Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes didn\u2019t run out of bounds on his 33-yard run against the San Francisco 49ers last weekend, and that\u2019s caused something of a stir.<\/p>\n
During an interview with sportscaster Kay Adams, Hall of Fame defensive end\u00a0Dwight Freeney said\u00a0Mahomes was \u201ctaking advantage of soft … rules\u201d that protect quarterbacks<\/p>\n
Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce indicated on the New Heights podcast \u2014 which he hosts with his brother Travis, the Chiefs tight end \u2014 that Mahomes,\u00a0\u201cif we are being honest, used his \u2018quarterbackness\u2019 to his advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meaning NFL rules that protect quarterbacks from taking big hits anywhere on the field \u2014 and especially along the sideline, if the player appears to be running out of bounds.<\/p>\n
Travis Kelce shot back at his brother, defending Mahomes.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not trying to trick a guy going out of bounds,\u201d the Chiefs superstar said. \u201cI just don\u2019t see Pat doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s set up the moment. The Chiefs led 14-12 late in the third quarter when, after taking a shotgun snap on the 49ers\u2019 37-yard line, Mahomes was pressured and took off to his left.<\/p>\n
Mahomes eluded linebacker Fred Warner and reached the sideline. As he neared the first-down marker, however, Niners linebacker Dee Winter approached for the tackle. Did Winter hesitate because he believed Mahomes was stepping out of bounds?<\/p>\n
Or was Mahomes\u2019 hesitation \u2014 then acceleration down the sideline \u2014 a solid football move that resulted in the longest run of his career and set up KC a touchdown?<\/p>\n
When asked about the play, Mahomes said Wednesday that he wasn\u2019t trying to fake going out of bounds to gain an advantage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t believe on that play I was really showing like I was going out of bounds,\u201d Mahomes said. \u201cI don\u2019t want to ever put a defender in a bad spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I go out of bounds I\u2019m going out of bounds. I\u2019m not try to fake a guy by using use a loophole in the rule.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mahomes said after the cutback the sideline opened up. He eventually ran out of bounds at the San Francisco 4-yard line.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce I cut back.\u201d he said,\u201d I was going to do one of those dives for the first down, but I cut back and realized I had a lane to run. So I went down the sideline and I literally ran out of bounds on that play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt also had a big impact as a blocker on the play, preventing a clean shot on Mahomes. Hunt initially screened Warner, got a push on Winter and blocked tackle Kevin Givens.<\/p>\n
Said Travis Kelce: \u2018He never looked like he was going out of bounds. I hear what everybody is saying, though. I get it.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes quarterbacks are protected on the sideline and it can get guys to play cautious and not try to take his head off.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes didn\u2019t run out of bounds on his 33-yard run against the San Francisco 49ers last weekend, and that\u2019s caused something of… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1641,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n