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The forgotten hero who drafted Patrick Mahomes despite ridicule to lay foundation of Chiefs dynasty
The Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 NFL Draft. With the benefit of hindsight, we know that it was a stroke of genius as the superstar quarterback prepares to take the field in his fifth Super Bowl. GettyMahomes was not regarded as a slam dunk with the No.10 pick[/caption] But the move was surprisingly controversial at the time with analysts lining up to slate the pick. “Patrick Mahomes, I don’t like it. I do not like this pick,” Shannon Sharpe said on FOX’s Undisputed. Stephen A. Smith claimed Deshaun Watson, who went to the Houston Texans, two picks later was a safer bet. “Just like I said to you [Mitchell] Trubisky doesn’t have the resume that tells me that he’s better than Deshaun Watson,” the ESPN First Take co-host said. “I sure ain’t gonna say that Patrick Mahomes does.” To be fair to Smith, Watson had some good years before he became the $230million weight dragging down the Cleveland Browns franchise. He was right about the Chicago Bears selecting Mitchell Trubisky second overall, though. Hall of Fame ex-Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Cris Carter could be about to watch Mahomes beat his former franchise in the Super Bowl for the second time. “If [Mahomes] is that good, you went over Deshaun Watson, you traded up, but you’ve still got to wait on the cookies – because the cookies ain’t ready yet,” he said on Undisputed in 2017. The man in the firing line was former Chiefs general manager John Dorsey. He was convinced Mahomes was the future and traded the 27th overall pick, a third-round selection in 2017 and a 2018 first-rounder to the Buffalo Bills to jump up to tenth. GettyDorsey helped make the Chiefs what they are today[/caption] View Tweet: https://twitter.com/PatrickMahomes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw It is hard to judge exactly how much capital a team would have to make to trade for the three-time Super Bowl MVP, but it would involve more than two first-round picks. “This is a really good football player,” Dorsey, who is now a senior executive on the Detroit Lions, said at the time. “And I think these types of guys don’t come around that often. “I can see this guy developing into a really-good football player. I’m willing to invest in that type of player, because I believe in his skillset and what he is going to develop into.” Mahomes sat for his first season in Kansas City but was thrown in against a talented Denver Broncos defense in Week 17 after starter Alex Smith had already secured a playoff spot. His performance left no doubt that he was the future of the franchise and signaled the start of Dorsey’s victory lap. By that time, he was already with the Cleveland Browns having left the Chiefs in June 2017 with a 43–21 record and three trips to the postseason in four years. Read More on Super Bowl LIX All you need to know about Super Bowl LIX as Kansas City Chiefs battle Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans Super Bowl LIX ticket prices surge with top seats selling for $20,000 more than last year Taylor Swift just one Chiefs win away from joining legends in rare Super Bowl club Controversial ref call that sent Chiefs to Super Bowl could lead to biggest rule change in NFL history Who is performing the Super Bowl halftime show and who will be singing the National Anthem? Why does Patrick Mahomes wear his helmet so high? FOLLOW – talkSPORT End Zone YouTube Channel brings you all the latest news, views and analysis OFFER – See all Super Bowl odds and bet boosts over at talkSPORT BET BUY HERE – Brewdog launches new beer to celebrate Super Bowl 2025 It meant the 64-year-old did not get to enjoy any of Mahomes’ three Super Bowl victories having laid the foundations with his bold trade. Dorsey joined the Lions in 2021 as a senior personnel executive and has been around for Dan Campbell turning around the franchise. In the time he has been there, Aidan Hutchinson, Penai Sewell, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Brian Branch have all been huge Draft hits. If Detroit continues on its upwards trajectory, he could end up facing the man he drafted in next year’s Super Bowl – is it too early to start talking about a four-peat? The Bills, meanwhile, may well stop trading with the Chiefs during the Draft. After letting Mahomes fall into their AFC rivals’ laps, they traded back to allow head coach Andy Reid to pair speedy wideout Xavier Worthy with the dominant signal-caller in 2024. Buffalo has now lost four times to Mahomes in the playoffs with Josh Allen on a trajectory to being discussed as one of the greatest players never to reach a Super Bowl. Follow our brand new talkSPORT NFL page on Facebook as we bring you all the build-up to the Super Bowl, plus live coverage
The Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 NFL Draft.
