"Never really imagined...": Kirk Herbstreit admits he doubted Patrick Mahomes’ NFL future before Chiefs superstar silenced critics

Patrick Mahomes has reached such a point in his career that when someone still doubts his class, it raises serious questions. But Kirk Herbtreit, a respected analyst, did the same. As the Kansas City Chiefs move forward with a new offensive coordinator and Mahomes rehabs from injury this offseason, a candid admission from Herbstreit has reignited debate about how the league once viewed the future superstar. The question is simple. How did so many evaluators miss what now feels so obvious?Herbstreit, who has studied college football for three decades, recently reflected on Mahomes’ rise during an appearance on This is Football. The longtime broadcaster did not hesitate when asked which college quarterback surprised him most at the NFL level. His answer revealed just how unpredictable Mahomes’ journey truly was.Herbstreit said, “I guess I could go back to Mahomes. I mean, he’s the most obvious one. I’ve done college football for 30 years. If you would've told me that Mahomes is gonna be that when he was at Texas Tech. I just looked at Mahomes as like, he’s another Texas Tech, throwing… I thought he’d be a good player, but I never really imagined him becoming what he is. He’s the most obvious one to me.”At Texas Tech, Mahomes dazzled with yardage and arm strength. Yet the system raised questions. NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein described him this way: “Mahomes is a big, confident quarterback who brings a variety of physical tools to the party. But he's developed some bad habits and doesn't have a very repeatable process as a passer. Mahomes' ability to improvise and extend plays can lead to big plays for his offense. Mahomes will be a work in progress.”Zierlein also warned, “Can be inconsistent in his approach. Needs to play inside the offense and show more discipline. Too eager to go big-game hunting. Ravenous appetite for the explosive play can also bring unwanted trouble. Willingness to default to playground style appears to limit his ability to get into a consistent rhythm.”In hindsight, those “weaknesses” became his edge. Mahomes reshaped how teams evaluate creativity at quarterback. He owns a 17 to 4 postseason record, three Super Bowl titles, three Super Bowl MVP awards, and a staggering 46 to 10 touchdown to interception ratio in the playoffs. Numbers like that force a rewrite of old scouting templates.As he attacks rehab and prepares for another season in Kansas City, Mahomes carries more than trophies. He carries proof that projection is imperfect and that rare instincts can outgrow tidy draft labels.