Current NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes is the poster boy of the league. After all, guiding one’s unit to three Super Bowls in 6 years is not an easy task to accomplish. However, what really makes him different from most other quarterbacks of his generation is the fact that he never shies away from taking accountability for his own actions. Even before getting drafted into the NFL, Mahomes, who was one of the most talented prospects at that time, had absorbed the points highlighted by his critics instead of lashing out at them.
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For a young college quarterback who earned quite a reputation before even registering for the NFL draft, Patrick could have easily lashed out at his critics after getting roped in by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017. However, after getting drafted, the champion player took the high road and decided to respond to the haters by writing an open letter.
Patrick Mahomes’ post draft letter is relevant even today
Right from raising questions about his footwork, to calling him inconsistent and indisciplined, innumerable critics left no stone unturned when it came to undermining Patrick’s ability. Replying to all of them through his open letter, the number 10 overall pick from the 2017 draft had stated that he is ready to work as hard as he can on whatever blemish the critics find in his plays.
“Everything that critics want to knock me on, I know I can fix with hard work,” Mahomes wrote in the letter, as per CBSSports. “I am not a project quarterback. People who say that aren’t really watching my tape. I know that I can make any throw, especially when my team needs a big play.”
The superstar quarterback had gone on to highlight the fact that like every other human being, he is also going to commit mistakes. Like every other sports person, he will go through the highs and lows but will also work as hard as he can on minimizing the errors. “I won’t win every single game I play during my career. I won’t retire with a perfect passer rating or zero career interceptions. But I’ll try as hard as anybody,” Patrick had added.
Zach Wilson can learn a lot from Patrick Mahomes
When it comes to taking accountability for one’s actions, Patrick’s name surely comes at the top of the list. It is one of the biggest reasons why he is currently the most successful active QB in the competition. Someone who can learn a lot from Mahomes in this regard is young Jets QB Zach Wilson.
Zach had a disastrous 2022 season. Even then, the franchise was willing to give him an extended run, just to bring a sense of confidence in him. However, after an embarrassing loss against the Patriots last year where he clearly failed to do anything substantial, Wilson’s response when enquired if the team’s offense let the defense down was an arrogant “No.”
This response earned him widespread criticism and while Zach soon apologized for his mistake, it was a bit too late by then. Rumors about his own mates not liking his attitude started spreading and soon he was benched. Now when he has someone like Aaron leading the way for him, it will be interesting to see how Zach performs whenever he gets the chance to.
