Patrick Mahomes Was 'Greatest Player' Chiefs GM Ever Scouted, Says Andy Reid

The Kansas City Chiefs traded up in the 2017 NFL draft to select quarterback Patrick Mahomes out of Texas Tech at 10th overall.   

The now-24-year-old was not yet nationally known as the reigning league MVP capable of physics-defying throws, but Chiefs general manager Brett Veach knew what he could become. 

Head coach Andy Reid disclosed to NFL Network's Michael Irving during Monday's Super Bowl Opening Night at Miami's Marlins Park that Veach had said Mahomes was "the greatest player he'd ever seen":

The Chiefs, in their first Super Bowl since the 1969 season, will take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday night, and Mahomes is the core reason why.

NBC Sports' Peter King unveiled more about how Mahomes became the Chiefs' first opening-round quarterback since Todd Blackledge in 1983:

"One day in the spring of 2016—after the third of [Alex] Smith’s five years as starter—Reid walked down to the scouting area and saw co-director of player personnel Brett Veach studying some tape. 'I'm watching our next quarterback,' Veach told Reid. It was tape of Mahomes as a Texas Tech sophomore. Reid watched the strong arm and command and mobility of Mahomes for five or 10 minutes. 'Coach,' Veach said, 'I can only imagine what he’d do in this offense.'

"Veach would text highlights of Mahomes to Reid’s phone in the fall. 'At one point that December,' Veach said, 'I remember Coach calling me into his office and showing me a Kiper/McShay mock first round. He said, "Your guy's not even in the first round!" They didn't have Patrick in the round. I just said, "Coach, it's perfect! Don't worry. You don't want him on these lists now. It sets up perfect for us."'"

Plenty of teams are regretting not seeing what Veach saw in time to draft him in 2017.

Since Veach said he could only imagine what Mahomes could do under Reid's offensive genius, Mahomes has thrown for 9,412 yards, 76 touchdowns and 18 interceptions across 31 regular-season starts.

That includes becoming the only quarterback other than Peyton Manning to throw for at least 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in a single season last year.

Mahomes also has yet to throw his first postseason interception. Across four playoff games between 2018 and 2019, he has 1,118 yards, 11 touchdown passes and no picks.

All that's left for Mahomes to accomplish over his first three years in the NFL—the first was spent backing up Alex Smith—is a Super Bowl ring.

The Chiefs will need another excellent Mahomes outing to overcome the Niners' top-ranked defense. San Francisco cruised by the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers to arrive at its first Super Bowl since the 2012 season.

Super Bowl LIV will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET.