had to participate in as many drills as possible.
Mahomes also ran the 10-yard and 20-yard splits in 1.65 and 2.80 seconds respectively. He also completed the 20-yard shuttle in 4.08 seconds and the three-cone drill in 6.88 seconds. Furthermore, Mahomes had a 30-inch vertical jump and 9-foot-6 broad jump.
Which star QB comes out on top?
Patrick Mahomes comes out tops in this battle of speed between two of the best QBs in the game. His 4.80 seconds 40-yard dash might not be the fastest, but it's certainly quicker than Burrow's 4.90.
It's important to note that neither Patrick Mahomes nor Joe Burrow relies on speed in actual NFL games. Yes, both players are skilled enough to evade pass rushers in the pocket, but they're the last two QBs to be seen trucking down the Gridiron at breakneck speed.
Moreover, neither Mahomes nor Burrow needs to do that as their teams are stacked with excellent pass-catching options. Mahomes has Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy to throw to while Burrow has Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to locate.
It's rare to see Mahomes and Burrow taking matters into their hands and running down the Gridiron.