Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes explains exactly why putting Travis Kelce in the pocket could have him acting out of pocket.
Being a truly great quarterback in the NFL takes more than mechanics and talent. Traits such as leadership, confidence, quick-thinking and patience are a few common denominators in every Hall of Fame career.
If anyone knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level, it’s Patrick Mahomes, an early NFL MVP favorite in 2022 who’s leading the Chiefs to yet another playoff berth.
And when it comes to scouting his teammates, Mahomes has a good eye for who could and could not do what he does so effortlessly. Even though Travis Kelce has been a necessary component in the Chiefs offense for years, he apparently doesn’t have what it takes to be quarterback.
During the latest episode of the Kelce Brothers’ “New Heights” podcast, Jason and Travis sat down with Mahomes and discussed the possibility of seeing Travis under center at Arrowhead. Even Travis himself laughed at the idea of trying out his arm at Mahomes’ role.
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Jason asked Mahomes point-blank if he thought Travis could have ever played quarterback in the NFL. Without hesitation, Mahomes swiftly said no, and the three erupted in laughter.
“You’re not the only one, dawg,” Travis agreed.
Patrick Mahomes explains why Travis Kelce would never make it as an NFL quarterback
At this point, Mahomes and Kelce know each other inside and out, evidenced by their on-field connection over the past several seasons. When Mahomes laughed at the idea of Travis playing quarterback, it wasn’t a critique: it was an honest assessment of Travis’ tendency to be a little impatient.
“I think he has the physical talent to play quarterback in the NFL, but like he says, there’s those times where he kind of blacks out—” Mahomes said.
“No patience, man, no patience,” Kelce said before Mahomes finished his sentence, an ironic example of Kelce’s aforementioned haste.
“If you’ve ever played Travis in ping pong, you know why he can’t play quarterback,” Mahomes continued.
Kelce then went on to reaffirm Mahomes’ inclination. When facing the New York Giants in 2017, Kelce managed to get the ball in his hands. Unfortunately, Kelce actually threw a pick as a result of forcing the ball to the receiver on a route he was explicitly told not to target.
“I’ve thrown a pick before, unfortunately,” Kelce laughed. “I couldn’t even look Coach Reid in the eyes.”
“It was my only chance to throw the football in the National Football League,” Kelce said wistfully, motioning his arm to throw an imaginary football.
For any Chiefs fans wondering why Andy Reid’s creative play-calling hasn’t featured Kelce as a temporary quarterback, Mahomes and Kelce himself spell it out loud and clear: Kelce’s going for the deep ball no matter what.