A new story has surfaced detailing how the Kansas City Chiefs orchestrated a clever misdirection in the 2017 NFL Draft, allowing them to select Patrick Mahomes. The move was subtle but decisive, and it has since reshaped the league’s landscape.
Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi revealed that the Chiefs deliberately leaked false information that they were targeting a linebacker, misleading other teams, including the Buffalo Bills, while quietly preparing to move up to draft Mahomes.
“We see this quarterback, he’s like, ‘Wow, look at this throw, look at this throw,'” Borgonzi told The Schrager Hour. “And, you know, Veach is always big with the videos and stuff on his phone, so he starts filming it and starts shooting it over to Andy.
Patrick Mahomes blows NFL fans minds in resurfaced video about his game preparation
“And, you know, Andy‘s probably like, ‘You know, dude, it’s May right now, slow down.’ But he was relentless with it. And, you know, I think we had to keep it as quiet as possible through the whole fall.
“But we pretty much knew, I think, during the fall where we were going with the pick. And, you know, the night of the draft was just, you know, we’re all on pins and needles just trying to get up there.
“And then we finally, you know, found a trade partner with Buffalo at 10 and I think, you know, because there were some rumors that we were trying to trade up, I think we might have leaked out that we were trading up for a linebacker that night.”
How the trade shaped both franchises
In the 2017 draft, Kansas City originally held the No.27 pick. To acquire Mahomes at No.10, they traded that pick, a third-rounder (No.91) in 2017, and a 2018 first-round pick to Buffalo, allowing them to secure a quarterback who would become a generational talent.
Buffalo used the No.27 pick to select cornerback Tre’Davious White, a multi-time Pro Bowler, while the third-round pick and 2018 first-rounder allowed the Bills to draft key contributors, including Dion Dawkins, Zay Jones, Tremaine Edmunds, and Siran Neal.
The Chiefs immediately benefited. Mahomes became the starter in 2018, winning MVP honors, multiple AFC Championships, and a Super Bowl, ending a 50-year title drought and establishing Kansas City as a perennial contender with global recognition.
Meanwhile, the Bills leveraged the draft haul to build around Josh Allen, selected in 2018. Allen has developed into an elite quarterback, leading Buffalo to multiple playoff appearances and an AFC Championship Game, proving the franchise did not miss out on a top-tier signal-caller.
Both Mahomes and Allen exemplify how strategic draft management shapes long-term success. Kansas City gained a generational talent, while Buffalo’s patient approach created a balanced roster supporting Allen’s rise, showing that calculated risk can yield elite quarterbacks.
The 2017 draft trade remains a defining moment. Kansas City obtained a face-of-the-franchise quarterback in Mahomes, while Buffalo constructed a foundation around Allen, demonstrating that both organizations succeeded in creating quarterback-driven dynasties despite diverging paths in the same draft year.
