Patrick Mahomes Was on a ‘Different Cloud,’ Says Steve Smith Sr. After Impressive Week 1 Performance Returning From ACL Tear

Patrick Mahomes threw for two touchdowns and ran in the games first one with an impressive 15-yard scramble.

Patrick Mahomes Was on a ‘Different Cloud,’ Says Steve Smith Sr. After Impressive Week 1 Performance Returning From ACL Tear

Patrick Mahomes (Image via NFL Stats/X)

Not just Kansas City Chiefs fans, but football aficionados in general, expected to see a toned-down version of Patrick Mahomes in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos.

Several factors aided this assumption. To start with, he was just nine months removed from the brutal ACL and MCL tears he suffered last season. Usually, it takes a year of recovery for a professional athlete to get back to full health.

Then there was the fact that the renowned and feared Broncos defense was coming to town. They made life difficult for a lot of quarterbacks last year, and the only indication was that they would do everything to uphold that reputation.

However, all those notions were hit out of the park when Patrick Mahomes proved that his arm talent did not suffer due to a lack of strength in his leg. But they truly vanished from everyone’s minds after watching how he scrambled fearlessly for a touchdown.

He was on a different cloud. That was midseason Patrick Mahomes.

Steve Smith Sr. said on Get Up

The former wide receiver first stated that for any athlete coming off a gruesome injury, the mind tends to push the body to take it easy. That is why most of them take time to get back into rhythm.

But that was not the case with Mahomes. Steve Smith Sr. pointed out that this was a testament to the Texas Tech alum’s incredible mindset, as it allowed him to perform to the best of his abilities instead of taking the easier route. That is how the Chiefs stumped everyone’s predictions.

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Another analyst compares Patrick Mahomes’ mindset to Tom Brady and Muhammad Ali

As a former athlete who was known to elevate himself to an elite standard, Steve Smith Sr. knows what willpower and the right mindset can do. But to an analyst who never played the sport, Patrick Mahomes showed something that only two other legends have.

Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes
Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes (Image via Imago)

He showed us what his superpower is… It’s the same one the guy before him, Tom Brady, had. He’s mentally superior to all the other quarterbacks… He still is clearly the best quarterback in the league regardless of his stats. He wins with willpower.

Chris Broussard said on First Things First

A comparison to Tom Brady may not be out of place, since it is well established by now that if there is any player who can challenge the seven-time Super Bowl winner’s GOAT status, it is Mahomes.

But Broussard went on to add that the Chiefs QB’s performance in Week 1 was reminiscent of the great Muhammad Ali. The legendary boxer was known for using his grit and determination to battle and win even when his body was not at its peak. Patrick Mahomes gave the football world a similar show.

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Patrick Mahomes chuckles at hilarious first touchdown betting reaction video

These reactions prove that the pre-game notion that Patrick Mahomes would struggle was evident across the football spectrum. Even betting sites were confident of winning the battle and saw the odds reach +2000 on him to score the game’s first touchdown.

The video shows a couple of bettors going through the motions as the three-time Super Bowl MVP led his team down the field. On a second-and-goal play at the Broncos’ five-yard line, the duo played Chariots of Fire’s inspirational soundtrack as Mahomes took off towards the goal line.

But they knew it was no good as yellow flags flew immediately. After the ball was brought back to the Broncos’ 15-yard line, they thought their chances were over.

On the very next snap, one of them thought the Broncos were about to sack Mahomes. But as soon as the latter started galloping towards the end zone, their hearts started racing.

One of them took their shirt off the moment the signal caller dived into the end zone. They just won a major bet, and their excitement was evident. No wonder this clip went viral enough to catch Patrick Mahomes’ attention. He simply reacted with laughing emojis, knowing what the two bettors may have experienced watching that drive.

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