‘Take It To a New Stage’: How Patrick Mahomes Sees Chiefs Extending Their Dynasty

The Chiefs have been lastly knocked off the mountaintop final season. However was it a small slip-up or a full-on tumble down the slope?

That’s the query dealing with Kansas Metropolis in 2025. The Chiefs have reached three straight Tremendous Bowls — the primary franchise to return there after successful back-to-back championships — however how they misplaced to Philadelphia has led many league observers to consider their dynasty could also be fading.

On high of that, Rashee Rice faces a six-game suspension to begin the season for violating the league’s private conduct coverage. Off the sector, there was the revelation of a gunshot fired into Andy Reid’s workplace final 12 months whereas he was in it, as first reported by The Kansas Metropolis Star. Additionally this offseason, Travis Kelce and world music icon Taylor Swift just lately introduced their engagement. These are all potential distractions of wildly completely different varieties at a vital juncture for the Chiefs.

However Patrick Mahomes has purpose to consider that Kansas Metropolis can reclaim the Tremendous Bowl title. He has confidence in how the workforce has gone about its enterprise heading into the common season, which begins for the Chiefs on Friday towards the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil.

“You’ll be able to simply see from the OTAs and to the coaching camp, we’ve got an excellent mixture of veteran guys — sort of these younger veteran guys which have been in a variety of massive video games — after which some younger guys which can be athletic and need to make their imprint,” Mahomes mentioned final week. “And so, when you will have that good mixture of gamers like that, you will have the expertise, you will have the athleticism, and now it’s a must to go on the market and simply show you could win.

“And we bought a variety of guys on our soccer workforce which have gained a variety of video games.”

Patrick Mahomes believes the Chiefs can quiet all of the noise and get again to the highest of the league in 2025. (Picture by David Eulitt/Getty Photos)

The Chiefs’ receivers may have loads of proving to do with out Rice, who gained’t be eligible to return till Week 7. The previous second-round choose has been a No. 1-caliber choice when he’s on the sector. Since 2023, Rice’s rookie season, 67.1% of Mahomes’ passing yards have come after the catch when Rice is on the sector in comparison with simply 59.3% with out him on the sector, in response to NFL Professional.

Rice’s absence gained’t be uncharted territory for Kansas Metropolis, although. The workforce performed its ultimate 16 video games final season, together with the playoffs, with out him after he suffered a season-ending damage in Week 4. Xavier Worthy, who had eight catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns within the Tremendous Bowl loss to the Eagles, is predicted to step into a bigger function in his second season. Hollywood Brown, who missed the primary 14 weeks of 2024 on account of a shoulder damage, has had a full summer season of labor. Veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster is within the fold. Kansas Metropolis additionally has fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals (although he gained’t play Week 1 on account of damage). This can be a deeper large receiver room than the Chiefs have had the previous couple of years.

It may assist Mahomes lead a extra explosive offense.

His 6.3 air yards per try in 2024 was third-worst within the league and lowest of his profession, per NFL Professional. He had 851 passing yards on passes behind the road of scrimmage, second-most within the league. He has simply 5 deep passing touchdowns (20-plus air yards) in his previous three seasons, in comparison with 44 throughout his first 4 seasons as a starter.

Mahomes desires to offer his receivers extra probabilities to make contested catches this 12 months. He believes the Chiefs have the personnel out large and upfront to do it.

On Kansas Metropolis’s offensive line, which got here beneath fireplace final season for its pass-protection woes, gone is Professional Bowl guard Joe Thuney, traded to the Chicago Bears in April. The Chiefs have 2024 second-round choose Kingsley Suamataia changing him at left guard, whereas first-round rookie Josh Simmons steps in at left deal with.

“These previous few years, I’d say it was irregular not pushing the ball down the sector, not being an attacking mindset,” Mahomes mentioned. “And so, we’re attempting to get again to that.”

The 2-time MVP admits that the humiliating Tremendous Bowl loss was on his thoughts within the offseason. He used it as additional motivation to get by the exercises he did not need to do. Throughout the spring, Mahomes and his teammates talked about what occurred in February. However the Chiefs, Mahomes says, at the moment are within the second. They’ve began over for 2025.

After utilizing the Tremendous Bowl loss as motivation this offseason, Mahomes says he and the Chiefs at the moment are targeted on the 2025 season. (Picture by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Photos)

Mahomes is considering how he could be higher for his teammates, how he can assault his course of to assist his workforce in that final sport — and win it this time.

“I believe you at all times need to get higher. I believe that’s one thing that folks lose monitor of when you will have success,” he mentioned throughout coaching camp. “Clearly, we didn’t win that final sport, however we had a variety of success final 12 months. And I believe typically individuals need to be stagnant and so they need to go on the market and simply do it over once more. However you see with the remainder of the AFC West, the remainder of the AFC and the NFL, everyone is getting higher. So, we’ve got to get higher.

“We need to try to take it to a brand new degree.”

In keeping with Mahomes, that is what the Chiefs should do to get again to the mountaintop.

Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Community, the place he was the Titans beat author for a 12 months and a half. He coated the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) previous to transferring to Tennessee. You’ll be able to comply with Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.

Need nice tales delivered proper to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports activities account, and comply with leagues, groups and gamers to obtain a customized e-newsletter day by day!

What did you consider this story?