"I was a little too amped up" - Patrick Mahomes recalls his first NFL start against Denver Broncos
Before Patrick Mahomes won MVP in 2018, he had to earn his stripes in 2017 against the Denver Broncos in Week 17. Mahomes was a highly-touted prospect who scouts said could use a year on the bench to learn.
The future superstar learned from incumbent starter Alex Smith. In 2017, Smith was 33 years old and threw for his first and only 4,000-yard season in his career.
But Mahomes got his chance in Week 17 as Smith rested.
Without Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce to aid him, Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to victory. But Mahomes showed signs of being a rookie and wasn't perfect.
Mahomes spoke to the media on Thursday and reminisced about his first start.
The first time Patrick Mahomes faced Denver. The first start. The first win. #Chiefs https://t.co/KKLHFjfOJX
Patrick Mahomes recalls being "too amped up" against Denver Broncos in first NFL start
The question was issued because the Chiefs face the Broncos this Sunday Night. When asked about how Mahomes felt against the Broncos as a green rookie, Patrick Mahomes said,
"You've got to control the excitement. That was the biggest thing at the beginning, I was a little too amped up, too going. And I kind of settled in there and just really running the offense and letting other guys make plays, put it in their hands, it helped out a lot."
Having a lot of nerves is understandable as a rookie. Mahomes didn't throw a touchdown pass in his debut but showed flashes of his impressive arm strength and big-play ability.
His stats included completing 22 of 35 passes for 284 yards and an interception. But the Chiefs got the win thanks to Mahomes connecting with Albert Wilson on multiple occasions late in the game.
Mahomes added more details about his debut and jitters, saying,
"I mean it wasn't like I was expecting it. You always have to be ready. All season long it's kind of been the same thing, you just got to make sure you're ready to go in any given moment. Coach put me back in and I remember Albert came up to me and was like 'This is what we do, we've practiced it so let's do it.' And I said 'Let's do it,' and he made a ton of plays on that last drive."
Since Patrick Mahomes earned his sea legs, he's taken the NFL by storm. Since 2018, arguably no quarterback has made as much of a consistent impact as Mahomes.
Highest Pass TD/INT ratio since 2018
Aaron Rodgers 8.13
Russell Wilson 4.21
Patrick Mahomes 4.09
Kirk Cousins 3.56
Tom Brady 3.08
*min 40 starts https://t.co/wsidEI6Icl
Mahomes will put his nostalgia aside Sunday as the Chiefs and Broncos battle for first place in the AFC West. But it's fun to see how far he's come in such a short time.
Also Read: Who is Patrick Mahomes' brother, Jackson Mahomes?