Is Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes The Best 'Clutch' QB In Football?
When teams face the Kansas City Chiefs, there is one thing that they all try and do - keep the ball out of Patrick Mahomes' hands. Why? Because in crunch time, Mahomes gets it done.
In his career, Mahomes has 14 fourth-quarter comebacks and 16 game-winning drives and in the playoffs, six game-winning drives and five fourth-quarter comebacks. Now, in six years as a starter, that doesn't sound like much, but the aura of Mahomes and not allowing him another possession looms large every time he steps onto the field.
But for all of his greatness, is Mahomes the best clutch quarterback in football? CBS Sports' Douglas Clawson ranked his top 10 and based it off two stats: QB conversation rate on go-ahead/game-tying drives in the fourth quarter/overtime and expected points added per play in those critical moments.
As expected, Mahomes lands at No. 1.
"After Mahomes and co. went 3-for-3 on those drives to beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl, I laid out the stats for why he is the best "closer" in sports since Michael Jordan," Clawson wrote. "Jordan is the gold standard for clutch play in the NBA, making 9 of 18 on potential game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final 24 seconds of his playoff career. Mahomes is the gold standard in the NFL and everything about his playoff resume screams clutch."
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Being the best quarterback in football means you get everyone's best shot week in and week out. For Mahomes, what he has been able to do throughout his career in tough moments has been nothing short of superb.
In his six seasons as a starter, the Chiefs have made at least the AFC Championship game each year and have won three Super Bowls (been to four).
Teams know that they have to score on every possession with Mahomes on the other side because they know he will. In what is a Tom-Brady-like aura, teams go against their normal game plan at times because they have to keep No. 15 on the sidelines.
Why? Because in clutch situations late in games, Mahomes does what he is supposed to. He leads his team down the field to take the lead and we can look at last year's Super Bowl as a prime example of why he is the best clutch quarterback in football.
In overtime, Mahomes went 8/8 for 42 yards as he drove his team down the field to score the game-winning touchdown with a pass to Mecole Hardman.
And that is why he sits top of Clawson's list as the best clutch quarterback in football.