As with most teams, the Kansas City Chiefs under head coach Andy Reid have been reluctant to insert their star players into preseason games.
But when Reid announced that two-time MVP, three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes would see playing time in the Chiefs’ preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, there was understandable concern among the fan base.
As it turned out, there was nothing to be worried about.
Reid did get Mahomes into the game. In fact, Mahomes started the game, taking the ball on the Cardinals’ 26 yard line after Arizona returner Greg Dortch fumbled the opening kickoff.
One Throw, One Touchdown
Mahomes remained in the game for all of 48 seconds and three plays, one of them negated by an Arizona pass interference penalty, ending his outing with a one-yard touchdown pass to second-year wide receiver Jason Brownlee.
For the record, Mahomes stat line ended up giving him a quarterback rating of 118.8. To put that in perspective, Mahomes rating for the playoffs is 105.4, second-best all-time behind Baker Mayfield’s 105.9.
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But after a lackluster performance — with a rating of 95.4 — in Super Bowl 59, there have been questions surrounding whether Mahomes is up to year another run at a championship, his fourth, and what would be his sixth Super Bowl appearance in seven years.
Kelce Offers Assessment of Mahomes
The Chief’s other future Hall of Famer, tight end Travis Kelce, did sit out Saturday’s game. But after the Chiefs’ Wednesday practice, the seven-time All-Pro offered his assessment of Mahomes’ outlook for the 2025 season, based on the quarterback’s training camp showing, and how Mahomes has changed from last season.
“How fast his mind is moving. It seems as though he is always a step ahead. His arm is alive right now,” Kelce said. “It’s fun to see him know the play, know where he is going before the snap happens. He is really leading this team right now.”
Feared Combination of Kelce and Mahomes
Kelce and Mahomes have been one of the most feared quarterback-receiver combinations in the NFL, since Mahomes’ first full season in 2018, after Mahomes was drafted 10th overall the previous year out of Texas Tech.
Over the seven seasons that the pair have been together on the field, Kelce has 686 catches on Mahomes passes, adding up to 8,126 yards and 56 touchdowns over 109 games.
A report by Vahe Gregorian of the Kansas City Star on Sunday, cast a further light on Mahomes’ level of leadership with the 2025 Chiefs to this point in the preseason.
