3 reasons Patrick Mahomes will repeat as MVP in 2019
By Kevin Scott
Processing Brilliance
Lest we forget, Mahomes is 23 years old. After only one year of tutoring with Andy Reid and Alex Smith, Mahomes was ready to take over and excel in one of the most mentally taxing roles in all of sports.
On any given play, he must know what every one of his teammates is doing – linemen, running backs, tight ends, receivers – all at the same time. Not only that, but he must know what the defense is most likely to do, and change the protections if he thinks they may change to a new look post-snap. Then, if he didn’t anticipate pre-snap what was actually going to happen and the defense surprises him, he has to adjust on the fly and choose an alternate course, often in less than a second.
Most young quarterbacks struggle mentally, even if they are up to the task physically. Mahomes not only did not shrink as the season went on, but got smarter, even with the defenses throwing increasingly complex looks at him.
To be blunt, Mahomes is brilliant. His brain and the way the game is processed through it allows for his incredible physical talent to shine through. In that way, Kansas City shouldn’t have any worries about him regressing in his second year as a starter.