For a sense of the archaic context of the latest record broken by Chiefs quarterback phenomenon Patrick Mahomes, we turned Sunday to the men most directly responsible for the previous franchise record for touchdown passes in a season set in 1964 while the Chiefs still were in the AFL.
Len Dawsons 30th touchdown pass that season, a record that held up until Mahomes threw his 31st in the Chiefs 26-14 victory over Arizona on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, went for 55 yards to Chris Burford in a 24-7 victory over the Jets that capped a 7-7 season.
Owning the record surely was a fine thing for Dawson, though, really, it was merely a minor distinction in a Pro Football Hall of Fame career that included three AFL titles and the only Super Bowl the Chiefs ever have won.
Safe to say the 83-year-old in his first fall outside the booth after 34 years with the Chiefs Broadcast Network wasnt exactly obsessed with it. In fact, he was grateful to get to talk about the passing of the torch … at least as a reprieve from blowing leaves.
I didnt even know it was (still) there; I had no idea until the last week or so. It really wasnt in my thoughts, he said, laughing and adding, Hey, it was going to be overcome. … Its just as well its now: Hes a heck of a player.
Like Dawson, Burford didnt have an overly sentimental attachment to that piece of history.
That was more than a few weeks ago, Burford said, laughing, from his home in Nevada. As they say, records are made to be broken.
Maybe especially this one, which in some small way could be said to resemble the dynamics of Steve Balbonis Royals home-run record of 36 in 1985 holding up more than 30 years before Mike Moustakas broke it with 38 in 2017.
A once-impressive number has to sit still a long time to seem pedestrian.
In this case, it somehow survived the NFL-AFL merger, man going to the moon, the advent of the internet, major changes in the nature of the game and a host of quarterbacks whove started for the Chiefs since Dawson retired after the 1975 season.
But it couldnt stand for even 10 full games in Mahomes debut season as the Chiefs starter, a season that already has made him a revelation for Chiefs fans.
He entered the game Sunday with 29 and tied Dawsons record 56 seconds later on a 37-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill. The record-breaker also was to Hill, a 14-yarder with 5 minutes 31 seconds left.
Coincidentally, as it happens, it was punctuated by Hill climbing into the stands and commandeering a TV camera that captured teammates and the penalty flag being thrown for his ridiculous-but-awesome celebration.
Funny thing is, Mahomes had been in front of the camera as Hill seized it, but Hill didnt seem to get him framed up. And after initially pretending he had orchestrated this to commemorate Mahomes moment, Hill confessed he hadnt known about it being a milestone.
Even Hills shenanigans illustrated the contrast and duration in the record-setting eras.
