A QB comparison for Patrick Mahomes you probably haven’t heard before

Dan Orlovsky is a former 12-year quarterback in the NFL; now he does player breakdowns.

Orlovsky appeared on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football on Tuesday to talk about Chiefs starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

One of two plays Orlovsky breaks down on GMFB is Mahomes’ first third-down play in his lone career start—the Chiefs’ 2017 Week 17 matchup against the Denver Broncos.

610 Sports’ Carrington Harrison and Brad Fanning welcomed Orlovsky on The Drive later that afternoon, and Orlovsky pinpointed that play as the specific time he believes Andy Reid and the Chiefs opted to make a QB change for 2018.

“This is just a complete hunch, but I keep going back to that third-down throw to Demetrius Harris on the seam ball in his first third down of the game against Denver. I think the Chiefs made the choice to move on from Alex Smith in that moment because to find a guy that can make that throw? They’re very rare, and as good as Alex was, that’s not a throw Alex would make, and that’s why I think you go, ‘The Chiefs were justified in the choice to move on to Patrick Mahomes.’”

Here is the broadcast angle of the play:

Later in the interview, Orlovsky offered a new NFL comparison for Mahomes:

“Patrick Mahomes, when I watch him play, he reminds me of Randall Cunningham. I saw him in person this year—he’s bigger than I thought, he’s lankier than I thought. He’s got a little bit of that lanky arm motion. Just a guy that has such a bright future, and when you add in the fact that yes, they have incredible weapons. Andy Reid, I don’t know the last time Andy Reid was part of a bad quarterback.”

In case you’re wondering, Cunningham played 16 seasons in the NFL, compiling 82 regular-season wins, 29,979 yards, 207 touchdowns and 134 interceptions. He was a four-time All-Pro.

The Drive’s interview is a great listen and yet another Mahomes gush fest, and you can find it here.