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Kliff Kingsbury interview: Texas Tech head coach talks Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs interest and more
Our exclusive interview with Texas Tech head football coach Kliff Kingsbury about Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs interest and NFL’s “talking heads.”
“It all worked out perfectly.”
If Texas Tech head football coach Kliff Kingsbury could have scripted NFL Draft weekend for his star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes II, he would have written it exactly as it unfolded. That includes having the Kansas City Chiefs trade up into the top 10 to select Mahomes to be the future of the franchise.
Kingsbury is a true believer in Mahomes — his cannon of an arm, his personality and demeanor, his on-field instincts, his ability to extend the play and make something from nothing. He’s also a true believer in the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s clear Kingsbury holds Andy Reid in high esteem as he talked to us about K.C. being the ideal spot for Mahomes to land.
We recently sat down with Kingsbury to discuss what Mahomes’ draft tale means for the Texas Tech program, the Chiefs’ level of interest throughout the entire process and what he’d like eto say to the “talking heads” who aren’t sold on Mahomes as a franchise quarterback.
Next: The Kliff Kingsbury Q&A
Kliff Kingsbury interview: Texas Tech head coach talks Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs interest and more
Obviously I want to ask about Patrick Mahomes, but first I’m curious what draft weekend is like for you?
I’m always excited for our players. I’m always texting our operations guys saying, “Hey, what’s it looking like? Who is going where? What are our free agent deals?” It’s all a culmination of a lot of years of hard work and preparation. When you get to that point as a player, you’ve done a lot of things right, so I’m always proud of those guys who are able to reach that goal.
How interested did the Chiefs seem throughout the entire process?
I knew that the Chiefs were very interested early on in the season. One of my good friends, Mike Smith, coaches there and so I had a feel for their liking of Pat. Even through the process, I knew they were very high on him and I was hoping, knowing the kind of great quarterback coach that Andy Reid is, that Pat would get a chance to work with him and a great organization like the Chiefs and behind a great quarterback like Alex Smith where he could maybe learn for a year or two and get comfortable in a system.
It all worked out perfectly. I told Pat, “It’s the start of the line for you.” Now it’s about him going and handling business. But yeah, to see the Chiefs make a move like they did, to get their guy that they’d targeted a long time ago in the process, that says a lot.
It wasn’t only the Chiefs. You have the Saints and Giants and others admitting they were interested as well. That has to feel good, but is it hard to keep a player focused on what’s in front of him versus his pro dreams?
We knew what he was capable of. We’d addressed it before the season and said, “Hey, if you play at the level that we know you can play, you’re going to have a decision to make after this year.” That was our goal and he obviously played well enough through a bunch of injuries. You know, his talent is through the roof. It’s very rewarding to see quarterback guys like Ben McAdoo, Sean Payton, Andy Reid and even Jon Gruden who said on his show that he’d take him first. You have the talking heads who have Pat ranked where they had him ranked, but the guys who have developed Pro Bowl or Hall of Fame quarterbacks saying, “This is the guy”… I know that meant a lot to me and a lot to Patrick.
Next: Kingsbury Q&A, Part 2
You mentioned the “talking heads.” What do you say to people who want to question the decisions of those who are paid to make them?
I just smile because I’ve been around this game a long time. I’ve been around a bunch of really good players as a player and I’ve coached good players and his talent is through the roof. He has elite level talent that not many people have when it comes to throwing a football. When he’s playing the game, his awareness and ability to extend plays and athleticism, it’s all elite. So if those guys can’t see it, the so-called draft experts, then that’s not my problem. I try not to get too involved, but it is rewarding to see the true quarterback guys in the NFL, as I said, talk so highly about Pat and say that they wanted him.
How soon after he was taken did you speak with Patrick?
I was there at his draft party, so I got to see him right after. Pat texted me when they’d made that trade, because I was back in the room a bit. He said, “Kansas City just traded up,” and we knew if they traded up, that’s what would happen. I was fired up for him because that’s what I felt would be the best fit, just in terms of having Andy Reid and how they felt about him the entire year and the stability and weapons they have now. He was thrilled to death.
You’ve undoubtedly heard the categories that Patrick has been placed into by the aforementioned talking heads. Do you agree in some ways with what they have to say? Do you think it’s overblown how much time he might need to learn?
I think it’s based on the circumstances for each individual player. I know Coach Reid understands that if Pat were forced to play early, he’s going to have things in that Pat does really well. He’s probably going to have him shotgun most of the time. He’s going to have concepts that match up with what he did in college that he’s comfortable with. It’s the same thing you saw the Cowboys do with Dak Prescott. They didn’t ask him to do things he’s not good at. They played to his strengths that allowed him to play at a high level.
That’s what the great offensive minds do. That’s what the great quarterback coaches like Andy Reid do. You watch Kansas City’s offense and he does a lot of college-type things in his offense, when you talk about spread or quick motions and finding ways to get it to Tyreek. So I don’t think it’s going to take Patrick very long. He’s a very sharp kid, the Big 12 scholar athlete of the year in our conference, so he’ll pick things up and work hard and I also know Coach Reid will adapt to Patrick’s strengths.
Besides being great for Patrick and his family, the draft also has to be a nice feather in your cap, too, and for the sake of the program.
It’s great for recruiting, obviously, because players know that you can come out here to West Texas — Lubbock is a little bit out of the way — and still reach any goal you want to reach as a player. To have two quarterbacks drafted in the first three rounds here [Davis Webb also played at Texas Tech before transferring to Cal], that’s helped me for the position I coach. Having a top ten player just solidifies that.
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