Imagine a Pro Bowl quarterback dropping back, surveying the field, and zipping a dime to a receiver without even peeping his way. That mind-bending ‘no-look pass’ is Patrick Mahomes’ signature move – a jaw-dropping highlight that has NFL fans from Miami to Seattle losing their minds. And for Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, it was the moment that sold him on Mahomes being a truly special talent cooking with grease.

In a recent pow-wow with Kevin Clark at the League Meetings, Hunt spilled the tea on the pivotal instant he knew Mahomes was the real deal. “Brett Veach would periodically send me send me clips of Patrick in practice.. including no look passes” Hunt said. “What’s a no look pass?”. He knew it from hoops but not the gridiron. After peeping the footage of Mahomes whipping pinpoint strikes blind, Hunt was blown away. “That’s exactly what we saw” He said excitedly.

For the typically buttoned-up Hunt, that admission speaks volumes. Vets like Derrick Johnson and Demetrius Harris got a live look at Mahomes’ wizardry in 2017. “We were in awe…he got us with crazy plays,” said Johnson. Harris hauled in Mahomes’ first career salami – a 51-yard laser beam – and knew “this kid’s something special.” The rook was out there slinging it like Brett Favre, dropping dimes all over the yard.

The no-look has long been a basketball move – the ultimate flex of a court general’s vision and swag. From Magic Johnson to Bron, cats have bamboozled defenders by zipping oopy dimes to teammates while peeping the other way. But is Mahomes channeling that same razzle-dazzle on the gridiron? Uncharted territory. Defenders live to read a QB’s eyes and shoulders. Have the poise to look ’em off and still drop a strike? That’s a rare spice that sets Mahomes apart.

While Favre stunned with his gunslinger adlib, Mahomes’ no-look allows him to get straight Picasso on defenses. From his first no-look dime leaving Andy Reid slackjawed to burning elite units with the same magic, it’s a signature move. And it has roots in another iconic showman’s game.

Patrick Mahomes channels his inner ‘Magic’ with patented no-look passes

The roots of Mahomes’ signature no-look pass can be traced back to the hallowed hardwood. The QB has cited basketball legend Magic Johnson as a major inspiration for adding the trick to his arsenal. Like Magic whipping no-look dimes on the fast break, freezing defenses with his court vision, Mahomes deploys the same deception under center. Peeping one way and zipping a strike the other is his way of keeping defenders a step behind.

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In the ‘Showtime’ Lakers era, Johnson’s mastery of the open floor was truly magical. Would he jump and flip a no-look dish behind his head? Sell a pass one way before slipping it another? Part of Magic’s genius was keeping defenders off-balance by showing the ball before delivering it somewhere they’d least expect. Mahomes similarly uses the no-look pass to create driving lanes and open up throwing windows that wouldn’t otherwise exist if defenses could follow his eyes.

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Just as Johnson’s flair sparked awe from fans at the Forum, Mahomes has defensive coordinators pulling their hair out over his improv skills. From his impromptu no-look dimes leaving Clark Hunt and Andy Reid stunned, to burning elite units in the flames, it’s become an electrifying signature. And like Magic in Hollywood, part of Mahomes’ appeal is the showmanship factor – he knows the no-look play will have Arrowhead erupting in cheers. At the end of the day, what makes greats like Magic and Mahomes special is that intrinsic ability to thrill while still being calculated artists executing at the highest level.

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