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NFL World Mesmerized As Patrick Mahomes Breaks Out Long-Rumored Behind-the-Back Pass
He finally did it.
After years of hearsay, myth and speculation, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw a behind-the-back forward pass in a competitive football game Saturday. He broke out the move in the first quarter of a preseason contest against the Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, and tight end Travis Kelce turned the low throw into a first down.
As you can imagine, the NFL world reacted rationally to this development—which comes on the heels of the Chiefs winning back-to-back Super Bowls, and Mahomes a pair of MVP awards, without the aid of any behind-the-back passes.
MAHOMES BEHIND THE BACK 🚨 pic.twitter.com/DhevID163k
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 17, 2024
ESPN's Bill Barnwell suggested that there may have been a method to Mahomes's madness.
Mahomes putting the behind the back pass on tape during the preseason so teams actually have to worry about it even the tiniest bit during the regular season is just vicious
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) August 17, 2024
Ex-Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce was in awe.
This son of a gun actually did it!! Magic Mahomes
— Jason Kelce (@JasonKelce) August 17, 2024
Former ESPN analyst and NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III compared Mahomes's stylings to those of basketball players.
Patrick Mahomes took that NFL players can’t play in the NBA debate seriously and brought the basketball court to the football field with this BEHIND THE BACK BEAUTY. Don’t compare any QBs to him, he is in A WORLD OF HIS OWN. pic.twitter.com/rbod8t4Fov
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) August 17, 2024
Kevin Clark of ESPN pointed out that Mahomes has long been workshopping the move.
This is what Mahomes told me in his first season as starter about behind the back passes. He’s always been gearing up for the real thing in a real moment. pic.twitter.com/8DsbAMsSpq
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) August 17, 2024
All told, only a quarterback like Mahomes has the ability to turn the preseason into a victory lap.
MAHOMES IS AN ANIMAL…SOMETHING LIKE A GOAT
— Dante' Jones (@Dantej21) August 17, 2024
Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .