The Kansas City Chiefs' 2025 season is set to begin Friday night in Brazil against the Los Angeles Chargers. As usual, the Chiefs are facing a ton of pressure after coming up short against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, and that's especially true for quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The all-time great gunslinger is coming off arguably the worst game of an incredible career and will want to exact revenge early. The path created isn't easy with star wideout Rashee Rice out for all of September and three new starters along the offensive line.
It is the exact spot Mahomes was in last season with questionable targets after losing Rice to a season-ending injury and dealing with a frustrating offensive line. While this year's frontline appears to be upgraded, there are sure to be early hiccups as new starters settle in. Right tackle and left guard are especially concerning spots for the franchise.
Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes Finds Himself in a Familiar Spot to Start 2025 Season
Mahomes has long been asked to elevate marginal talent, and now will have to spend a big portion of both the 2024 and 2025 seasons without a star target at receiver. While Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals have both shown early promise, there are injury concerns with Royals to start the season, and Xavier Worthy has yet to prove he can handle a higher level of targets. With this in mind, a lot is being asked of Mahomes to help drive the offense.
Josh Simmons will start at left tackle as a rookie, while a failed tackle is moving inside to left guard. Meanwhile, Jawaan Taylor already has concerns both with injuries and a lack of consistent production. Despite lacking a clear-cut No. 1 WR and the O-line concerns, Chiefs fans have zero reason to believe Mahomes isn't going to figure it all out.
The six-time Pro Bowl quarterback's numbers might no longer match his MVP seasons, but there is an argument that the past two years have been even more impressive. The NFL's best player is navigating a level of uncertainty at every level of the offense. Even the run game has been unreliable for head coach Andy Reid, leaving the responsibility completely up to the man under center.
Yet fans overlook this pressure simply due to the greatness of Mahomes. Figuring out how to make things work and perform in the biggest moments is what has already given Mahomes an argument as the second-best QB in league history and could surpass Tom Brady when all is said and done.
The good news for Mahomes is the fact that the offensive line is likely going to settle in, and Rice is set to return in the middle of October. For once, there is an expected expiration date of Mahomes putting the team on his back and willing them to a win. Still, it is important to acknowledge the accomplishment and consistent level of greatness the quarterback achieves, no matter the mess around him.
Chiefs' fans will continue to appreciate the accomplishment and point it out to pundits who simply glance at the boxscore, not understanding that above all else, Mahomes does the most important thing: he finds a way to win when the pressure couldn't be higher.