Patrick Mahomes sends worrying Chiefs message to rest of the NFL

After a disappointing end to the 2024/25 NFL season, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has delivered a message that should concern the rest of the league: the former champions are hungrier than ever to reclaim their title.  Speaking during Organized Team Activities (OTAs), Mahomes emphasized how the crushing 40-22 loss in Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles has fueled a renewed intensity in offseason preparations.

The star quarterback, already a three-time Super Bowl winner, believes this setback has added extra fire to the team’s workouts and mindset.  “When you lose a Super Bowl, I think there’s sometimes in those workouts, you may be a little tired, you have that extra added motivation to finish even harder, finish even stronger,” Mahomes said, via USA Today. “I think it’ll be good for us at the end of the day.”  “I mean, obviously looking back, you want to win the game. But a lot these guys hadn’t lost one (Super Bowl), hadn’t ended the season on a loss that are on this team now.  “So, I’m sure they’ll be motivated to go back out there and try to find a way to get to the Super Bowl and win it this year.”

Have the Kansas City Chiefs fixed their offensive line?

Mahomes’ performance in that Super Bowl left something to be desired, throwing two interceptions in the team’s defeat on February 9, including a pick-six to extend the scoring for Jalen Hurts’ team.  He was also sacked six times, the most of his career, at the Caesars Superdome as the Eagles’ defensive line blitzed the Chiefs and left them exposed and helpless to stop Nick Sirianni’s players.  So Kansas City enters the 2025-26 season with lingering concerns along the offensive line, specifically at left tackle, where they have not had a first-team All-Pro at that position since 2004.

This season, the position will likely fall to either free agent signing Jaylon Moore or rookie first-rounder Josh Simmons. The team hopes one of them can finally bring stability to the position. But patience may be needed.  Early-season matchups will provide an immediate stress test. The Chiefs open their campaign in Brazil against the Los Angeles Chargers, who will bring future Hall of Famer Khalil Mack and his 107.5 career sacks.

Week 2 features a home rematch against the Eagles, whose defensive front dominated Kansas City’s interior line in the last Super Bowl. From there, Mahomes and his protection unit will face a gauntlet of elite pass rushers, including Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Kyle Van Noy, and Odafe Oweh against the New York Giants in Week 3 and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4.  Even with these hurdles, Mahomes appears focused and locked in on delivering another championship. If his words are any indication, Kansas City’s pursuit of redemption could make them more dangerous than ever in 2025.