National Football League

Patrick Mahomes, Alex Smith showed how to handle QB transition

Updated May. 8, 2022 1:36 p.m. ET

NFL fans have seen this scenario play out plenty of times throughout the league: A team has an established quarterback who is getting up there in age, and that team spends an early draft pick on a young signal-caller.

It happened in Green Bay back in 2005, when the Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers in the first round when they already had future Hall of Famer Brett Favre under center.

It happened again, nine years later, when the New England Patriots selected Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round. Garoppolo’s job was to come in, learn the system, and serve as the backup to the greatest QB in NFL history, Tom Brady.

So when the Tennessee Titans made the decision to draft Malik Willis this April, naturally, questions begin to swirl around Tennessee QB Ryan Tannehill and what that meant for his future with the organization.

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When Tannehill was asked if he felt an obligation to mentor the young signal-caller out of Liberty, he had the following to say:

"We’re competing against each other," Tannehill said. "I don’t think it’s my job to mentor him, but if he learns from me along the way, then that’s a great thing."

Tannnehill’s response led to some furrowed brows across the NFL landscape, as many argued it was a harsh response from a veteran player who hasn’t had the same career success as someone like Favre or Brady.

A more recent example of a team drafting a young quarterback when an established signal-caller was already in place was in Kansas City. It was just five years ago when the Chiefs selected Patrick Mahomes with the 10th pick. This came one season after Alex Smith led K.C. to an impressive 12-4 regular-season record and an AFC West title.

According to Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, the staff made it clear right away that it wasn't Smith's job to groom Mahomes to be the team's future starter under center.

"I told Alex to go out and have the greatest year you ever had," said Reid, who joined Colin Cowherd on Friday's airing of "The Herd." "We told him, ‘You don’t have to teach Pat. We're here to do that as coaches. You're here to produce and win games.’"

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That is exactly what Smith did the following year, leading the Chiefs to a 10-6 regular-season record and a spot in the postseason, all while enjoying a career year. Smith finished the 2017 campaign with 4,042 passing yards and 26 touchdowns, both career highs, and was named to his third Pro Bowl.

Meanwhile, Mahomes sat behind Smith, learned the offense, and would go on to take over the starting role the following season when Smith was traded to Washington.

"Alex, by nature, was the greatest thing ever to happen to Pat [Mahomes]," Reid said. "Alex let Pat into his world and Pat handled it the right way.

"He didn't step in the way of what he needed to do. He had respect for him and it worked out perfect."

Mahomes would go on to enjoy an MVP season in 2018 and then proceeded to lead the Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory the following year.

Reid was very complimentary of both Smith and Mahomes in how they handled the situation, and said their bond played a large role in the team's ultimate success.

"There are a lot of different ways to do this thing, whether you play the new guy right now or sit them behind a veteran," Reid said. "Alex [Smith] was perfect for that."