Chiefs QB’s: From 36,000 Feet

I’d like to introduce you to our newest writer here at ArrowheadOne, John Lovelace, who currently lives in Atlanta GA. John has been married 14 years now to his beautiful wife and they have two boys, ages 8 and 11. John grew up in Orlando FL where he spent the first 30 years of his life. He graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach FL and is a commercial airline pilot with a passion for both, flying, and the Kansas City Chiefs. His passion for the Chiefs started near the beginning of the Marty Schottenheimer era. John shared with me that as a fun and proud accomplishment, he was also a 3rd place finisher in the 2014 FanDuel Fantasy Football Championship. Please help me give a warm welcome to John Lovelace!

–Editor, Laddie Morse

Chiefs QB’s: From 36,000 Feet – by John Lovelace – Flying along at 36,000 feet, I monitor the aircraft gauges and I’m frequently reminded that there isn’t much room for “grey” up here. Sure, procedures change on occasion. After very in-depth studies, they occasionally find more productive, valuable and inclusive ways to bring the dynamic of the flight deck together. By and large though, aircraft operation is a process that doesn’t change much and works best, “by the book.”

I became a Chiefs fan during the gritty, dirty tough, Steve DeBerg era. A traditional quarterback by all rights but you could feel the passion, and pain he played with. That passion, and Marty Schottenheimer’s heart, is what made me a Chiefs fan for life!

Joe Montana was a traditional quarterback in the sense that he played the game physically, by the book. His stature, build, and arm strength as a QB were limited enough to make him a 3rd round draft pick. Yet I don’t believe many would argue against Joe being an extremely exceptional quarterback. Montana could see the field with, if not better, than the very best of them. This ability helped him earn the moniker of “Joe Cool,” because with this vision and his knowledge of the game, he could manipulate and dictate under nearly any circumstance. On the backside of his career in Kansas City however, we didn’t get to experience the full Montana Magic. The Denver Broncos may disagree with this however. He was still more than capable enough to lead our Chiefs deep into the playoffs, and had he not been injured, who knows what that 1993 season had in store for us.

Rich Gannon was my first personal experience with a QB (for our Chiefs at least) who had a different type of spark to him. He could create and manufacture things that weren’t normally expected from a traditional quarterback. I will always wonder what that 1997 season might have been, had Marty Schottenheimer decided to stick with Gannon against the Broncos in the playoffs. I do understand why Elvis Grbac was given the nod after coming back from injury, and I’d bet if Schottenheimer had to make that same decision again, it would still be Grbac. (Ha! You thought I was gonna say Gannon didn’t you!) We can laugh and complain about it now in hindsight, but with Marty Schottenheimer, it was always going to be the polished, traditional quarterback over the older journeyman question mark.

Boy, oh boy, Trent Green was swell! I had so much fun watching Opie Taylor man the helm of, to this point in time, the greatest offense that the Kansas City Chiefs had ever produced. I promise I don’t mean to slight Mr. Green by calling him Opie, (let’s face it, Opie could likely tear me apart) he always had a very wholesome Ron Howard, Andy Griffith Show, feel to him in my eyes. Make no mistake though, and by every sense of the word, Trent Green was quarterback tradition to a T. The timing, the anticipation, and amazingly, he had a knack for moving in the pocket just enough to avoid a sack. May it be a small sidestep, a shoulder turned just enough to shed a grasping hand, even ducking under a would be tackler as they slide over top of him and out of the play. Trent Green had fantastic pocket presence, even if he did have the benefit of one of the best offensive lines to ever play the game.

There were a multitude of quarterbacks after Trent Green. None particularly of note and many I’d like to outright forget if I could. Until Alex Smith of course. Former 49er first overall draft pick is truly next for our Chiefs, and while still playing, (for now) I’ll reserve my personal take on his playing career in KC. Regardless of my opinion of Alex Smith, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, I’m not sure you’ll find a single person who would question Alex Smith, the man, and I’ll leave it at that.

This is where things tend to cloud over: Patrick Mahomes II. I’d be remiss if I didn’t confess that I dreamed of this quarterback my entire 30+ years of Chiefs fandom. Starting from a purely physical standpoint, Patrick Mahomes talent is undeniable. The arm strength alone is matched by very few playing the game today.

Highly criticized for his footwork and off platform throws in college, Mahomes was simply expanding, quite possibly redefining, the very definition of the quarterback position as a whole. The multitude of arm angles have almost become the norm for the expectations of Patrick, and that seems a bit unfair. The absolute brilliance of some of these throws are almost downplayed, overlooked even at times, by fans and critics. Very few quarterbacks have succeeded, even been given the opportunity to play at the National Football League level with the unconventional style that Patrick Mahomes displays.

Mahomes, the sneaky scrambler, doesn’t break any new ground. There have been, and there are those that can claim a firm grasp of this concept, and yet Patrick brings his own very cerebral aspect that just adds to his bevy of skills. The half steps to make defenders question his true intentions, and his extremely rare inability to actually slide properly (keep in mind, Mahomes was literally drafted by Major League Baseballs’ Detroit Tigers) are quite endearing, and undeniably effective.

Pocket presence, the sixth sense of the quarterback, is as much an asset for Mahomes as it seems can sometimes be a detriment to the offensive line. There is no denying the effectiveness that Mahomes operates within the pocket. This was even measured by the ESPN Sport Science feature Mahomes took part in prior to being drafted.

Somehow, the gift Patrick has, being able to focus downfield while evading the pass rush inside the pocket, is almost as impressive as this very same ability once forced to create space and successful outcome, outside of the pocket.

The Mind of Mahomes is simply uncanny. It’s rumored, or speculated, that he has a photographic memory, often supported by his recognition of defensive fronts that he recalls being rarely used, but often navigated successfully when faced with them after a time. You may ask, aren’t most quarterbacks able to recognize defenses and put their team in a position to succeed? The answer is decidedly “not most,” but the majority of your very experienced, superstar quarterbacks, I would certainly agree. We are talking about a 25-year old quarterback here. After just 3 seasons of playing time, Patrick Mahomes II is not the savvy, grizzled vet, he’s just entering his prime! It’s not only his memory that deserves recognition, his mid-play recognition, and calculated decision making, often seem to leave us hanging on edge with anticipation. Progressing through reads, looking off defenders, and leading receivers through possessions that even they are stunned by. Budding football genius at a level we have all been taken surprise by at one time or another already in Mahomes brief career, even by the most adamant of skeptics. Here’s Mahomes Top Ten throws before this season:

Last, but I am most certain not least, Patrick Mahomes is subtly an ultra competitive man. Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, stand at the pinnacle as the most competitive American sportsmen, recognized across the globe. There are so many more, and I mean no disrespect to any of them of course. Yet with a long healthy career in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes II could easily join these two. Mahomes was selected 10th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. He reminded the world of this on December 23rd 2019, Primetime NBC against the Chicago Bears and the only quarterback to be selected before him in 2017, Mitchell Trubisky.

I’ll leave you with this final thought: Patrick Mahomes is never disrespectful, refuses to place blame anywhere but upon himself, and has always portrayed himself as the consummate professional, teammate, and just plain good-hearted human being. I am admittedly a Kansas City Chiefs fan and therefore I am biased when it comes to Mahomes and my Chiefs, but even from my bird’s eye view, I realize I would have to be Chuck Yeager and Sully Sullenberger wrapped into one, to even be comparable at my craft… to young Patrick Lavon Mahomes II.

John Lovelace — ArrowheadOne

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