Clifford Scrambled To Impersonate Chiefs’ Mahomes

Among Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements three sins of quarterback play, the first two are not throwing the ball late over the middle and not making any blind throws.

Rookie quarterback Sean Clifford spent the week breaking those two rules.

It was all a part of his role as scout-team quarterback and getting Green Bay’s defense ready for Sunday night’s showdown against Patrick Mahomes, the two-time NFL MVP quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs.

“I think as you start to understand a little bit more about how to be the best scout-team quarterback you can be, you start to pick up on things that he does,” Clifford said after Friday’s practice.

“Especially this week, it was a lot about scrambling ability. Being able to extend plays, get out of the pocket, arm angles, just different things that he does. Just give the defense the best look. I’m not Patrick Mahomes, so I can’t be Patrick Mahomes. He’s the only person that can do it. But just try to mimic it as much as possible: his mannerisms, calls and whatnot.”

That means along with studying the Chiefs’ defense should be thrust into the action on Sunday night, Clifford also spent time watching film of Mahomes so he could do his best impersonation.

Mahomes, at age 28, is already one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. He is No. 1 all-time in passer rating and yards per game. He’s won two MVPs and two Super Bowl MVPs. His last five seasons have reached at least the AFC Championship Game.

His highlight-reel plays are legendary, so Clifford had to throw some passes he typically wouldn’t throw on the practice field and which might otherwise draw the ire of Clements.