With the benefit of hindsight, we know that it was a stroke of genius as the superstar quarterback prepares to take the field in his fifth Super Bowl.
But the move was surprisingly controversial at the time with analysts lining up to slate the pick.
“Patrick Mahomes, I don’t like it. I do not like this pick,” Shannon Sharpe said on FOX’s Undisputed.
Stephen A. Smith claimed Deshaun Watson, who went to the Houston Texans, two picks later was a safer bet.
“Just like I said to you [Mitchell] Trubisky doesn’t have the resume that tells me that he’s better than Deshaun Watson,” the ESPN First Take co-host said. “I sure ain’t gonna say that Patrick Mahomes does.”
To be fair to Smith, Watson had some good years before he became the $230million weight dragging down the Cleveland Browns franchise.
He was right about the Chicago Bears selecting Mitchell Trubisky second overall, though.
Hall of Fame ex-Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Cris Carter could be about to watch Mahomes beat his former franchise in the Super Bowl for the second time.
“If [Mahomes] is that good, you went over Deshaun Watson, you traded up, but you’ve still got to wait on the cookies – because the cookies ain’t ready yet,” he said on Undisputed in 2017.
The man in the firing line was former Chiefs general manager John Dorsey.
He was convinced Mahomes was the future and traded the 27th overall pick, a third-round selection in 2017 and a 2018 first-rounder to the Buffalo Bills to jump up to tenth.
It is hard to judge exactly how much capital a team would have to make to trade for the three-time Super Bowl MVP, but it would involve more than two first-round picks.
“This is a really good football player,” Dorsey, who is now a senior executive on the Detroit Lions, said at the time. “And I think these types of guys don’t come around that often.
“I can see this guy developing into a really-good football player. I’m willing to invest in that type of player, because I believe in his skillset and what he is going to develop into.”
Mahomes sat for his first season in Kansas City but was thrown in against a talented Denver Broncos defense in Week 17 after starter Alex Smith had already secured a playoff spot.
His performance left no doubt that he was the future of the franchise and signaled the start of Dorsey’s victory lap.
By that time, he was already with the Cleveland Browns having left the Chiefs in June 2017 with a 43–21 record and three trips to the postseason in four years.
Read More on Super Bowl LIX
All you need to know about Super Bowl LIX as Kansas City Chiefs battle Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans
Super Bowl LIX ticket prices surge with top seats selling for $20,000 more than last year
Taylor Swift just one Chiefs win away from joining legends in rare Super Bowl club
Controversial ref call that sent Chiefs to Super Bowl could lead to biggest rule change in NFL history
Who is performing the Super Bowl halftime show and who will be singing the National Anthem?
Why does Patrick Mahomes wear his helmet so high?
FOLLOW – talkSPORT End Zone YouTube Channel brings you all the latest news, views and analysis
OFFER – See all Super Bowl odds and bet boosts over at talkSPORT BET
BUY HERE – Brewdog launches new beer to celebrate Super Bowl 2025
It meant the 64-year-old did not get to enjoy any of Mahomes’ three Super Bowl victories having laid the foundations with his bold trade.
Dorsey joined the Lions in 2021 as a senior personnel executive and has been around for Dan Campbell turning around the franchise.
In the time he has been there, Aidan Hutchinson, Penai Sewell, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Brian Branch have all been huge Draft hits.
If Detroit continues on its upwards trajectory, he could end up facing the man he drafted in next year’s Super Bowl – is it too early to start talking about a four-peat?
The Bills, meanwhile, may well stop trading with the Chiefs during the Draft. After letting Mahomes fall into their AFC rivals’ laps, they traded back to allow head coach Andy Reid to pair speedy wideout Xavier Worthy with the dominant signal-caller in 2024.
Buffalo has now lost four times to Mahomes in the playoffs with Josh Allen on a trajectory to being discussed as one of the greatest players never to reach a Super Bowl.
Follow our brand new talkSPORT NFL page on Facebook as we bring you all the build-up to the Super Bowl, plus live coverage
