Patrick Mahomes using Blaine Gabbert to become more like Tom Brady

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes hopes to become more like retired living legend Tom Brady as it pertains to visualizing plays ahead of time thanks, in part, to having conversations with backup Blaine Gabbert.

"Talking to Blaine, who’s been with Tom for the last few years now, to see how advanced Tom was, it’s just knowing that I can get there one day," Mahomes recently told NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. "I just got to continue to work and ask coach [Andy] Reid questions, ask Blaine questions. It just makes the game a lot easier when you can plan, and you know exactly what a defense is gonna do. Every year I come back, I want to take that next step on the mental side of the game." 

Gabbert served as Brady's primary backup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers across each of the last three seasons before the seven-time Super Bowl champion retired "for good" in February. Per most accounts, Brady and Gabbert enjoyed a solid relationship as teammates, and Kansas City signed the 33-year-old in April. 

Gabbert has since shared with Mahomes how Brady always "had an answer" for defensive looks during games. 

"There’s sometimes, even to this day, you get into a coverage, you just don’t see it," Mahomes added. "Luckily for me, I’ve been able to scramble and make plays happen. To be able to, pre-snap, always have an answer and make the game even easier? This is a hard game where defenses are doing a lot of different stuff. You rarely saw Tom get tricked. That’s where I want to get to, instead of having to rely on scrambles." 

Mahomes is already a two-time regular-season and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player who turns just 28 years old in September and who should be able to depend on his legs to save him for at least several years. However, he's also experienced some worrisome injury scares during his career, including the high ankle sprain he dealt with this past winter as he guided the Chiefs to a win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. 

Mahomes realizes he will eventually become a more stationary quarterback either because of physical limitations or by choice. Preparing for that part of his career could help him pass Brady as the NFL's G.O.A.T. one day.