ESPN pundits: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ greatness is being ‘taken for granted’
From 1986 to 1998, there was no better basketball player than Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan.
Throw out two seasons in which he tried his hand at baseball, and you’re left with a 10-season span in which Jordan dominated the NBA. While Jordan was recognized as the best, he won the NBA MVP award “just” five times.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Kevin Negandhi compared Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to Jordan while introducing an “Upon Further Review” segment on “SportsCenter.”
“Can you be the reigning Super Bowl MVP, a former league MVP, the best player in your sport, who is also the highest paid and still be overlooked in the current MVP race,” Negandhi asked. “That seems to be the case from Patrick Lavon Mahomes. Call it the ‘Jordan Effect.’ Everyone knew Michael Jordan was the best player year in and year out, yet future Hall of Famers like Charles Barkley and Karl Malone took MVP honors during MJ’s reign. And speaking of dominance, I know it’s the Jets but Mahomes this weekend, made a five-touchdown, 400-yard performance look way too easy.”
When Bill Barnwell’s “Upon Further Review” segment started, he took a look at the MVP race and said it’s a three-man race: Mahomes, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers.
Barnwell said of Mahomes: “We almost take Patrick Mahomes’ greatness for granted. But the Chiefs star continues to evolve and improve. .... The 25-year-old Mahomes has turned the ball over just once all season and posted a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 21-to-1, which makes him the first player in NFL history with at least 20 passing touchdowns and one or fewer interceptions in the first eight games of the season.”
Twitter user Chiefs Highlights shared this clip from the ESPN broadcast:
That taken for granted thought was repeated on Thursday morning.
ESPN analyst Louis Riddick also made the case for Mahomes being overlooked in the MVP race on Thursday’s “Get Up.”
“For a guy who is so young in his career,” Riddick said, “he’s so taken for granted right now as far as his excellence.”
For what it’s worth, at least one betting line has Mahomes second in the NFL MVP race behind Wilson.
