Chiefs’ Justin Reid argues Patrick Mahomes is league’s GOAT: ‘Probably the best player in NFL history’
Justin Reid is in his second season with the Chiefs. During this time in Kansas City, he has gotten an up-close look at two-time NFL MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes was drafted in the first round in 2017 and has been the Chiefs’ primary starting quarterback for the last six seasons. He has thrown for more than 4,000 yards in every season he has been the full-time starter.
Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is widely considered the greatest player in league history, but from Reid’s point of view, Mahomes is the best player he has ever seen.
Patrick Mahomes, #15, and Justin Reid, #20 of the Kansas City Chiefs, lead the team onto the field prior to a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Nov. 26, 2023 in Las Vegas. (Candice Ward/Getty Images)
Reid spoke to TMZ Sports and said Mahomes makes the Chiefs defense feel confident every game, no matter the score.
“You can be down 24, you can be up 15. Whatever it is — as long as No. 15 has the ball in his hands, you know you’ve got a shot to win,” Reid said. “So that’s encouraging as a defense, that we just try to give him the ball as much as possible.”
Reid went on to guarantee that Mahomes would ultimately land in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
“The guy is a Hall of Famer. First ballot. Probably the best player in NFL history. And he just keeps getting better.”
Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid, right, practices kicking field goals as offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, left, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes look on prior to a game against the Cleveland Browns at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, Aug. 26, 2024. (Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
Mahomes threw a career-high 14 interceptions during the regular season as the Chiefs struggled at times over the year. The team’s issues were largely attributed to the wide receiver corps. In Week 11, Marquez Valdes-Scantling had a critical drop in the fourth quarter that effectively sealed the Chiefs’ fate in a Monday night game against the Eagles.
In Week 14, receiver Kadarius Toney scored a touchdown after star tight end Travis Kelce threw a lateral in the final minutes of a game against the Buffalo Bills. However, officials flagged Toney for lining up offsides, which negated the touchdown, much to Mahomes’ displeasure. The Chiefs ultimately suffered a three-point loss to Buffalo.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, #15, runs in front of Miami Dolphins cornerback Eli Apple during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Kansas City finished the season with an 11-6 record but failed to clinch the top seed in the AFC. For the first time in his career, Mahomes had to leave the friendly confines of Arrowhead Stadium during the postseason’s divisional and conference championship rounds.
The Chiefs proceeded to defeat the Bills in the divisional round game and the Ravens in last week’s conference title game.
Mahomes and the Chiefs are set to appear in their fourth Super Bowl in the last five years when they take on the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.
