When Patrick Mahomes' personal trainer revealed 'physiological' reason behind Chiefs QB's precise passing

Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes has made a name for himself for his magical throws from unconventional positions.

His 2018 no-look pass to Demarcus Robinson against the Baltimore Ravens, the back pass to Travis Kelce in 2024 against the Detroit Lions, and a 27-yard dart to Tyreek Hill against the Philadelphia Eagles while rolling to his left are some of the most memorable ones.

Although much of the credit is due to Mahomes’ skills, his peak physical fitness also plays a critical role in executing these feats. In the second episode of the Netflix series ‘Quarterback,’ titled "Homecoming," that premiered on July 2023, Bobby Stroupe gave a physiological explanation behind Mahomes’ exceptional execution.

“Patrick can keep his head perfectly still, like an owl, and still be able to visually see what's going on," Stroupe said. "And also manipulate his body due to the mobility that he has in his spine.”

Stroupe has been with Mahomes since the latter was a kid in Texas. He has remained as Mahomes' full-time personal trainer since the QB was drafted by the Chiefs in 2017. As per Stroupe’s observation, Mahomes also enjoys unparalleled hip-shoulder separation, which Stroupe described:

“the best that I've seen, and I've worked with some of the hardest throwers in baseball and at the quarterback position.”

As per Stroupe, plenty of athletes have deficits in moving their heads while rolling to either side of their bodies. However, Mahomes is among the few with an elite level of proprioception. It is made possible by his flexible and strong spinal mechanics, something quarterbacks don’t train for.

Bobby Stroupe defends Patrick Mahomes' dad-bod

During an interview in September 2024, Bobby Stroupe, founder of the Athlete Performance Enhancement Center, shared his opinions on dad bod jokes on Mahomes. Although he heard a lot of it from social media and Mahomes, Stroupe defended the extra body fat.

“I'll be the first to tell you that I think an NFL quarterback should have at least 14% body fat,” Stroupe says. “It's not from an unhealthy standpoint, but from a force absorption standpoint. You have to be able to take contact.”

Although Stroupe’s words weren’t taken seriously by everyone, Mahomes has remained one of the most durable athletes in the NFL. Hence, there might be some truth behind Stroupe’s explanation.