After a full season of experience, Lance understood the immense pressure quarterbacks faced. Whether rookies or veterans, once a new season began, they stood under the spotlight, dissected under the media and fans' microscopes.
Look at Wentz, Goff, Watson—none were exceptions.
Last season, Mitch Trubisky, picked second overall ahead of Lance by the Chicago Bears, endured a nightmarish rookie campaign. Relentless criticism and nitpicking kept him in constant hell.
The unforgiving scrutiny was predictable, and Lance, having entered the league as a rookie Asian running back, could empathize.
So, Lance took the initiative to relieve some of that pressure from Mahomes.
Regardless of what the media might say, at the very least, the Kansas City locker room needed to rally around Mahomes—to give their young QB unwavering support and space to grow.
Having spent a season with Mahomes, Lance knew what kind of player he was—one who thrived on encouragement, not criticism. Praise and constructive suggestions fueled his progress far more effectively than blame.
Thus, Lance led by example.
Soon, other Chiefs players followed suit. They didn't hold back their praise, helping their reigning championship team ease the quarterback transition.
From players to coaches, the unified praise left the young Mahomes stunned. The humble, sincere guy basked in the flood of compliments, too overwhelmed to express his gratitude.
That night, he practically burst into Lance's house next door to vent his excitement. The next morning, he was up even earlier than Lance to start training, energized and determined.
Unsure how else to return the support of his teammates and fans, Mahomes threw himself into training—pure adrenaline and grit.
And to be fair, his performance deserved the accolades:
23 completions out of 28 attempts, an 82.1% pass completion rate, 326 yards, three passing touchdowns, and one receiving touchdown.
He passed with precision on designed routes and on broken plays. He read defenses effectively and flashed athletic explosiveness. His combination of raw talent and strict execution earned league-wide praise.
Even with high expectations, Mahomes still exceeded them—and won the league's resounding applause.
For a fleeting moment, it echoed memories of last season.
Once again, the Chiefs kicked off the year against a strong opponent. Once again, amid pressure and controversy, a young star emerged and stole the spotlight—
Last year it was Lance. This year, Mahomes.
Looking back on the 2017 draft, GM Veach's bold, sweeping moves now seemed borderline prophetic.
Even Veach himself didn't expect to be thrust into the spotlight. But if it meant deflecting heat away from Lance and Mahomes so they could focus on training, he gladly took the flak.
Just as Lance had said, Mahomes' performance deserved AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors—and the results confirmed it.
Even after all the Week 1 games concluded, none matched the season opener's intensity. No wonder it drew 30 million viewers and lit up the internet.
Naturally, the discussion for AFC Player of the Week centered on the Chiefs.
Both had strong supporters, but in the end, Lance edged ahead in votes and claimed the AFC Offensive Player of the Week title for Week 1 of the 2018 season—starting the new year with dominance.
People expected Lance to lose his rookie-season protection and be smothered by defenses in his sophomore year. They thought he'd hit the dreaded "rookie wall." Yet, even under the Steelers' targeted schemes, Lance delivered a game-changing performance.
This showed that after his breakout rookie year, even as expectations grew harsher and more demanding, recognition was also rising. To dismiss Lance now required strong data and arguments—otherwise, it was just noise.
But the season had only just begun. Many challenges still lay ahead. It was too soon to declare anything conclusive.
True recognition isn't earned through hype—it's earned game by game.
Lance understood this perfectly.
In this age of internet noise and instant hype, everything is just a bubble—ephemeral and fragile.
You can't be fooled. Because when that bubble bursts, it'll catch you off guard and toss you into the abyss.
Maybe that's Lance's biggest advantage from time traveling to the present. He'd seen the chaos and frenzy of the future. He'd survived surreal experiences—and they kept him focused on what mattered.
He needed to stay grounded and feel the earth under his feet with every step.
After the opener ended, after his ice bath, massages, recovery training, and physical therapy, Lance didn't leave. He stayed behind to review game footage—
Especially the second quarter.
The opener was over, and even the win needed to be set aside. It was time to prepare for the next game. The first step forward was always review: only by understanding his weaknesses could he improve.
Even when Burton Burns finally waved him off—"Too old to keep going"—and went home for rest, Ronnie Clark stayed behind to help analyze tape.
As a running back, Clark's physical ceiling was never high. Not even a starter in the NCAA, let alone the NFL.
But his football mind was something else. He had an exceptional sense for tactics, momentum, and matchups—always insightful.
He earned his nickname "The Professor" for a reason. Back in college, he'd helped Lance tremendously, and now in the pros, he was doing the same.
Their discussion continued even on the walk to the parking lot.
Checking the time, Lance grinned at Clark.
"Come on, let me show you a secret hangout—perfect for relaxing after game day."
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