Patrick Mahomes has given his mark of approval to Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach following the team’s move on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.
The Chiefs quarterback resorted to social media to show his enthusiasm following the team’s dramatic first two nights of the draft. Kansas City made a daring move by trading up for the 28th selection to get Xavier Worthy, the speedster who broke the NFL Combine’s 40-yard sprint record in March.
They also acquired BYU offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia, prompting Mahomes to tweet his support. The three-time Super Bowl winner wrote on X: “I love Veach man!”
Veach isn’t only a clever general manager; he’s also a former great running back at Delaware, earning third-team All-Atlantic 10 honors in 2000. Veach, who was born in Pennsylvania, began his management career as a coaching intern with the Philadelphia Eagles before quickly rising through the league’s executive ranks.
By 2017, Veach had risen to the position of general manager for Kansas City, guiding the team to its current status as a dominant force in the NFL, owing primarily to strategic draft decisions. The Chiefs selected star tight end Travis Kelce, who is also known for dating pop megastar Taylor Swift, in the third round in 2013, and jewel running back Isiah Pacheco from Rutgers in the seventh round last year.
Mahomes was a bit of a gamble when he was selected in the 2017 Draft, with Veach allegedly having to persuade the team to take a chance on the gunslinger. The bet paid off handsomely for Kansas City, as Mahomes earned six Pro Bowl selections and two MVP awards.
Veech has been praised for maintaining a solid talent pool around Mahomes, winning the league’s Executive of the Year award in 2020 and 2023. But he received his harshest criticism when the organization opted to move top receiver Tyreek Hill to Miami two years ago.
At the start of this season, Kadarious Toney’s blunders seemed to epitomize the Chiefs’ lackluster pass-catching corps. However, the Chiefs overcame a midseason downturn to win their second consecutive Super Bowl in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers this February, with Veach identifying a promising successor to Hill.
Worthy, a four-star high school recruit famed for his lightning-fast speed, immediately revitalized the long-dormant Texas dynasty with nearly 1,000 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Worthy took a step back in year two before exploding in his junior season, totaling 1,014 receiving yards and guiding the Longhorns to their first College Football Playoff trip.
In addition to his record-breaking 40-yard sprint, Worthy had the highest total athleticism score of any receiver at the combine. Despite some clubs’ reservations about his small stature, Mahomes is excited about the potential of pairing his powerful arm with Worthy’s remarkable speed at Arrowhead Stadium in the coming season.
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