On Monday, Patrick Mahomes' father – Patrick Mahomes Sr. – guested on 670 the Score's Parkins & Spiegel to admit a gut-punching anecdote about the 2017 NFL draft.
“They [Chicago Bears] told him that they were going to draft him [Patrick Mahomes]," Mahomes Sr. told Parkins and Spiegel. "They told him they were going to draft him, so we thought he was going to be the third pick overall and go to Chicago. He had a great meeting when he (was) there and liked all the guys that were doing stuff there. He thought he was going to be a Bear."
"And then once they traded up and got Mitch, it kind of hurt him. It really did."
MORE: Patrick Mahomes thought the Bears were going to draft him
Mahomes will forever be remembered as the one that got away from the city of Chicago.
In just five seasons as a starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, he's racked up five Pro Bowl nods, two All-Pro selections, one MVP award (likely another this season) and a Super Bowl ring, with a potential for his second coming up.
On Tuesday, David Haugh, Mark Grote and NBC Sports Chicago's Josh Schrock discussed the potential of Mahomes in Chicago, and what could have come from the collaboration.
NFL
Could Mahomes have led the Bears to a Super Bowl?
"I'm going to go false," Shrock said. "I'm going to break everyone's heart. I think Patrick Mahomes is sensational. He's probably the greatest talent we've ever seen at quarterback. But, a lot of his success is due to the situation he found himself in. Andy Reid. He got to sit a whole year behind Alex Smith. He comes in, has Tyreek Hill, has Travis Kelce, has all the weapons, a great head coach.
"He comes to Chicago, is Matt Nagy, Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel going to get that done? I don't think so."
In contrast to Trubisky's premiere season in the league, Mahomes made one start in his rookie season, allowing him the full submersion of the Chiefs' offense before taking the field. Trubisky, on the other hand, overtook Mike Glennon immediately, starting 12 games in his rookie season.
However, despite the potential mishap of needing to play him in 2017, the Chicago Bears had an optimal situation, starting with their defense.
The Bears finished first amongst opponent points per game in 2018, allowing just 17.6 per game during the regular season. They also allowed the third least opponent yards per game, permitting just under 300 yards per game.
"I think the answer is true," Bears reporter Mark Grote said. "I do believe that Patrick Mahomes would have led the Bears into a Super Bowl because talent, no matter what the structure is with an organization – and it was shaky at times with the Bears – top talent like that, supreme talent finds a way.
"And one thing that Ryan Pace did well was build – at least for a year and maybe a year and a half – an elite defense. Not just with free agents, but with draft picks, both safeties with Eddie Jackson, Adrian Amos, linebacker Roquan Smith, the signing of Akeem Hicks, a defensive line that every year was actually pretty good at refreshing itself."
As Grote mentioned, Mahomes would have stepped into a decently desirable situation with the Bears.
The aforementioned defense, certainly, was built to compete in a deep playoff, even a Super Bowl situation. Yes, their offensive weapons were limited, but Allen Robinson was on the cusp of becoming an elite receiver in the league, catching for 754 yards in 2018, but over 1,100 yards in each of the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
Running backs Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen combined for 17 total touchdowns. And, Trubisky was indeed a Pro Bowl quarterback in 2018. What would Mahomes have been under then Coach of the Year Matt Nagy?
Surely, in the long run, the sustained success may not have lasted. David Haugh interjected into the conversation to argue history likely would have changed if Mahomes played in Chicago for the 2017 season.
"If he would have played and given that hope, maybe John Fox doesn't get fired, maybe they don't have 2018. I think it's emphatically false," Haugh said. "I think that we want to believe that things would have been so much better because they got the quarterback. But, I think it was a blessing in disguise the Bears never called. It was the best thing that ever happened to Patrick Mahomes. Ryan Pace might have misled them."
"What you guys are both saying is that Patrick Mahomes is system-dependent," Grote said. "I don't think he's system dependent. I think Patrick Mahomes is a true talent. You guys are lessening his talent when you say that he would not have risen to the top with the Bears."
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