Reflecting on Patrick Mahomes' first NFL preseason

When Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes appeared in his first preseason game back in 2017, he wasn’t the first signal-caller to take the field. Andy Reid got Alex Smith a series of work, but then Tyler Bray took the second shift. After all, Bray was listed ahead of Mahomes on the depth chart.

The rookie quarterback bided his time, and with just over six minutes left to go in the first half against the 49ers in preseason Week 1, Mahomes got his first opportunity. His first pass was a 41-yard completion that got called back on a holding penalty. He’d then get a four-yard competition and was sacked twice. After halftime, Mahomes went back out and after a blocked punt, he threw for the only touchdown of the day by a quarterback.

The coaching staff had seen Mahomes make all of these dynamic plays during practice, but it was also just practice. When they got to the preseason and Mahomes continued to make plays, it was a significant landmark.

“Yeah (Patrick) Pat’s (Mahomes) first preseason, I remember a throw he made throwing to the right,” Chiefs OC Matt Nagy told reporters. “It was broken down, (he) scrambled to his right and ended up throwing one to Demarcus Robinson to the right. I remember seeing the guys on the sideline go crazy. We were seeing that in training camp, so to be able to see (it) in the preseason game – everyone always says, ‘Well, it’s not the regular season, it’s the preseason,’ but for us that was pretty special to see. There was another play before that where we had a post route, I think he hit Demarcus (Robinson) as well. We always teach guys top-down with the post alerts. Patrick (Mahomes) did it from day one, so it was neat to see.”



Mahomes wasn’t just throwing to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce on every play either — that was reserved for Smith. He was connecting with guys like Demarcus Robinson, DeAnthony Thomas, Ross Travis, Jehu Chesson, Gehrig Dieter, and others. He was showing these glimpses of what he could be — and when you look back now you wonder how many didn’t recognize it sooner.

Skyy Moore didn’t exactly have the standout rookie season that many had hoped he would. Andy Reid’s scheme is notorious for being difficult on young receivers and it was for Moore. Now, the second-year wideout is one of those making sure that it’s a bit easier on his new rookie counterpart, Rashee Rice.

“Yeah, you know just any questions that (Rashee Rice) has, be able to answer to them, be available for him,” Moore said. “He’s a guy that I hang out with off the field, so it’s been an easy transition.”



Hopefully, Rice’s transition from college goes smoothly. It certainly should with Moore on his side.