The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback in the American National Football League (NFL) has captured my attention and is arguably the most watchable footballer on the planet.
When he was injured recently, I felt no need to watch his team and awaited his return. So yes, I am a Patrick Mahomes fan, not a Kansas City Chiefs supporter.
Being a former rugby half-back I feel familiarity with the quarterback role and see the similarities in the position.
The linkman between the tough, bruising forwards and the touchdown/try scoring backs.
So, one day whilst watching the NFL I noticed this guy Mahomes who played the game differently to other quarterbacks.
Not just unorthodox, but brilliant and the utmost confidence to try anything. I was an immediate fan and determined I would watch every game he played in and enjoy the brilliance.
Mahomes accomplished a lot in his first year as an NFL player. He became just the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns and led the Chiefs to the top seed in the AFC and won league MVP.
In his matchups with Tom Brady the legendary New England Patriots quarterback, I wondered if it would be a case of the master versus the apprentice.
But Mahomes showed he has the ability and temperament to compete with Brady and maybe one day be remembered as the GOAT.
Patrick Mahomes was born in 1995 and is the son of former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher Pat Mahomes. He could well have had a career in baseball, but before the 2016 season he made the decision to concentrate fully on his NFL career.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
So how does Mahomes rank with other emerging football stars on the world sporting stage?
In rugby Joe Cokanasiga, Herschel Jantjies and Romain Ntamack are the nominees for the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year 2019. Those names are not internationally recognised just yet.
Players who were stars at the Rugby World Cup included Antoine Dupont, Cheslin Kolbe, Faf De Klerk, Maro Itoje, Pieter- Steph Du Toit, Sam Underhill and Tom Curry. Good players but not with the same excitement and X factor as Patrick Mahomes.
With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the twilight of their careers there are several younger soccer (football) players waiting in the wings.
Soccer is a global game played by huge numbers, therefore there are several rising stars. These include Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, Kang-In Lee, Kylian Mbappe and Mohammad Salah.
To compare to an NFL player is difficult, but in my opinion a quarterback has a great deal more decision making and responsibility than those players named. The quarterback is the conductor of the team and orchestrates all the moves. Mahomes is still ahead!
Payne Haas, Briton Nikora, Maika Sivo, Bronson Xerri, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Reuben Garrick were voted as finalists for The Players’ Champion Rookie of the Year in the Australian National Rugby League (NRL).
These players were selected by their peers. But the one player who would compete with Patrick Mahomes for his superstar potential is one Kaylyn Ponga from the Newcastle Knights.
Both Mahomes and Ponga have that undefined quality that draws people to them. Call it X factor or charisma but it is something magical about the player.
Ponga has the brilliance to be a great player but has stiff competition in his position and needs to develop his consistency to advance further. Patrick Mahomes is already showing the consistency needed at the elite level.
Not being an Australian Football League (AFL) expert I am relying on research to help me out here! The players who appear to be up and coming stars are as follows, Sam Walsh, Bailey Smith, Darcy Fogarty, Patrick Cripps, Marcus Bontempelli, Josh Kelly, Charlie Curnow and Hugh McCluggage.
Do any of them though, have that secret ingredient that makes them a superstar like Patrick Mahomes?
I have compared Patrick Mahomes to other rising stars of the other football codes, rugby union, soccer (football), rugby league and AFL.
Apart from Kaylyn Ponga there does not appear to be anyone else who competes with Mahomes for potential superstar status. The Jonah Lomu X factor which attracts fans to come and watch the one player.
Kalyn Ponga (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
I appreciate that people will say how can you compare the different codes but it is more about what they bring to their respective code.
If you agree or disagree with this article watch out for the name Patrick Mahomes anyway and follow what he accomplishes, it could be special.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Well Mahomes was the best QB this weekend in the post season playoff matches. Whilst Lamar Jackson was throwing intercepts, fumbles and mucking up 4th down plays, ensuring the short priced favourites the Ravens of making an early exit from the competition, Mahomes was turning around 0-24 deficit in the 2nd quarter against the Texans, to a record breaking 28-24 halftime lead , and finishing with 5 TD passes and a 51-31 final score to clinch a home AFC Conference Championship spot for the Chiefs next week . Desean Watson was also excellent for the Texans, but they just couldn't match Mahomes and the Chiefs offence.
Jeansyjive
Roar Rookie
Mahomes wasn't even the best quarterback this season. He is good though. Have you watched much Lamar Jackson? Desean Watson another to watch, his play to setup the winning field goal yesterday for the Texans was supreme.
Phillip HAYDEN
Guest
Have to Agree. I started watching NFL in 2017. Originally turned off by the rule complexity and the stop-start nature of the game but became intrigued by watching the competing skills and style of Tom Brady and Pat Mahomes. Americans, of course, are more sports-mad than Aussies ( if that's possible) and I was interested to see why NFL rated number one. To cut to the chase Mahomes is the most skillful and complete NFL player I have watched. It doesn't mean he can win the Super Bowl on his own, and it seems that plenty of great QBs have missed out, but this year he is looking Good. Go the Chiefs.
Bernie Vinson
Guest
Mahomes is good but its early in his career and comparisons across sports? A slightly related question - I know the NFL originated from colleges "brawls" and rugby for want of a better word but when they bought in the forward pass for safety to open up the game why did they only allow one forward pass - was it to not change the game too much as multi forward passes would make it a mix of AFL/Gaelic/basketball or was there a safety aspect as well or would the style of player have to change to keep up - The 150kilo monsters would be largely redundant or would have been too strenuous? I have done some research but cant find an answer..
max power
Guest
why not compare with tennis or water polo? they are as close to soccer as NFL?
R2k
Guest
I agree. Comparing across sports doesn’t really work in this case specifically with the idea of a ‘rising star’. While Mahomes is an amazing player but it is his third year in the nfl. That’s after playing several years at ncaa level. You would struggle to compare different kinds of sports at all but especially to the likes of nrl and afl who are playing first team reps in their teens. Also in many of these cases you’re comparing apples and oranges. A qb is essentially a half in league and union or maybe an elite midfielder in afl. Constantly touching the ball and responsible for making plays. Mario Itoje for example is a solid player and would be better linked to a tight end or linebacker for example in both size and types of impact on the game. A very good one too - maybe a Kittle or a Leonard. Also, Mahomes is considered elite now but that’s also a mark of the system he’s playing in and the team around him. I’m sure he couldn’t lead Miami to a playoff run with their team this year but he could lead squads like the Raiders and the Steelers to a late playoff birth. I think the best comparison for him in a different sport may be the likes of a Beauden Barrett (although I can certainly agree with you on Ponga). Amazing player, young but still certainly has flaws that could be exploited by the right opposition - see the colts game earlier this year. The wrong opposition attempting to exploit those flaws end up on a 400 yd 3 td game. Even as an X-factor I would argue in his second year Lamar Jackson is overtaking Mahomes as that type of player. Let’s hope Mahomes lasts out the remainder of his madden curse and goes on to play well against every team that isn’t mine. His MVP season was a joy with Hill, Kelce and Watkins but I’ll be interested to see how his no doubt soon to be massive extension will affect the chiefs in the long run especially in regards to the strength of his o-line and receiving corps. Anyways food for thought. Enjoyed your take.