When the Chiefs prepare to face the Lions in Thursday’s NFL Kickoff Game, quarterback Patrick Mahomes will go through the same pregame routine from Super Bowl LVII.
It’s also what he did in the Christmas Eve victory over Seattle and in last year’s season opener.
Mahomes shared his pregame routine and superstitions on the Netflix docuseries, “Quarterback.” The only change is what he wears to the stadium when at home or on the road.
“My routine is the same every time. I’m very superstitious,” Mahomes said on the show. “If it’s a home game, I usually wear some casual clothes. And if it’s an away game, I’ll throw on the suit and show out a little bit.”
Once in the stadium, whether it’s GEHA Field at Arrowhead or in another city, Mahomes follows a strict routine.
“I go to the locker room and I change into my hoodie, then I head out to the bench for like 20 to 30 minutes, just to kind of see the stadium and get myself in the right mindset,” Mahomes said on Netflix. “Then I walk out to midfield; being a baseball player and superstitious I try not to step on any lines or logos. From there, I’ll head to the opposing team’s end zone and I pray at the goalposts.
“Next, I’ll head to the other side and stretch to get warmed up. I try to practice every throw that I can make in a game, the distances that I need to throw a little long toss and every arm angle that I need. Then I’ll join my coaches and Chad Henne. I always end that session of throwing by playing a little DB and then catching a pass from Chad. And then finally, I have to do my trademark fadeaway (basketball) shot into the arms of one of my teammates.”
There will be one tweak coming in 2023.
Mahomes won’t be joining Henne, who retired after the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII. He’ll meet up with Blaine Gabbert instead.
Warmup throws
During an interview with NBC Sports’ Chris Simms, Mahomes explained why he makes a point of throwing from different arm angles during warmups.
It dates back to Mahomes’ days at Texas Tech when he played for coach Kliff Kingsbury.
“I’ve been a guy that I’ve always believed that if I’m gonna do it in the game, I have to practice it,” Mahomes said. “And I learned that from Kingsbury in college and coach Reid in letting me go that first year on scout team. And so I knew when I got in the pregame, I was like, I’m not going to just sit here and warm my arm up.
“Let’s get these angles. Let’s throw them from the sidearms and see how I’m feeling that day. And I think that’s been the biggest thing for me is as long as I practice it and trust it, I go out in the game and I can be me.”
After the basketball shot, which is taken with a football, Mahomes heads to the locker room.
“Once I get back into uniform, I come out and do our pregame drills,” Mahomes said in the show. “Kiss Britney and Sterling before heading back into the locker room. During the anthem, I stand at the 30 yard line. After the coin toss I jog to the end zone that we are defending and (let out a primal scream).”
Look for this pregame routine this Thursday … and at every Chiefs game in 2023.
