The big, downfield throws and behind-the-back passes tend to steal the spotlight when it comes to discussing the quarterbacking abilities of Patrick Mahomes. However, his ability to discern when and where not to throw the ball is just as, if not more, important than his ability to complete a 40+ yard pass.
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Through the first eight years of his career, the pride and joy of the Kansas City Chiefs has managed an interception percentage of just 18%, placing him in a tie with the likes of Joe Burrow, Russell Wilson, and even Tom Brady himself, for the fifth-lowest percentage in NFL history.
Heading into 2025, he’ll need to complete 182 turnover-free passes in order to break away from his contemporaries and challenge Tyrod Taylor for the fourth-lowest interception percentage in NFL history.
Mahomes is coming off a season in which he threw 11 interceptions, and he’s thrown a total of 50 interceptions since the start of the 2021 season. So while he certainly needs to improve upon his numbers from the last few seasons, his historically low interception percentages from the 2019 and 2020 seasons will help to keep him towards the top of the rankings for at least a little while longer.
Given his propensity for winning, there’s no point in saying that this feat is unachievable for Mahomes. While his recent form may not necessarily be inspiring, his accolades and overall pedigree suggest that he can easily return to the league-leading percentages that he showcased in 2020 while throwing for 4,740 passing yards.
A chance for Mahomes to climb even higher
It’s also worth noting that Mahomes has the possibility to climb even higher on the rankings as his division rival, Justin Herbert, currently has the third-lowest career interception percentage at 1.5%. Should the Los Angeles QB regress in any capacity, that would leave the door open for Mahomes to potentially claim the third-overall spot on the all-time rankings.
Considering that the two of them will square off on no less than two occasions this year, Mahomes may be inclined to treat Kansas City’s secondary unit to a nice steak dinner before each of those contests. Of course, he’ll still have to do his part in completing those 182 turnover-free passes as well.
The lopsided loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LIX has shaken the public’s trust in the Chiefs. Despite having appeared in five of the last six Super Bowls, Mahomes and co. are seeing more doubters now than ever before.
But then again, the noise didn’t bother the Chiefs throughout their pursuit of a historic championship three-peat, and it likely doesn’t bother them now. If anything, it’s only adding fuel to the fire.
