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The Herald Scotland
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
NFL teams that could be more explosive: Chiefs, Bears up in 2025?
Still, summer in the NFL is all about examining untapped upside, and there are more than a few groups that have significant potential for becoming more dynamic. Here are five teams that are shaping up to be more explosive this season than they were last year: Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes had a clear statement of purpose for the Chiefs' offense in offseason workouts. "Our job is to test the defenses down the field and we have to get back to doing that if we want to open up other guys underneath," Mahomes said in June. "Coach (Andy) Reid has challenged me this offseason to push the ball down the field, let guys have chances to make plays and then once we get that back to where we want to be in our standard that we believe we should have, then we can come back to the underneath stuff." The sentiment, however, is almost exactly the same as what he put forward a year ago as the team looked to rediscover its freewheeling ways. And last season's outcome serves as a reminder of how quickly even the most dedicated effort can fall apart. With Rashee Rice and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown lost for the majority of the season by September, Kansas City quickly reverted to the more laborious method it has pivoted to in recent years. Two years after leading the NFL with 73 completions of 20-plus yards, the Chiefs had the sixth fewest in 2024 with just 42. With the deep game disintegrated and the field compressed, Mahomes' average air yards per attempt sagged to a career-low 6.3, according to Next Gen Stats. As in past years, part of the problem stems from the preponderance of two-high shells the team has continued to face as opposing defenses deny Mahomes anything deep and instead force him to be more patient and discerning. But much of the disappearance of the downfield game also traces back to the injury-ravaged receiving corps that failed to find consistent separation and an offensive line that came undone in critical stretches. Getting back Rice, who could be facing a suspension after being sentenced for his role in a high-speed crash last year, and Brown no doubt will be a boon, with the former able to do plenty of heavy lifting as a go-to target underneath. But while Xavier Worthy showed promise once his role shifted after Rice's season-ending knee injury, the first-rounder still has a long way to go to be the downfield burner the team envisioned him as when it selected him in the first round last April. But if the 40-yard dash record setter can improve on his 10.8 yards per catch average, it could have a significant ripple effect for the rest of the unit. Meanwhile, a trimmer Travis Kelce could be more dynamic after averaging a career-low 8.5 yards per catch last fall. A more pressing concern than the pass-catching crew, however, could be the offensive front. The Chiefs made sizable investments at left tackle - a two-year, $30 million contract for Jaylon Moore and a first-round pick used on Josh Simmons - after Mahomes' blindside protection quickly proved insufficient last fall. And with Joe Thuney sent to Chicago, Kansas City is counting on either Mike Caliendo or Kingsley Suamataia, who began last year as the starting left tackle before being benched, to hold down the left guard spot. Affording Mahomes sufficient time to take chances could be the difference between an offensive rebirth and yet again having to repeatedly scrape by on third and fourth downs. But if given the window, there's little question that the Chiefs will be looking to take their shot whenever they can. Ben Johnson's explanation this offseason of his stance on the Tush Push, the Philadelphia Eagles' signature variation on the quarterback sneak, served as a window into the first-year Bears coach's offensive philosophy. "Man, I tell you what, does it become an explosive play ever? Have you ever seen a Tush Push become an explosive play? I like explosive plays," Johnson said in May. "I like big plays. "So I'm not a big Tush Push guy myself." Of course, Johnson's mindset would have been readily evident to anyone familiar with his work orchestrating the Detroit Lions' offense for the previous three years. His units ranked in the top five for both yards and points every season during that span. The peak came in 2024, when the Lions led the NFL in scoring and tied a league record by reaching at least 40 points in six games. Detroit also had the most touchdowns of at least 20 yards with 18. It's little wonder, then, that Johnson was such a draw to a team that finished last in yards per game (284.6) amid heightened expectations for quarterback Caleb Williams' debut campaign. Johnson has said that while he'll carry over his aggressiveness and focus on taxing defenses in a variety of manners, he'll cater to the Bears' specific personnel landscape. And despite the systemic breakdown that dragged down all parties in 2024, there's a clear sense of big-play potential brewing thanks to Williams' singular creativity, an overhauled offensive line and a receiving corps that could be on the verge of a breakout. Who will crash NFL's postseason party? Ranking 18 non-playoff teams' shot at joining field Still, there's a clear walk-before-you-run element for a Chicago team that was derailed by incessant pressure last season. With Johnson having declared how highly he prizes expected points added in the passing game, his tolerance for drive-killing sacks will be low. The complete remaking of the interior offensive line might go a long way toward resolving the front's most pressing shortcoming, but larger changes are no doubt due after Williams took a league-high 68 sacks. While there's been plenty of questioning about how Williams would jibe with Johnson in a system that calls for the quarterback to stay on schedule, expect the signal-caller to get rid of the ball more quickly and significantly boost his checkdown rate after posting the lowest figure in the league in 2024 at 7.1%, according to Pro Football Focus. Once the attack reaches a level of overall functionality, however, the big plays could come in waves. Johnson excels at throwing defenses off balance to create big gains both through the air and on the ground, and the Bears' skill-position talent could easily capitalize on the run-after-catch opportunities that are sure to come. Tampa Bay Buccaneers It's difficult to find much fault with one of last year's most efficient attacks. The Buccaneers ranked fourth in scoring (29.5 points per game) and fifth in expected points added per play. And with a league-best 50.9% conversion-rate on third downs, Tampa Bay was difficult to stop in its tracks. What, then, could first-year coordinator Josh Grizzard and the offense be setting their sights on as an area for growth this fall? For one: