After getting drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2017 NFL Draft, the star quarterback Patrick Mahomes didn’t have to look back and he now looks all set to ink his name as the next NFL GOAT following the retirement of the New England Patriots legendary QB Tom Brady.
However, little did anyone know that the acquisition of Mahomes was the result of an accidental scouting discovery made by none other than the Chiefs’ General Manager Brett Veach, leading to one of the most fortuitous picks in national football history.
Brett Veach’s awestruck reaction to Patrick Mahomes
Following an NFL Combine of 2022, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid dropped a bomb saying Veach, then the Chiefs director of player personnel, was among the first to believe in Pat’s caliber and potential in the NFL and credited their current GM for bringing the perfect fit in the franchise.
“Brett was pushing us with this guy forever, he was wearing John and I out with this quarterback, from the time the kid was a freshman on up through,” Reid said. “So we had tape, he’d lay tape on our desk, and we’d go through it and look at it and go, ‘Yeah, he’s good but he’s got another year or two left before he’s gonna be eligible to come out.”
The HC recalled how Brett, before being promoted to general manager, was insisting he has a deep look at the young QB.
"When in the evaluation process did you see @PatrickMahomes and go, 'that's the guy'?" – @richeisen
Andy Reid is here to let you know it was years before he was drafted 👀 pic.twitter.com/OYPQwCkB9G
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 4, 2022
“He was down on the field before one of the games scouting him at Texas Tech and he goes, ‘You’re not going to believe this quarterback. This guy is unbelievable, like the best I’ve ever seen. So you know, when somebody tells you that, that has the experience Brett has, you better look at him,” he said.
The inside story of the remarkable beginning of ‘Bronze’s stardom
Arguably Patrick is the best quarterback in the league now with his electrifying playing style, combined with his exceptional throwing ability and decision-making skills, earning him multiple accolades at such a young age, hence, it’s worth visiting how Mahomes headed to his successful journey in the NFL.
The glorious journey started as Kansas City traded two first-round picks and a third-round pick to move up to the 10th spot in the 2017 draft to pick their Super Bowl champion, however, they waited a season to introduce arguably their biggest weapon on the national football field.
The 27-year-old had declared for the draft following his junior season and the Chiefs GM Southern California to scout prospects where he became spellbound by the QB.
Besides Veach, Mahomes agent Leigh Steinberg’s partner Chris Cabott was amused by the young star’s performance and revealed calling a member of his agency’s board to say he had just witnessed the best QB in the 2017 NFL Draft.
He also assured the Kansas City general manager of the potential of the now millionaire quarterback to be picked in the initial phase of the Draft and after that, neither the defending champion nor their franchise QB had to look back.
Veach’s accidental scouting mission along with Cabott’s projection and Steinberg’s support will be recalled as the golden moment the Chiefs found their ticket to gridiron greatness.
