Patrick Mahomes Takes Blame for Costly Incompletion on Deep Pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Mahomes said he could’ve thrown the ball “a little bit shorter.”

Patrick Mahomes addressed reporters after the Chiefs’ disappointing loss to the Eagles on Monday night, and he was asked about wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s costly drop late in the fourth quarter of the game.

Valdez-Scantling’s drop effectively erased a 51-yard touchdown pass, which would’ve seen Kansas City take the lead with less than two minutes left in the game. Despite a painful missed opportunity, Mahomes refused to throw his teammate under the bus. 

Rather than put any blame for the mishap on Valdez-Scantling, which Mahomes would probably have been justified in doing, the quarterback took accountability for the play, suggesting he could’ve thrown the ball a bit shorter.

“We just didn’t come away with the ball. I could probably throw the ball a little bit shorter. He was that wide open,” said Mahomes of the play in his postgame press conference. “You just gotta continue to try and get better and better...”

Wow, Patrick Mahomes literally took blame for marquez valdes-scantling’s drop. This dude is 1 of 1 on and off the field!

“I could probably have thrown it a little bit shorter…” #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/1Qgr5w1RVs

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) November 21, 2023

 Chiefs receivers lead the NFL in drops this season, and despite his throw being well within the reach of Valdes-Scantling, Mahomes took ownership for the shortcomings on the play, suggesting he could’ve put the ball even closer to his target.

Mahomes completed 24-of-43 passes for 177 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in Monday’s loss. It marked the third consecutive game in which Kansas City has failed to score a single point in the second half. The Chiefs are now averaging an NFL-worst 5.3 points per game in the second half.