deep shots. "We're trying to get some more explosive (plays) in," quarterback Baker Mayfield told reporters in June. "Obviously, when you look at the stats - I'm not a big stats guy, but we weren't as much down-the-field explosive. We were creating a lot of open, in the middle, and guys getting some YAC." Mayfield and the aerial attack, which Grizzard helmed last year as pass game coordinator, did prove to be particularly deadly operating in the underneath area. Despite losing slot target Chris Godwin to a season-ending dislocated ankle in Week 7, the Buccaneers ranked second in yards after catch with 3,830. Mayfield set career highs with a 71.4% completion rate and 106.8 passer rating along with 4,500 yards and 41 touchdown passes. But the downfield game never quite took off for Tampa Bay, which ranked 29th in average air yards per attempt (6.8). The compressed attack was reflected by the contributions of Mike Evans, a perennial deep threat throughout his career who saw his yards per reception (13.6) and average depth of target (11.58) sink to all-time lows. Even then, his overall efficiency didn't wane, as he tied for sixth in the NFL with 2.8 yards per route run. Still, with Godwin back and first-round receiver Emeka Egbuka in the fold, the Buccaneers will have a better shot at utilizing the full field. As he turns 32 in August, Evans might not be the same field-stretching threat as he once was, though his 91 open score in ESPN's receiver metrics was tied for the league's best mark. But his ability to threaten defenses vertically hardly hinges entirely on speed, as hauling in contested catches down the sideline has long been his calling card. With Godwin and Egbuka holding down the short-to-intermediate area, Evans could benefit with a return to a heavier proportion of his work coming deep downfield. One potential hiccup: All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs' expected early-season absence due to a knee injury could threaten the superlative protection Mayfield has enjoyed. Atlanta Falcons Coaching staffs often look to rein in a young quarterback's aggressiveness. The Falcons want to harness their second-year signal-caller's attacking approach, though striking the right balance could be a season-long project. When Atlanta benched Kirk Cousins for the final three games of last season, it didn't take long for Michael Penix Jr. to strike a stylistic contrast from his veteran predecessor. The rookie averaged 10.2 air yards per attempt during his three-game run, which placed him only behind the Indianapolis Colts' Anthony Richardson among starting quarterbacks on the season. But the shift produced a much higher variance from a passing game that still ranked fifth in yards per game despite Cousins' limitations on his mobility and velocity. Penix completed just 58.1% of his passes on the season while struggling with erratic ball placement. "He's an aggressive player with an aggressive arm, but sometimes you got to be able to dial it back a little bit," Falcons quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates said of Penix in May, according to the team's official site. "He has great field vision. He has the ability to manipulate underneath defenders with his eyes. And sometimes he might not need to do that all the time, but it's one of his greatest assets, so we don't want to over-coach or out-coach some of those things out of his system. It's just the process of learning the quarterback and learning how to coach him, and him learning the offense and rolling through those things." Even if Penix does rein in his tendencies a bit, Atlanta no doubt will be looking to embrace a new outlook. Raheem Morris admitted late last season the team had "neglected" the play-action portion of its playbook, and the team should be able to engineer more favorable downfield looks. Penix's deep-ball prowess could also bring out the best in Drake London, who connected with the quarterback for 22 catches for 349 yards and two touchdowns in the final three games last season. With the 6-4 London and speedster Darnell Mooney Jr. both offering a proven track record threatening defenses vertically, Penix could unlock a component of the passing attack that Cousins struggled to access. And while Bijan Robinson picked up rushing yards in bunches after finishing fourth in the NFL with 1,887, the third-year back has drilled down on how to create more long runs after again failing to produce one of 40 yards or more. "I work on it every single day," Robinson said in June. "Obviously, the explosives, we always want them. We've added so many things to this offense so we can create more explosives. And, for me, sometimes it's that one defender, but now that's all. That's what I've been working on all offseason, just seeing that free hitter and making moves off him." The story of the Raiders' offensive downfall was one of compounding problems, with an untenable quarterback situation worsened by a rock-bottom run game and a receiving corps left listless after the Davante Adams trade. It only made sense, then, for Las Vegas to take a multi-pronged approach toward a repair. Bringing aboard Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly provided stability to a franchise that hasn't enjoyed much in the way of consistency since moving to Las Vegas. Another major boost came with Geno Smith settling the longstanding quarterback question. The two-time Pro Bowler has been one of the league's best deep passers in recent years, though having to compensate for a Seattle Seahawks line that struggled to stave off interior pressure somewhat obscured the full extent of his abilities. That experience should prove handy, however, as Smith takes on a heavy load in jolting one of the more inert passing attacks. Do the Silver and Black have enough juice in the receiving corps to give Smith proper help? Brock Bowers is more than capable of serving as the focal point of the attack after his record-setting rookie season. But the Raiders might need Dont'e Thornton, a 6-5, 205-pound fourth-round pick out of Tennessee who ran a 4.3-second 40-yard dash and averaged 25.4 yards per catch last year, to create the deep connections that might not otherwise be readily available to other targets. "We want to be efficient. That's the main thing," Smith said in May. "We want to do well in the situations, the third downs, the red zones. But also we want to be explosive. When teams come up and play us in man-to-man (coverage), we have guys that are going to win those matchups. I really feel good about where we are. We're still in work in progress but we're in a good spot and we've just to keep working hard to get better." The Raiders also should see a radical shift in their run game. No. 6 overall pick Ashton Jeanty brings an immediate big-play threat to the backfield after notching 12 runs of 50-plus yards in his final year at Boise State. Las Vegas' longest rush of the season, meanwhile, went for just 40 yards.
