Patrick Mahomes Reacts After NFL Network Dismisses His Combine Request

Highlights

• Patrick Mahomes ran a 4.80 40-yard dash in 2017, but his speed does not define his abilities.
• Despite his 4.80 time, Mahomes is an effective postseason runner with 534 yards and five touchdowns.
• The average quarterback’s 40-yard dash time is 4.81, showcasing that speed isn’t always crucial for QB success.

Considering Patrick Mahomes has solidified himself as the league standard at the quarterback position, it’s no surprise that NFL Network continues to use an overlay of the two-time MVP’s 40-yard dash when breaking down current prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Mahomes, who clocked a rather unimpressive 4.80 in the 40-yard dash back in 2017, took to social media to jokingly ask the network to refrain from using his overlay. While Mahomes might not be the proudest of his 40-yard dash time, this interaction on X serves as a reminder that NFL Combine results aren’t an end-all-be-all.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback then followed up with a classic gif response, amplifying his humorous interaction with the NFL. Although it’s all fun and games on social media, Mahomes has done more than enough to prove himself as a capable runner in the league, despite his average 40-yard dash speed.

Mahomes ran a 4.80 40-yard dash in 2017

The quarterback is still an effective runner, especially in the postseason

Despite his timed run seven years ago, Mahomes is still a rather capable scrambler. In his 96 career games, the quarterback has rushed for 1,936 yards and 12 touchdowns. That amounts to an average of around 20 rushing yards per game.

While these aren’t record-setting numbers by any means, Mahomes turns it up a notch when he reaches the playoffs. Throughout his 18 career postseason games, the QB has run for 534 yards, an average of 29 yards per game, and has scored five rushing touchdowns. Although the numbers can’t show it, several of these playoff rushes came in the biggest moments.

The Chiefs’ signal caller suffered a high ankle sprain weeks before Super Bowl 57 against the Philadelphia Eagles two years ago. Still, Mahomes was able to rush for 44 yards on six carries. That included a 26-yard run in the fourth quarter that set up a game-winning field goal.

Mahomes most recently used his legs to perfection again during Super Bowl 58 against the San Francisco 49ers. He made his biggest run on a 4th and 1 from the Chiefs’ own 34-yard line. If unsuccessful, the game would have come to an end. But, Mahomes was determined to find a way to extend the game, and succesfully did so with his legs as he has time and time again.

Mahomes’ 40-yard dash time wasn’t too bad

A 4.80 40-yard dash puts him right on the average

As noted before, there are defensive linemen that run faster times than Mahomes recorded in the NFL Combine. Relative to his own position, however, the fastest ever 40-yard dash time for a quarterback is 4.33 by Michael Vick. The average time for a QB, though, is 4.81 seconds, almost exactly what Mahomes recorded in 2017.

It is not all too important for a quarterback to blaze their 40-yard dash unless they are advertised as a run-first, escape-the-pocket kind of mobile athlete. There are several instances of a poor or average 40-yard dash time meaning little to nothing for a quarterback’s career.

Ben Roethlisberger was an effective runner despite his 4.75 time. Eli Manning and his 4.92 time won two Super Bowls. And the atrocious 5.24 time didn’t prevent Tom Brady from becoming the greatest quarterback of all time.

Like Mahomes, Roethlisberger, Manning, and Brady were all skilled at picking their spots and running when there was an open hole. Mahomes was, of course, joking about not showing his run anymore, but his combine time also shows incoming prospects that outright speed doesn’t always win.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.