Even though the Chiefs were heavily favored to beat the Giants, no game in the NFL should be taken for granted, and Mahomes and company took this challenge seriously. Plus, the Chiefs have several of their important players out, so that made this win even better.

By the end of the game, not only had the Kansas City Chiefs secured an 1-2 opening record, they also made history. Actually, Mahomes made the history, but it was on behalf of the Chiefs.

Congratulations to Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs

Before the Giants game, Mahomes had 293 passing touchdowns over the course of his nine-year NFL career. Then, he threw to wide receiver Tyquan Thornton for a five-yard score.

With that score, Mahomes officially surpassed ex-Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning to earn the most touchdown passes in a player in the NFL’s first nine seasons, according StatMuse. Manning threw 293 scores during his first nine years with the Colts.

“Patrick Mahomes has passed Peyton Manning (293) for the most TD passes in a player’s first 9 seasons, including the playoffs,” noted Jacob Kaye of ESPN on X.

More High Marks for Patrick Mahomes

Ahead of the season starting, Fox Sports released its tally of the best quarterbacks in the league, and they named Mahomes the top pick, although he was tied with Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.

“When you win two of the last three Super Bowls, you’re clearly one of the league’s best players. Statistically, it wasn’t always pretty last year, but Mahomes and the Chiefs somehow finished atop their division and conference,” Henry McKenna noted in the piece.

McKenna added of Mahomes, “This year, Kansas City’s roster might be even better-built to support Mahomes. It’s strange to think he might have a bounce-back year in 2025 when his ‘down’ years included a Super Bowl berth, but that’s the truth.”

On Jackson, Ben Arthur said, “Jackson is still getting better as a passer, and that’s a scary thought for opposing defenses considering he may already be the most talented player in the league. The two-time NFL MVP surpassed 4,000 passing yards for the first time last season, and he’s just as dynamic of a runner as he was at the start of his career.” He added that Jackson “has been great in the playoffs as of late, too,” but that “it’s just that his team hasn’t helped him get over the hump to reach a Super Bowl.”

Meanwhile, the NFL also released their roster of the best players in the league going into the 2025-26 season, and Mahomes made the top 10. Michael Baca of the NFL’s website has him at No. 5.

“Mahomes posted career-low numbers in his seventh season as a starter, but the respect he garners from his peers maintains a top-10 ranking within the Top 100 — a streak that began in 2019 after his first year as Chiefs QB1,” Baca says in the piece.

Now, the Chiefs have a huge Week 4 game ahead against Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens just lost to the Lions on Monday Night Football, so they’ll be hungry for a win.