In a quartet of seasons as a Los Angeles Chargers linebacker, Drue Tranquill took the field against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas Chiefs on five occasions.
He was part of a winning effort once.
So, Tranquill knows firsthand just how special and spectacular Mahomes is from an opponent's point of view. But as one of the newest Chiefs, Tranquill's initial impressions of Mahomes up close as a teammate were hardly numbed by their previous encounters. Like most, Tranquill was wowed by the magnificent Mahomes.
"You just see these highlight throws that are up every year, year after year. Those throws aren't just one-off things that he makes in a big-time game. He seems to make those throws every day in practice," Tranquill told NFL Total Access' Omar Ruiz on Thursday. "Every day I'm either out there or getting a break on the sideline and I'm just like, 'Wow. What a throw. What a talent.'"
On the heels of a career season with L.A., Tranquill, somewhat surprisingly, was not brought back by the Bolts. Tranquill was persuaded to join the Chiefs by the prospects of winning a Super Bowl, a pitch made by none other than head coach Andy Reid.
A huge part of that Super Bowl-winning proposition is Mahomes, a two-time Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player and two-time Super Bowl MVP.
As aforementioned, Tranquill has been on the wrong end of the final score versus the Chiefs four times in five tries. Of note is that during Tranquill's lone winning effort versus Kansas City, he brought his 'A' game and got his licks in on Mahomes. During the Chargers' 2021 Week 3 victory over the Chiefs, Tranquill filled up the stat line with eight tackles, a QB hit, a tackle for loss and half a sack.
Tranquill's also familiar with sharing a locker room with an all-star quarterback, as he's seen the early ascent of Justin Herbert up close.
Nonetheless, he's no doubt excited about being on the same side as Mahomes going forward.
"I've enjoyed getting to chat with him a few times," Tranquill said. "Really enjoyed competing against him. He's just an incredible talent."
