You see the clip every few months. Patrick Mahomes is on a practice field, maybe in a hoodie, and he just launches a ball that seems to defy the laws of gravity. It stays in the air so long you start wondering if it’s ever coming down. Everyone wants to know the "max" number. If you’re at a bar or arguing on a forum, the question usually is: how far can Patrick Mahomes throw a football when he actually puts his whole soul into it?
The answer is a bit of a moving target.
Honestly, it depends on whether we’re talking about a game, a practice session, or a "look at what I can do" Pro Day. In a real NFL game, things are messy. You have 300-pound men trying to bury you in the dirt. But in a controlled environment? That’s where the numbers get scary.
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The 80-Yard Myth That Isn't Actually a Myth
Back in 2017, before he was a three-time Super Bowl champ, Mahomes was just a kid from Texas Tech trying to convince NFL scouts he was worth a high pick. At his Pro Day, he unleashed a bomb that traveled 80 yards in the air.
He didn't just chuck it. He stepped into it with that baseball-pitcher torque he's famous for and dropped it right into the hands of a receiver downfield. It wasn't a fluke.
If you ask Mahomes himself, he’s been even more ambitious. In a few interviews, he’s claimed he can hit 83 or even 85 yards if the conditions are right. Think about that for a second. That is nearly the entire length of the playing surface. Most NFL quarterbacks start to lose accuracy and "zip" once the ball travels past 55 yards. Mahomes is basically playing a different sport at that point.
Why he can throw it that far
It isn't just big muscles. It’s physics. Mahomes was a high-level baseball prospect, and his father was a pro pitcher. He doesn’t just throw with his arm; he uses his entire core and a specific type of hip-to-shoulder separation that most QBs simply don't have. Basically, he creates a whip effect.
What’s the Record for an Actual NFL Game?
Throwing 80 yards in shorts is one thing. Doing it when the game is on the line is another.
For a long time, fans pointed to a "mere" 60-yarder as his peak. But in 2024, during his 100th career start against the Chargers, Mahomes uncorked a massive touchdown pass to rookie Xavier Worthy. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, that ball traveled 62.2 yards in the air.
That stands as the longest "air distance" throw of his career in a competitive game.
Wait. Only 62 yards?
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You might think that sounds low compared to the 80-yard Pro Day hype. But you have to remember how NFL tracking works. Air yards are measured from the point of release to the point of catch. In a game, receivers aren't usually standing 80 yards away because no one can run that fast before the pass rush gets to the quarterback.
The Baker Mayfield Comparison
To give you some perspective, Baker Mayfield actually holds one of the highest recorded air-yard marks in a game. He threw a Hail Mary that traveled roughly 70.5 yards in the air. The difference? Mahomes' 62-yarder was a calculated, high-speed strike to a moving target. Mayfield's was a "pray and heave" at the end of a half.
Warm-ups and the "Out of the Stadium" Legend
If you ever get to a Chiefs game early, watch the warm-ups. It's better than the actual game sometimes.
There are reports—and some blurry cell phone videos—of Mahomes casually flicking the ball 80-plus yards while he’s just loosening up. He once told The Ringer that he likes to throw "long toss" (another baseball carryover) to test his limits. He even joked about a throw in Arizona that he launched so high it "disappeared into the sun."
Some fans swear they've seen him hit the scoreboard or throw it out of the tunnel. While the "out of the stadium" stuff is probably just legendary exaggeration, the 80-yard mark is very much a reality in practice.
Does Distance Even Matter?
Here is the truth: being able to throw 85 yards doesn't make you a great quarterback. If it did, Joe Milton would be the greatest of all time.
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The reason Mahomes is a nightmare for defensive coordinators isn't just the distance. It’s the velocity. He can throw a 20-yard "out" route at 60 miles per hour.
When a ball is moving that fast, the window for a defender to intercept it disappears. His arm strength allows him to wait an extra half-second to see if a receiver is open. He knows he can make up the distance with pure power.
- The "Off-Platform" Factor: Mahomes can throw 60 yards while jumping sideways or falling down.
- The Arm Angle: He can drop his arm low like a shortstop and still put enough juice on the ball to beat a linebacker.
- The Fear: Defenses have to play deeper, which opens up the run game and short passes.
How He Compares to the All-Time Gunslingers
Is he the strongest ever? That’s a tough one.
Josh Allen probably has more "raw" power. He’s been recorded throwing nearly 90 yards in unofficial settings and has a frame built like a linebacker. Then you have the legends like Brett Favre or John Elway. They didn't have the fancy GPS tracking we have now, but scouts who saw them say their "heat" was comparable.
However, Mahomes is the only one who consistently combines that 80-yard range with the "no-look" creativity.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Players
If you're trying to track this yourself or just want to win the next debate, keep these numbers in your back pocket:
- In a game: Look for the "Air Yards" stat on Next Gen Stats. Anything over 60 is elite.
- In practice: 80 yards is the gold standard for Mahomes.
- The Secret Sauce: It’s the legs. If you want to throw like him, stop focusing on your biceps and start working on your hip flexibility and core rotation.
Whether he ever actually hits 85 yards in a game doesn't really matter. The fact that the defense believes he can is why the Chiefs' offense stays so dangerous year after year.
To really understand the mechanics behind these deep balls, you should look into how baseball pitching mechanics translate to the football field. Specifically, research "segmentation" in a throwing motion—it’s the literal engine behind Mahomes’ 80-yard bombs. If you want to see it in action, go back and watch his Texas Tech Pro Day film from March 2017. It remains the most impressive display of raw arm talent ever caught on camera.