Patrick Mahomes‘ journey back to the gridiron is well underway. But his return hasn’t been without its skeptics. As the Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback ramps up his throws during training camp, a practice clip of his throwing mechanics has sparked some criticism. However, his former backup, Chad Henne, was quick to silence the noise. 

“For all you idiots thinking you can’t bring your back leg through and stay balance! #MVP,” Henne fired back through an Instagram Story, highlighting the Chiefs QB1’s practice session. In the video (originally shared on Chiefs’ Instagram page), Mahomes could be seen wearing a knee brace as he practiced his throws. 

Following the intensive ACL rehab, some fans seemed to believe that Mahomes wasn’t planting normally. Some even asked him not to rush the ACL. Meanwhile, others questioned his overall balance and the follow-through on his passes. But Henne argued that those widespread criticisms completely misunderstood the realities of high-level quarterback mechanics. 

After all, Henne has played alongside Mahomes from 2018 to early 2022 as a reliable backup. In 2020, during a Week 7 game against the Denver Broncos, Henne relieved Mahomes and scored a rushing touchdown for a 43-16 win. He even got to start the season finale that year. Finally, after beating the Philadelphia Eagles and claiming the Super Bowl LVII, Henne decided to hang up his cleats. That’s why his stance around Mahomes’ latest injury seems pretty significant. 

Meanwhile, Mahomes has remained pretty optimistic about his return. He recently told Yahoo Sports Daily that even though he can’t predict the future, he has been aiming to play in Week 1 against the Broncos. He took help from Tom Brady while navigating the rehabilitation. They even turned the recovery process into a competition to stay motivated. Now, he seems pretty decent as he threw the ball at training camp. 

It’s normal for quarterback mechanics to look slightly different during the final stages of ACL recovery. Quarterbacks must gradually regain absolute confidence in planting their repaired leg and rotating their lower body to generate torque. That’s why footwork can temporarily look different during rehabilitation. Also, throwing drills in training camp are often progressive, designed to rebuild strength and rhythm rather than perfectly simulate chaotic game speed. 

Nevertheless, the scrutiny around Mahomes’ practice reps just adds to his importance as the Chiefs aim for their next Super Bowl win. And former teammates like Henne know that the star quarterback can push through.