Patrick Mahomes’ ‘Knuckleball’ Gets a Straight No From Jason & Travis Kelce After Being Inspired by Padres’ Matt Waldron

Apparently, Patrick Mahomes‘ knuckleball won’t work! The KC Chiefs’ QB attempted one during the latest minicamp, seemingly inspired by Matt Waldron, a pitcher for the MLB side who is famous for his masterful knuckleballs. While the variation is quite useful in baseball, according to Travis and Jason Kelce, it may not work in the NFL.

On the June 19 episode of the “New Heights” podcast, the Kelce brothers opined on Mahomes’ viral knuckleball video. Jason Kelce stated, “Let’s be honest, if he’s trying to learn a knuckleball, this has nothing to do with being a better quarterback cause nobody wants to catch that.” The elder Kelce brother then recalled having a hard time, when former Eagles QB Carson Wentz threw a ball with a “vicious spiral” that was “wobbling” in the air. 

However, Travis Kelce came to his teammates’ aid. “Pat wouldn’t even think of throwing a knuckleball,” said the TE. Travis further clarified that the QB was just fooling around to keep the mood “lighthearted.”

All this started when a video of the 28-year-old practicing his pitching mechanics and tossing a football with the unquestionable spin—or lack thereof—of a knuckleball went viral. It turns out that Mahomes was aiming for that fastball, taking his cue from Padres right-hander Matt Waldron. “I’m trying to learn the knuckleball the Waldron dude from the Padres throws,” the star QB wrote in a post on X.

The 27-year-old Waldron, a devoted Chiefs supporter, expressed his excitement upon discovering that Mahomes was considering using his moves, stating, “It’s kind of crazy. Like I’m living in a different universe.”

The throw could be easy for Mahomes with his history of baseball. However, even though “Showtime” is more accurate than not, there are times when his throws are difficult to read.

Travis Kelce’s tips to catch Patrick Mahomes’ tricky throws

In the same podcast, TE Kelce also revealed some of Mahomes’ more tricky throws. As per the Chiefs’ TE, “You can tell sometimes how it comes off the hand that it’s gonna be just a little bit funky.” Kelce used the “timing” throws from the Chiefs’ No. 15 as an example to illustrate passes that aren’t visible coming “out of the hand” until halfway in the air. Kelce explained such throws are not easily catchable, and the receiver needs to put his entire body behind the ball to gather it safely.

Throwing quirky passes is nothing new for the Texas native. During the 2023 preseason, he pulled off a behind-the-back pass. However, one trick that Mahomes has successfully executed on-field is the no-look pass. In the 2018 season, the star QB threw his famous no-look pass to Demarcus Robinson in a crucial game against the Ravens. Pulling it off takes incredible aim and arm strength, and Mahomes credits his time in baseball for the attributes.

In a 2019 interview with Kevin Clark, the NFL star thanked his father and former MLB player, Pat Mahomes Sr. for training him. He said, “My dad has had me long tossing since, well, forever. I think that helped build arm strength, helped build accuracy and touch… That’s something that I’ve always done. I brought it immediately into football.”

While knuckleball may not be the best idea in an NFL game, Mahomes’ baseball stint prepared him for a Super Bowl winning career. As for his current status, Patrick Mahomes is gearing up for the Chiefs’ training camp in July before the regular season starts in September.