‘We learned a lesson that day’ TJ Watt says after Patrick Mahomes torched him in breakout Kansas City Chiefs performance

Watt picked up his own award in 2023

PATRICK Mahomes is already one of the greatest players in the history of the NFL.

Mahomes cemented his iconic status in the sport – and indeed far beyond – by helping the Kansas City Chiefs to a third Super Bowl triumph in five years last month.

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Steelers star Watt has been full of praise for MahomesCredit: Alamy
Far less was known about him in 2018, despite Mahomes being selected as the 10th overall pick by the Chiefs in that year’s NFL draft.

That quickly changed when Mahomes started playing, and it’s obvious that TJ Watt won’t forget that first meeting with the quarterback.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Watt was on the wrong end of a day of Mahomes brilliance, as he produced a six-touchdown blitz when the Chiefs claimed a dramatic 42-37 win in that Week 2 clash.

Watt was asked what he knew about Mahomes before that game.

“We didn’t know enough. We definitely didn’t know enough,” he told Pro Football Talk Live.

“We left that stadium with a whole lot of respect, he still had some weapons.

“I think Sammy Watkins was on that team at the time, Tyreek (Hill), yeah, so I mean the guy was throwing the ball all around the yard.

“(We) probably thought they were going to run the ball a little more that day, but they didn’t. We learned a lesson that day.”

The legend of Mahomes quickly grew. In just his second season, he inspired the Chiefs to Super Bowl victory, as they came back to beat the San Francisco 49ers.

That became a common theme. After losing the 2020 Super Bowl to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mahomes and the Chiefs bounced back for double glory.

There was a superb victory over the Philadelphia Eagles after they were trailing at halftime in the 2022 Super Bowl.

And in February, on a memorable night in Las Vegas, Mahomes again broke the hearts of the 49ers. He threw a pass to Mecole Hardman in overtime to seal a 25-22 victory.

Watt is one of Mahomes’ biggest admirers. Asked after being named the AFC Defensive Player of the Year recently, he was asked again about MVP Mahomes.

“It’s ‘What doesn’t he do?’,” Watt said. “He does it all. He does what is required of him to win each and every week.

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Watt tries to deflect a Mahomes pass in that 2018 meetingCredit: Getty
“He is very adaptable. It’s not like you can prepare for one thing, keep him in the pocket this week and you’ve won the game. It’s not the case.

“He can dice it up from in the pocket, get out the pocket. He just makes everyone around him better.”

For his part, Watt certainly shone again in the 2023 season.

The 19 sacks he collected made him the first NFL player to lead the league on three occasions, in 2020, 2021, and 2023.

The Steelers finished the regular season with a record of 10-7.

Their playoff run didn’t last long however, as they were beaten by the Buffalo Bills on Wild Card Weekend.