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Patrick Mahomes Shoots Down Rumors About Him Using NFL Rule Loophole

Patrick Mahomes comments on criticism of him exploiting a loophole in the NFL rule book.

By Joseph Grassano

Oct 20, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs past San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (54) in the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Oct 20, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs past San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (54) in the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
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Over the past decade, the NFL has created and changed rules to favor the quarterback. While these rule changes make sense from a business perspective, many fans feel like they are ruining the game.

One of the many penalties that fans dislike is an unnecessary roughness call when quarterbacks are going out of bounds. Although this penalty is meant to protect the quarterback, it gets called far too often when the quarterback has barely stepped out of bounds.

The unnecessary roughness penalty has changed the way defenses defend quarterback scrambles to the sideline to an extent. That was on full display this past weekend when Patrick Mahomes scrambled for a 33-yard gain against the San Francisco 49ers.

On the aforementioned 33-yard scramble, Mahomes outran 49ers linebacker Fred Warner to the sideline. But he was then met by linebacker Dee Winters at the sideline, where it looked like Mahomes was going to be out of bounds. Instead, since Winters pulled up to not hit Mahomes, it allowed him to change his mind and take it for a 33-yard gain.

While Winter's decision not to go for the tackle on Mahomes is not what most players do, it is realistically the smart play when a quarterback looks like he's going out of bounds. However, this play shows exactly why the rule to keep quarterbacks safer makes the game worse for defenders.

During Wednesday's press conference, Mahomes was asked about that play and how he follows the rules of football. The two-time NFL MVP responded, " I didn’t believe on that play right there (that) I was really showing like I was going to go out of bounds... I’m not trying to use a loophole or anything in the rules to try to cheat in any way."

Watching the play, it is clear that Mahomes' head is still turned, looking for lanes to get yards, so his comments track. But, with the angle that Mahomes took to the sideline, Winters could have definitely still thought he was going out of bounds.

Even though the three-time Super Bowl champ wasn't trying to bend the rules on purpose, he still did so inadvertently. With the way NFL rules are now, it's surprising this doesn't happen more often.

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