Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Says He Didn't Learn to Read Defenses Until Last Year

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he didn't understand how to read NFL defenses until "halfway through last year."

"I still think there's a long way for me to go there," Mahomes said on The Shop. "And that's where mentally I think I can get better. Physically I feel like I've done a lot of stuff. I always work on the fundamentals and doing that stuff. But I think mentally I can still take my game to a whole another level."

Here's a look at the full preview clip from The Shop ahead of the full episode, which will air Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on HBO:

Mahomes was named NFL MVP in 2018 after throwing for 5,097 yards and a league-leading 50 touchdowns.

The 24-year-old Texas Tech product couldn't match that production last season, tossing 26 TDs in 14 regular-season games, but he was nothing short of outstanding during the Chiefs' playoff run.

He completed 64.3 percent of his throws for 901 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in victories over the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers. He added 135 rushing yards and two scores on the ground in the playoffs as K.C. captured the Super Bowl LIV title. The Texas native became the youngest QB to win the Super Bowl MVP. 

Mahomes' revelation on The Shop creates an intriguing storyline as his mental understanding of the game begins to reach the same level as his physical greatness in the coming years.