Patrick Mahomes spent most of his rookie 2017 season with a baseball cap on his head and a clipboard in his hand. Overnight he became the offensive leader for a team under immense pressure going into 2018. With Alex Smith traded to the Redskins, Mahomes is the new starting quarterback of the Chiefs. After playing only played in Week 17, he takes the reins of a team that went 33-15 the past three seasons, only to flop in the playoffs.
Mahomes, the No. 10 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, did impress in the preseason, going 34-54 for 390 yards and four touchdowns. Agent Leigh Steinberg, the inspiration for Jerry Maguire, recognized Mahomes talent at Texas Tech and has been his agent since he entered the draft.
"Well, first of all, Alex Smith was very kind to Patrick," Steinberg says. "Unlike other quarterbacks who view it as competition, Patrick feels some sadness because he enjoys the relationship. He had a redshirt year this year, which I think is fine."
Mahomes' family background can help him weather the pressure of taking on the starting role. His father, Pat, was a pitcher for the Twins, Red Sox, Mets, Rangers, Cubs and Pirates.
"I really think that having the opportunity to not get out there and play immediately is a positive," Steinberg says. "I can't think of a player who's really more ready at his age to play because of his background, because his father was a major league pitcher for 12 years, because his godfather LaTroy Hawkins pitched for 20 years. He grew up around the athletic world, knowing what it takes in terms of discipline, hard work, education. He also got a sense -- his father's a relief pitcher, so the only way to make it out of that is to have the right balance, so I think he learned that too. He's got the right temperament to go in and be differential to the people he needs to and lead the people he needs to.
"I think that's the absolute best situation to go into because he will not have to struggle behind a terrible line with no running game and without the wide receivers. And he has a superb coach in Andy Reid, who's sort of a quarterback whisper."
Smith made the Pro Bowl three times in five seasons, including the past two, with Kansas City. His 104.7 passer rating was the highest in the NFL in 2017. But it all was not enough to keep Smith with the Chiefs.
Now, it's Mahomes chance. For what it's worth, Mahomes was selected in the 37th round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Tigers, but he chose to pursue football instead.
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