Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is best known for terrorizing opponents through the air. But the reigning NFL MVP has also been an efficient scrambler over the years. He revealed this week that his “secret” to rushing success lies mostly in opponents’ inability to read his running style, suggesting “people think I’m slow” because of the way he moves.
“I think I’ve gotten better, (using) the right form, and faster, as I’ve been in the NFL,” Mahomes told reporters. “But it doesn’t look the prettiest, so I think people think I’m slow. I think it’s kinda deceptive. Sometimes I think the defense takes bad angles because they think they’re gonna catch me faster than they do. So maybe that’s the secret to my speed is that I run not the way everybody else runs.”
Patrick Mahomes on his running style:
“People think I’m slow. I think it’s kind of deceptive. I think the defense takes bad angles” pic.twitter.com/ULTtPfSNN5
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) February 7, 2024
While Mahomes doesn’t match some of the game’s best dual threats in rushing production, he’s often used his legs to convert key downs during his historic run as the Chiefs’ starter. Preparing for his fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years, aiming for a third ring against the San Francisco 49ers, the 28-year-old all-star ran for a career-high 389 yards in 2023, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. He’s eclipsed five yards per rush in each of his last five seasons, topping 300 yards in his last four.
