Johnny Manziel claims he almost signed with Kansas City Chiefs instead of Patrick Mahomes

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The Kansas City Chiefs have been blessed with the greatness of Patrick Mahomes. It was almost very different.

Patrick Mahomes is already on his way to the NFL Hall of Fame, although unfortunately for every other team, retirement is at least a decade away.

The Kansas City Chiefs are riding the high of Patrick Mahomes winning his third Super Bowl, becoming the first team in 20 years to go back to back.

Now there is even talk of a ‘three-peat’. The Chiefs really are living the dream. But it nearly did not turn out like this.

Johnny Manziel makes Kansas City claim

Former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel is now out of the league, blowing his big chance with the Cleveland Browns after being drafted in 2014.

Manziel failed to focus on the sport during his career, and was cut by the Browns. He never got another chance.

One team who did consider giving Manziel another opportunity, according to Manziel himself, was Kansas City.

Manziel claims he met with head coach Andy Reid, and thought a deal could be on, before the Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes in 2017.

Speaking to Maxx Crosby’s The Rush podcast, Manziel says talks were held over a possible move.

Manziel explained: “I thought I was going to sign in Kansas City the year Mahomes got drafted. So I think if they hadn’t have taken a quarterback, which thank God they did, I think I could have ended up there.

“Andy Reid has a really good long history of being able to help people and I think he saw something in me as well.

“So I took a couple of meetings there and flew up to Kansas City and kicked the tyres on it, ended up not working out. But I think I had two really good opportunities and situations and it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Chiefs had to have alternatives

Cast your mind back to 2017, Kansas City were not necessarily looking for a ready-made starter, with Alex Smith the team’s quarterback. Mahomes ended up sitting for a year.

But the Chiefs did spend a high-pick to land Mahomes, grabbing the chance to sign him when they could.

The NFL Draft is however, fraught with uncertainty, and there were nine teams who picked ahead of the Chiefs.

If one of those had chosen to take future MVP Mahomes, Kansas City would have had to find a quarterback elsewhere.

Manziel may have been on the list. Perhaps he was the third or fourth choice option, or perhaps he was way down as a 15th option. One way or another, it sounds like the Chiefs briefly considered it, at least.

He never did get another chance in the NFL. Manziel needed a stable franchise like the Chiefs to succeed, but after blowing his first opportunity, it is no wonder a team was unwilling to take the risk.