The last time Kansas City Chiefs fans saw Patrick Mahomes on the football field, he threw deep for Tyreek Hill in overtime of the AFC Championship game against Cincinnati.
Hill, who was double covered, had a chance to catch it. But the ball bounced the Bengals way for an interception, and they soon kicked a game-winning field goal, ending the Chiefs’ season just short of the Super Bowl. The Chiefs now get the opportunity to erase that memory as they begin their preseason slate at noon Saturday at Chicago.
Since that loss in the AFC title game, the Chiefs have undergone a bit of a roster overhaul in several key spots. Most notably, Hill was traded to Miami and safety Tyrann Mathieu wasn’t brought back.
The Chiefs, however, return Mahomes and veteran tight end Travis Kelce. And of course, there’s coach Andy Reid, who has a few things he’ll be on the lookout for with Mahomes and the offense.
“Just get back in the swing of things,” Reid said Thursday in St. Joe, Mo. “Execution, we’re always looking for, run and pass game.”
Reid said Mahomes will play the first quarter, and the backup QBs will each get a quarter as well. Mahomes even said he is looking forward to getting hit, which should help him get ready for the upcoming season.
“I like to get in there and I like to get hit one time,” Mahomes said. “So, if you get hit one time, you kind of see what it is. And if you get hit again as a quarterback, after that I feel like you’re good to go.
“But it’ll be good to get in there with the new group of receivers that we have, all the running backs, and show how we do it in the game because obviously we’re doing it here at practice. But to show how we do it in the game before that first game against Arizona, who’s a great opponent, I think will be good for us.”
Mahomes will be getting his first game-action with veteran receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who were signed in free agency. Mahomes also will be getting a look at second-round pick Skyy Moore.
And it wouldn’t be a stretch to see seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco get snaps with the ones at running back. Mahomes, who said he had “a lot of nerves” for his first preseason game as a rookie, told the youngsters to relax and just play.
“You’re getting in there, your mind is kind of racing,” Mahomes said. “Obviously the speed of the game is intensified but also the playbook. You’re trying to think and play at the same time. I told them to study as much as they can, and then when they get into the game just go out there and play.
“At the end of the day, go out there and play like you’ve done your whole life. You’re in this position for a reason and you let your talents show.”
On the defensive side, safety Justin Reid will be replacing Mathieu. He said the defense seems to be coming along nicely even though it won’t be on full display until the season begins.
“Guys are hungry,” he said. “And one of the best things about this defense is the intelligence. The IQ level across the board is very high. Guys have bought in and that’s given us the opportunity to be very multiple.
“Obviously in the preseason we’re not going to be exposing our whole deck of cards. But guys are excited to play, and I’m excited to be able to line up against somebody wearing a different colored jersey than I am for once.”
