FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, October 14th, 2018

MICHELE TAFOYA INTERVIEWS PATRICK MAHOMES FOR FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA

Feature to Air on Football Night in America Beginning Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on NBC

“I’ve seen things that Tom’s done, he gets the ball to those guys and those guys make plays for him, and I’m trying to do the same thing.” – Mahomes on his first game against Tom Brady

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 14, 2018 – Sunday Night Football sideline reporter Michele Tafoya interviews Kansas City Chiefs first-year starting QB  Patrick Mahomes for a feature that will air during tonight’s Week 6 edition of Football Night in America, which begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBC. FNIA leads into the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs visiting the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football, which features a new, earlier 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff time.

Mike Tirico will host Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC alongside Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison, NFL insider Mike Florio and PFT Live co-host Chris Simms from NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn. Liam McHugh will co-host Football Night in America on-site from Gillette Stadium.

Below are excerpts from Tafoya’s interview with Mahomes. If used, please note the mandatory credit: “In an exclusive interview airing on Football Night in America.”

TAFOYA’S INTERVIEW WITH MAHOMES

Mahomes on playing shortstop as a five-year-old: “They hit me a ball at shortstop, and I grabbed it and I just fired over there to the guy at the first base. He tried to catch it, but he wasn’t ready for it, and it hit him in the glasses and broke his glasses. So, they told me I either had to play first base or roll the ball to the first baseman the rest of the year (laughs). So, my dad forced me to play first base.”

Mahomes on how far he can throw a football: “The furthest I’ve ever thrown it is 83 yards. But I think I can get it to 85.”

Mahomes on whether he’s afraid of burning out his arm: “Oh, no. I mean, I played baseball, and you throw a lot more pitches in baseball than you throw footballs in the game. So, I’m never scared to throw the ball deep — especially when you have guys like Samuel Watkins and Tyreek and Chris Conley, and guys that can just go get it.”

Tafoya: “Yeah, you talk about weapons. You know, a lot of quarterbacks would say, ‘I’ll take one or two of those.’ So, when you’re standing and you drop back, what does that field look like for you?”

Mahomes: “I’m set up in a great situation. I know that I can just get the ball out of my hands and it could be a touchdown on every single play.”

Tafoya: “Yeah, I was going ask you how you keep them all happy — they’re not coming over, lobbying for the football?

Mahomes: “No, no one is. And that’s the best thing for me. Everybody’s going to have a chance to make their play, so everybody just tries to do their job on every single play.”

Tafoya: “You haven’t only used your right arm this year. We saw that nice little leftie throw against Denver. What are you thinking when you make that play?”

Mahomes: “I mean, all I was thinking there was it was third down, so I just figured out a way to just put it out there.”

Mahomes on how he figures out how to make plays: “The coaches that I’ve had. Whenever the play breaks down, they’ve allowed me to do what I’ve done that’s gotten me here, which is just to go out there and try to make plays. And the receivers have responded well and found ways to get open for me. And the offensive lines, blocking their tail off and giving me time.”

Mahomes on his earliest memory of Tom Brady: “I think the earliest memory I have of the Patriots and Tom Brady was the snow game. And, I’ve watched him more and more as I’ve grown up, and I mean, he just keeps getting better every single year.”

Mahomes on his first game against Tom Brady: “He’s had a ton of success for a long time in this league. I’m still starting off, so for me it’s just about another challenge, another thing that I have to go out there and just compete. Every quarterback’s different. I’ve seen things that Tom’s done, he gets the ball to those guys and those guys make plays for him, and I’m trying to do the same thing.”

—FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA—