Patrick Mahomes is facing the first true test of his career in 2022

Patrick Mahomes has been considered a living legend ever since he took over as the starting quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2018 season. He immediately won the NFL MVP award and a Super Bowl in his second season. In fact, he has, at least, made the conference championship game in all four years as a starter.

That made sense, given the stacked roster surrounding him in Kansas City. But will that change this season with the departure of Tyreek Hill? The stats show just how much the quarterback relied on his speedy receiver over the years.

In 2021 alone, Hill had 111 catches on 159 targets. That is a serious amount of attention paid to a receiver who is now playing in Miami. So what does this mean for his former quarterback?

What has become clear is that Mahomes is officially in for the first real test of his career in 2022.

Patrick Mahomes will begin to define his legacy in 2022

Patrick Mahomes

This is an intriguing development for both Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The team is trying to reach that dynasty level which was previously held by the New England Patriots and Tom Brady.

For that to happen, they need to win another few Super Bowls in the next few years. Even one in the next two years would put them on that trajectory of being legitimate contenders every single year in the foreseeable future.

Brady was always known for working with the talent around him. Receivers would come and go, but he would always find success. And even he never had someone as dynamic as Hill, maybe aside from Randy Moss.

This is when Mahomes can begin to define his true legacy in the NFL. It is easy to forget that he has only been a starter for four seasons. How will we view him after another decade of play? That is what will be determined starting this season.

The 2022 campaign will figure out who was more responsible for the others' success: Mahomes or Hill? It may be the case that both are superstars and can succeed anywhere. Fans in Kansas City are hoping to find out that this was the case, or that the quarterback was the one carrying this team all along.

This is a fun development for anyone looking to prove they are the best of the best. One advantage that remains in place is the fact that Andy Reid is still the head coach of the Chiefs.

It's possible he is truly the mastermind behind the team's success. If that is the case, Mahomes should be just fine and continue to compete for Super Bowls in a stacked AFC.