Since Patrick Mahomes took over as the Chiefs’ starter in 2018, he’s been the quarterback every young player wants to be. He’s won Super Bowls, MVPs, and made plays that didn’t even seem possible until he showed us they were. For the new generation of young quarterbacks who grew up watching him, Mahomes is more than just the best in the game — he’s the blueprint for success in the NFL.
That influence Mahomes has had on this generation is clear when you listen to two of the league’s brightest young quarterbacks, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye. The second and third overall picks in the 2024 NFL Draft are both fresh off their rookie seasons, where they both showed flashes of why they were so highly touted.
When speaking with PFSN at USAA‘s Salute to Service event, both quarterbacks shared their admiration for the two-time MVP and explained how they incorporate elements of his game into their own.
Jayden Daniels on What Makes Patrick Mahomes So Special
For Daniels, the main thing that stands out when watching Mahomes is his ability to play the game freely because of the trust he has in his skill. When asked about this, Daniels told PFSN among other reporters:
“I think he just out of the ordinary, he outside the box, just the arm talent that he has. You know, all the arm angles and throws he can make whenever he trusts his arms. So I think that’s just pretty much the main thing. It was like, OK, he’s out there just playing football, playing freely, but he trusts his ability.”
Daniels, who had a rookie season for the ages, showcased some Mahomes-like magic himself, making a deep playoff run in his first year as an NFL starter.
Although he wasn’t able to make history as the first rookie QB to take his team to the Super Bowl, just like Mahomes, he put himself on the map and put the entire league on notice about taking the Commanders lightly.
Drake Maye on Mahomes’ Influence On and Off the Field
Maye, meanwhile, sees Mahomes as more than just an incredible player. He looks at the way he carries himself, the way he leads, and the way he stays out of headlines by letting his play do the talking.
When asked if there were things he learned or took from watching Mahomes, Maye told us:
“He’s fun to watch. The way that he carries himself, the way he’s never in the media in a bad way, the way he handles himself off the field, he’s got a family now — I think his play speaks for itself. I think the big thing with Pat is he’s so creative… he plays within and knows the system so well.”
Maye has already shown some of that creativity in his own game, but just as importantly, he’s taking notes on how Mahomes conducts himself off the field.
He knows that to truly be great in the NFL, it’s about more than just throwing touchdowns — it’s about being a team leader, earning the trust of teammates, and being able to handle all the pressure that comes with the starting quarterback job.
Daniels and Maye may have different styles and different journeys ahead of them, but they share the same goals — to be great and win championships. And if you’re a young quarterback in today’s NFL, there’s no better player currently playing to learn from than Mahomes.