Patrick Mahomes pays tribute to Mike Leach after unfortunate passing

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes pays tribute to Mike Leach after the longtime head coach passed away from complications with a heart attack.

While their time at Texas Tech University didn’t exactly line up, one can see the influence Mike Leach’s offseason had on Patrick Mahomes, the former Red Raider and now-Chiefs All-Pro signal caller.

Leach passed away on Monday night due to complications from a heart attack he suffered over the weekend in Starkville. He was only 61. The University put out a statement mourning his loss with the college football community.

"“Coach Mike Leach cast a tremendous shadow not just over Mississippi State University, but over the entire college football landscape. His innovative “Air Raid” offense changed the game. Mike’s keen intellect and unvarnished candor made him one of the nation’s true coaching legends. His passing brings great sadness to our university, to the Southeastern Conference, and to all who loved college football. I will miss Mike’s profound curiosity, his honesty, and his wide-open approach to pursuing excellence in all things,” said Mississippi State President Mark E. Keenum."

Patrick Mahomes mourns death of coach Mike Leach

Mike Leach left Texas Tech by 2009 and took his talents to Wazzu three seasons later. Patrick Mahomes wasn’t in the picture until 2014, when he worked with then-head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who served as an extension of the offense Leach left behind.

It was in that offense which Mahomes eventually became the innovative, creative quarterback we all know and love with the Kansas City Chiefs. Professional quarterbacks have many influences, whether they know it or not, and somewhere down the line Leach did have an impact on No. 15.

Mahomes was gracious in his social media post, and was far from the only player to chime in on Leach’s passing.

There will never be another Pirate. We hope Mike Leach is sailing the high seas somewhere today.