Patrick Mahomes practiced basketball before teardrop TD pass

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, teammates practiced basketball before teardrop TD pass

By Thomas Huitt-Johnson | Last updated 10/3/22

Practice makes perfect.

In warmups before the game against the Buccaneers on Sunday, Patrick Mahomes and a few of his Chiefs teammates practiced shooting a football like a basketball. The Chiefs' QB hit a jumper through Clyde Edwards-Helaire's hands.

A couple hours later, Mahomes tried it during the game.

Just know…he practiced it in pregame. @PatrickMahomes is NOT human @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/vi2n5bwogd
— Maria Taylor (@MariaTaylor) October 3, 2022

In the second quarter with a 14-3 lead, Mahomes rolled out right and escaped defensive end Pat O'Connor, circled around linebacker Devin White, stopped in front of safeties Keanu Neal and Antoine Winfield Jr. and flipped the ball to Edwards-Helaire.

The play resembled what they tried pregame. The scramble and score helped the Chiefs take a three-touchdown lead---one they wouldn't surrender in a 41-31 win over the Buccaneers.

In his postgame news conference, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce called Mahomes "the Houdini of our era" -- a reference to the famed early 20th-century magician.

The second-quarter TD throw followed a play earlier in the game when Mahomes had defender Carlton Davis draped over him but stayed upright long enough to drop the ball into receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster's hands. The completion extended a drive.

Practice does indeed make perfect.