We’re not even two full weeks through the NFL preseason and, already, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have created a memorable highlight by total accident.
Let’s set the stage: On a third-and-3 situation in the first quarter of Saturday’s preseason exhibition against the Detroit Lions, Mahomes faked a handoff, scrambled to his right, and then – as if he were Magic Johnson – threw the football behind his back for a short completion to Kelce, who gained more than enough for a first down.
It seemed like a play that only these two – the stars of an offense that have helped the Chiefs win three Super Bowls – could pull off.
Here’s the play:
MAHOMES BEHIND THE BACK 🫢
📺: #DETvsKC on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/eewdYOpS8c— NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2024
But wait, there’s more. Mahomes later told the broadcast team that the play was totally improvised, and really only happened because he was mad at Kelce for not running the correct route.
“I was pissed off at Travis. He was supposed to run a flat… I’m yelling at him… So, out of spite, I threw a behind the back pass, but now it’s going to be a highlight.”
Indeed, it is. Here’s Mahomes’ full quote:
“So, out of spite, I threw a behind-the-back pass, but now it’s gonna be a highlight.”
Patrick Mahomes’ quotes somehow make this even better. https://t.co/O0nvslU78c pic.twitter.com/06Vghrf6p3
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 17, 2024
When Kelce got wind of this, he responded in a predictable but hilarious way, by first making fun of the way his quarterback talks.
Travis Kelce's retort: "You know he's got the voice thing (imitates Kermit the Frog) so he kinda mumbled out the play and I couldn't hear it I was walking up to the line I was like trying to decipher what he was saying" https://t.co/mFp24wNt3t pic.twitter.com/o4IOC0L97g
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) August 17, 2024
“He’s got the voice thing… So, he kind of mumbled out the play. I couldn’t hear it… Right place at the right time.”
If there’s anything to be gleaned here, perhaps it’s just another example of the duo’s greatness – that Mahomes and Kelce are so good that they can improvise a first down while mildly mad at each other.
