“This one truly hurts” - NFL analyst expects Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill to suffer in wake of split
A chunk of time has passed since Tyreek Hill and Patrick Mahomes went their separate ways, but one NFL analyst believes that both players still don't know the pain they're in for in 2022. Appearing on Speak for Yourself, NFL analyst Emmanuel Acho explained why the split was one of the biggest of the offseason.
Here's how he put it:
“The third biggest breakup of the NFL offseason, and this one truly hurts my heart the most, is the one you just ended by reading about, Tyreek Hill and Patrick Mahomes. This is an underrated breakup. I don't think anybody knows how big a deal this is."
HEY @cheetah, STAY OFF THE WEEEEEEED!!! https://t.co/jM9ovF2hFK
He went on, claiming that Patrick Mahomes owes his Super Bowl title to his top wide receiver:
"Without Tyreek Hill, Patrick Mahomes does not have a Super Bowl. Keep in mind, it was third and 15. The game was all but lost. Patrick Mahomes off his back foot with the defender in his head [with] Tyreek Hill on a corner post route."
Most 40+ Yard TD Passes,
Since 2015:
1. Kirk Cousins (32)
2. Philip Rivers (30)
3. Russell Wilson (28)
t4. Derek Carr (26)
t4. Patrick Mahomes (26)
t6. Tom Brady (25)
t6. Matt Ryan (25)
8. Ryan Tannehill (23)
t9. Dak Prescott (22)
t9. Matthew Stafford (22)
He continued, comparing the former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver to Julio Jones:
"I would submit there's only one other receiver at that time, Julio Jones, who could have done what [the Chiefs' wide receiver] did there. That break up is underrated. Patrick Mahomes will gravely miss Tyreek Hill, [and he] will miss Mahomes as well.”
Tyreek Hill's NFL career
The superstar didn't initially appear to be destined for greatness. Based on the wide receiver's fifth-round draft position in 2016, many thought he'd be lucky to get a second contract. Instead, he has been credited with being a core piece in the machine that raised Patrick Mahomes into the stratosphere.
In his rookie season, the wide receiver arguably played above his drafting position. In that campaign, he earned 593 yards and six touchdowns. However, his second season catapulted him to a higher level. In 2017, he earned 1,183 yards and seven touchdowns.
By 2018 he was widely seen as an exceptional talent and after that season, most saw him as one of the best in the league. In 2018, he earned 1,479 yards and 12 touchdowns, arguably the best statline of his career.
Between the end of 2018 and the start of his new chapter with the Miami Dolphins, he earned at least 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns in two of the three seasons.
The question remains as to whether he made Mahomes or if Mahomes made him. I guess we will see when the season kicks off in just a few months time.