Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes on behind-the-back pass: 'I told y’all it has to happen naturally'

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — He finally did it.

For several years now, Patrick Mahomes has created a buzz as clips of behind-the-back passes in practice occasionally light up social media.

But Mahomes, the two-time NFL MVP and three-time Super Bowl MVP, had never been so brazen as to do it in a game — until Saturday’s preseason home opener against the Detroit Lions at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

And he actually wasn't happen about it.

"I didn't do it to look cool," Mahomes said. "I literally did it as I was pissed — like, 'Why didn't you run the route like that?' It just worked out."

He also blamed tight end Travis Kelce for running the wrong route, saying he was “mad” and threw the pass “out of spite.”

“We had a play called — it was an RPO play, and Travis was supposed to run an out route,” Mahomes said. “We had the leverage we wanted. I should have known, because he asked me what he had as he was motioning over.”

Mahomes said he thought he told him to run the out and that “it would be open,” but Kelce didn’t run to the flats and instead went upfield.

“It wasn’t how it was drawn up, but I always told y’all it has to happen naturally; I can’t force it,” Mahomes said.

Mahomes said he'd yet to see a replay of the moment yet during the postgame press conference.

It happened with around 6 minutes left in the opening quarter, Mahomes rolled right after getting the shotgun snap on third-and-3 from the Lions’ 33-yard line.

Kelce chipped defensive end Josh Paschal then released, mirroring his QB’s path on a delayed rollout motion.

As Paschal closed in on Mahomes, the Chiefs’ star uncorked the behind-the-back throw for an 8-yard gain and a first down.

“Long story short, Travis didn’t run the route he was supposed to run,” Mahomes said. “Then, it was kind of a behind-the-back pass kind of because I was mad. He was supposed to run a flat route. I don’t know if you could hear me on the broadcast, I’m yelling at him and then he doesn’t run it. Out of spite, I threw a behind-the-back pass but now it’s going to be a highlight.”

Kelce said after the game that he "couldn't decipher" what Mahomes was saying and that he "needs to get my hearing checked" as he smiled and exited the locker room.

Chiefs Kingdom has been treated to no-look, sidearm, left-handed, underhanded, hook-shot and shot-put passes from Mahomes among other insane highlights in recent years, but this was the first time the behind-the-back pass appeared in a game — and it was spectacular.

"It's not something I'm going to try to major in," Mahomes said of the behind-the-back pass. "It might be something that just kind of happens every once in a while."

Coach Andy Reid seemed to appreciate the moment (kind of!): "I'm glad he completed it. That was a good thing. I heard he blamed it on Kelce, but that's all right. He does it in practice every day, so I'm all right as long as it's a completion."

Reid admitted that he's never seen it pulled off in a game.

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