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Falling just short of another title last season, the Kansas City Chiefs are in hot pursuit of another ring in 2021. With their first preseason game just a few days away, all eyes are on potential contributors that weren’t with the team last year, especially along the offensive line. After stockpiling assets all summer, Kansas City is on the cusp of another special season.
Led by their star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, this Chiefs team is resilient and tenacious on both sides of the ball. However, it’s the play of their signal-caller that truly sets them apart. A former MVP coming off consecutive Super Bowl appearances, Mahomes still seems to approach his craft with a rookie’s enthusiasm, despite having the mentality and disposition of a salty veteran.
Now in his fifth year with the Chiefs, and fourth as a starter, the expectations as the face of the NFL are incomparable to anyone in recent memory. In spite of any adulation and noise from the media, Mahomes told reporters Thursday that he and his teammates are laser-focused, looking to make improvements wherever possible.
“I think you can definitely feel the intensity of practice on offensive and defensive sides of the ball,” Mahomes said in Thursday’s press conference. “We’re competing every single rep. We understand that we didn’t end the season how we wanted to last year so we have to find a way to get better so we can find a way to end it how we would like this year.”
The team’s stability around the budding Mahomes has been crucial too, as the names and faces in camp, aside from on the offensive line, have stayed mostly the same in recent seasons. He cited the familiarity with his teammates, especially his receivers, as a key factor in staying consistent on offense.
“A lot of the guys that are kind of in that role that Sammy (Watkins) was playing last year,” Mahomes said. “(And) have been in and out of the lineup or in the starting rotation for the last couple years. So, having guys like (Byron) Pringle, D-Rob (Demarcus Robinson), Mecole (Hardman), (Marcus) Kemp, (Gehrig) Dieter, all those guys are in there making those plays and kind of trying to fill that void as best they can. It’s something that I have comfort with of them being in there and running the routes the way that I want them ran.”
As for his offensive line, Mahomes seemed confident in the rapport he has built with some of the new additions, left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. in particular.
“At that left tackle position, a lot of times you’re on an island,” Mahomes explained. “You’re going up against usually the defense’s best pass rusher and for him he’s trying different stuff, seeing how I like it. We communicate, you can see us communicate on the sideline and we try to find that right spot so when we go into the season, we’re ready to roll.”
With the first preseason game fast approaching, Mahomes seems content with the team’s preparation. It’s a steep climb to the top in the NFL, but with the talent that Kansas City has assembled and stellar play from the phenom quarterback, the sky remains the limit for the Chiefs.
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