Nick Wright is giving a positive spin to Patrick Mahomes’ shocking 4th rank on the NFL Top 100. The news that Tyreek Hill, Lamar Jackson, and Christian McCaffrey outranked the Chiefs’ #15 QB did not impress many experts, including the First Things First host. However, Wright believes Mahomes’ snub is a piece of good news for the Chiefs.
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Even though Mahomes is “bothered” by the rankings, it will help the Chiefs, per the analyst. Wright detailed how Mahomes having an extra chip on the shoulder is not a worrying sign for the Chiefs. He recalled the “nearly flawless” 2022 season:
“That was the last time (2021) he was truly doubted. And I’m not saying he is totally doubted right now. But, there is an extra chip on his shoulder. And I know it bothers him, and I think it helps the Chiefs.”
The 2021 season wasn’t the best time for the Chiefs and Mahomes. However, Mahomes made the comeback for the ages in the very next season. The 28-year-old scored 52 touchdowns and covered an impressive 6,371 yards in the 2022 season, including the playoffs.
With a passer rating of 106.4 and a phenomenal 17-3 record, he won the league MVP and the Super Bowl MVP in the same season.
In other words, Mahomes let his game do the talking and eventually led the Chiefs to back-to-back titles in the next two seasons.
Mahomes’ disappointing 2021 seasons set the stage for his 2022 comeback
He went up against Josh Allen in the divisional round, a game that has been celebrated as one of the greatest playoff matchups in modern NFL history, featuring a thrilling conclusion where both teams combined for 25 points in the final two minutes of regulation.
Despite the Chiefs winning, it is often contested that Allen played much better than Mahomes, giving him the competition of a lifetime. Further, in a shocking upset, Mahomes lost the AFC Championship to Burrow’s Bengals, squandering a 21-3 lead.
To top it all off, the Chiefs lost their star WR and ‘Cheetah’ Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins after the season’s conclusion.
However, the Chiefs QB was still awarded the No. 1 spot on the NFL Top 100 list that year. So, it’s a bit shocking that his rank seems to have fallen three places, coming off of not one, but two consecutive winning seasons.
In an honest reaction, the 2x MVP took a measured stance on the shocking rankings:
“It is what it is. At the end of the day, all I can do is go out there and play the sport that I love. The rankings are the rankings.”
Notably, his Super Bowl success indicates that Mahomes can turn the tides when the odds are against his favor. Analysts like Wright and fans would hope for a similar strategy from him in the 2024 season.
