Patrick Mahomes may be the most hyped quarterback in NFL history, but the numbers clearly back up all the attention drawn toward the best player in the league. There's no player in the 100-year history of the NFL that has started off a career like Mahomes, as his eye-popping stats rival what players could do with a video game quarterback in the Madden franchise.
Since Mahomes made his first start for the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17 of the 2017 season, the franchise transformed from an AFC contender to the best team in the NFL. Kansas City has ascended from dominating the AFC West to Super Bowl champions in just two years, snapping a 50-year championship drought in the process. The Chiefs' offense has soared since Mahomes became the starting quarterback, averaging 32 points per game in his 31 starts -- including scoring over 30 points 19 times and over 40 points seven times. That's just the beginning of the insane numbers Mahomes has put up, making NFL defenses cringe every time he takes the field.
Welcome to the debut of "By The Numbers," a weekly statistics piece focused on players across the league and the impact they have made on the NFL history books leading up to this week's game and beyond. Since Week 1 of the NFL season is upon us, we'll be taking a historical perspective heading into the NFL Kickoff Game, specifically featuring Mahomes -- the youngest player in league history in win both NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP. He doesn't even turn 25 until next week, but the Chiefs quarterback is already off to the best start in NFL history.
Let's take a dive into all the numbers Mahomes has racked up after 31 games, his league rank in several offensive categories in his two years as a full-time starter, and the numbers he needs to obtain to continue owning -- or adding more records to his collection -- after this season.
Most passing yards (through first 31 starts)
- Patrick Mahomes (9,412)
- Kurt Warner (9,030)
- Dan Marino (8,603)
- Aaron Rodgers (8,237)
- Joe Namath (7,799)
Most passing touchdowns (through first 31 starts)
- Patrick Mahomes (76)
- Dan Marino (73)
- Kurt Warner (73)
- Aaron Rodgers (57)
- Johnny Unitas (57)
Most pass completions (through first 31 starts)
- Patrick Mahomes (724)
- Aaron Rodgers (670)
- Kurt Warner (665)
- Tom Brady (676)
- Brett Favre (643)
Highest passer rating (through first 31 starts)
- Patrick Mahomes (108.9)
- Kurt Warner (106.2)
- Dan Marino (99.9)
- Aaron Rodgers (98.0)
- Joe Montana (88.7)
Fewest interceptions (through first 31 starts)
- Patrick Mahomes (18)
- Aaron Rodgers (20)
- Steve Young (25)
- Joe Montana (26)
- Dan Marino (29)
Mahomes controls the five biggest statistics a quarterback can own through his first 31 starts, but that's just the beginning of what he has already accomplished. Mahomes his the fastest quarterback in NFL history to throw for 9,000 passing yards and 75 touchdowns, accomplishing the feat in 30 games (Marino reached both marks in 34 games and Warner in 35).
With such a hot start, the next milestone for Mahomes is the 10,000-yard and 100-touchdown mark. He's set to shatter the mark for becoming the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach that milestone, likely accomplishing the feat in the coming weeks. Mahomes only needs to average two touchdown passes a game to become the fastest to reach the milestone -- and he averages 2.45 a game. Mahomes only needs to average 147 passing yards a game to reach 10,000 the quickest -- and he averages 303.6 a game.
Patrick Mahomes needs just 24 TD passes over his next 12 games to reach 100 for his career.
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) September 6, 2020
That would be the fastest for a QB in #NFL history.
He needs just 588 passing yards over the next four games to be the fastest QB in #NFL history to reach 10,000. #Chiefs
Now that we took a look into Mahomes's incredible start, his numbers over the past two seasons (his first two full seasons as a starting quarterback) have been staggering. Mahomes owns half of the 10 significant passing stats for quarterback over the past two years.
Most passing yards (2018-19)
- Matt Ryan (9,390)
- Jared Goff (9,326)
- Patrick Mahomes (9,128)
- Philip Rivers (8,923)
- Dak Prescott (8,787)
Most passing touchdowns (2018-19)
- Patrick Mahomes (76)
- Russell Wilson (66)
- Matt Ryan (61)
- Drew Brees (59)
- Kirk Cousins (56)
TD-to-INT differential (2018-19)
- Patrick Mahomes (+59, 76 TD to 17 INT)
- Russell Wilson (+54, 66 TD to 12 INT)
- Drew Brees (+50, 59 TD to 9 INT)
- Aaron Rodgers (+45, 51 TD to 6 INT)
- Kirk Cousins (+40, 56 TD to 16 INT)
Passer rating (2018-19)
- Drew Brees (115.9)
- Patrick Mahomes (110.0)
- Russell Wilson (108.4)
- Ryan Tannehill (105.4)
- Lamar Jackson (104.7)
Yards per attempt (2018-19, min. 10 games)
- Patrick Mahomes (8.58)
- Ryan Tannehill (8.43)
- Jimmy Garoppolo (8.31)
- Phillip Rivers (8.12)
- Jameis Winston (8.07)
Yards per completion (2018-19, min. 10 games)
- Patrick Mahomes (13.00)
- Jameis Winston (12.98)
- Ryan Tannehill (12.52)
- Ryan Fitzpatrick (12.41)
- Jared Goff (12.30)
Touchdown percentage (2018-19)
- Lamar Jackson (7.4)
- Patrick Mahomes (7.1)
- Russell Wilson (7.0)
- Ryan Tannehill (7.0)
- Drew Brees (6.8)
Pass plays of 25-plus yards (2018-19)
- Patrick Mahomes (86)
- Jared Goff (77)
- Jameis Winston (72)
- Aaron Rodgers (71)
- Phillip Rivers/Russell Wilson (68)
Passing first downs (2018-19)
- Matt Ryan (464)
- Jared Goff (463)
- Philip Rivers (430)
- Patrick Mahomes (413)
- Dak Prescott (413)
Red-zone passing touchdowns (2018-19)
- Russell Wilson (48)
- Patrick Mahomes (46)
- Matt Ryan (43)
- Jared Goff (41)
- Drew Brees (40)
Mahomes isn't a front-running quarterback either -- far from it. The Chiefs are the first team in NFL history to erase three double-digit postseason deficits -- all of which came in consecutive games -- but Mahomes owns the NFL record for most comeback victories by double digits in a season (five) as he erased two 10-plus point deficits in the regular season before his miraculous playoff run.
The NFL is just beginning to witness Mahomes' greatness, as the Chiefs quarterback is just scratching the surface of how dominant he can be in the league. Mahomes' stock is at an all-time high heading into the 2020 season, especially since he enters the year as a Super Bowl champion and is 100% healthy in a stacked Chiefs offense.
There's a good chance Mahomes will make NFL history every game he plays in 2020. NFL fans certainly shouldn't miss what record Mahomes will break next.