New York Times
16-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Why Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs' offense must rediscover their old explosive ways
A year ago, not many disputed that Patrick Mahomes was the best quarterback in the world. However, after a season in which the Chiefs' offense was subpar by their standards, some see Mahomes' more recent dink-and-dunk style as evidence that he isn't who we thought he was. In ESPN's top 10 quarterback rankings, comprised of the opinions of league executives, coaches and scouts, Mahomes only received 60 percent of first-place votes this year. He received all but one vote last year. Advertisement Mahomes ranked 33rd in air yards per attempt (6.3) in 2024, according to TruMedia, and going back further, he ranks 40th in AY/Att. since 2022 (6.7) among qualifying quarterbacks. The Chiefs' offense went from a high-flying act, the likes of which we hadn't seen, to a ball-control unit. They were able to flip the switch when they needed to on offense in their back-to-back Super Bowl win run (2022 and 2023), but last season, moving the ball was more of a grind. They were winning by narrow margins and got exposed in the Super Bowl. Mahomes averaged 8.7 air yards per attempt in his first three seasons as a starter. With Tyreek Hill and prime Travis Kelce to throw to, defenses decided to sit in two-deep coverages to limit explosives, which led to a new defensive meta that we are seeing across the league. Since 2022, the Chiefs have faced the highest rate of two-deep coverages in the league (79.6 percent) according to TruMedia. However, last season, they had their struggles even against teams that dared to play them with single-high defenses. Their explosive pass rate against single-high defenses ranked 27th last season. Through game-planning and Mahomes' brilliance, the Chiefs have found ways to score points, but continual failed moves on the offensive side of the ball have left them outmatched against good defenses. Since 2022, after the team assembled an elite interior offensive line by drafting Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, and signing Joe Thuney in 2021, the misses on offensive skill positions started piling up. Nearly all of their big investments in the draft and free agency on offense were misses. Skyy Moore and Clyde Edwards-Helaire are clear busts. Jawaan Taylor is a better-than-average tackle, but he was massively overpaid for the level of play he's provided for the Chiefs, and he was constantly pushed back in pass protection during last year's playoff run. Rashee Rice was on the verge of a true breakout, but he was hurt. Hollywood Brown was hurt for most of last season and didn't make much of an impact when he returned for the playoffs, and DeAndre Hopkins looked promising before an injury limited him in the playoffs. Rice's injury could be chalked up to bad luck, but Brown has only played one full season in his six-year career and Hopkins is 33 years old. When you miss on draft picks, these are the risks you have to take. Advertisement The team drafted Xavier Worthy in the first round in 2024 with a very specific role in mind, but he was asked to do more after Rice got hurt. To his credit, he took it in stride and produced late in the year and into the playoffs. Worthy was productive when he had plays schemed up for him — like bubble screens and handoffs — but when Rice returns, he'll take a bulk of those touches. Worthy has to take a big step in terms of his ability to win on the outside. However, he struggled to release and create separation against press coverage. It's an area he must improve on to become more than a complementary player. The Chiefs were dead last in 2024 in explosive play rate but fifth in success rate. Their success rate was largely because of an efficient run game and Mahomes' ability to convert on third-and-long. The Chiefs ranked third in third-and-long (7+ yards) conversion rate (32.6 percent), which is even more impressive considering their lack of talent at receiver and signs of regression from Kelce. The Chiefs simply were overmatched against good defenses. In the divisional round, the Texans' pass rush dominated the Chiefs' line, but defense and special teams bailed out Kansas City. The Chiefs had one of their best offensive performances of the season against the Bills in the AFC Championship Game. Buffalo's defense is more of a function of sound team play and scheme. When the talent level is closer to even, the Chiefs' offense can produce at a high level. Kansas City's offense was completely mismatched talent-wise in the Super Bowl. The Eagles didn't do anything special schematically. They simply played quarters all game, crowded Kelce, jumped short routes, and forced Mahomes to hold onto the ball for longer-developing routes. The offensive line couldn't give Mahomes the time he needed for his receivers to get downfield. The message should be clear after the Super Bowl: The Chiefs must create explosives again. To do that, they need to run the ball better and give Mahomes enough time to throw the ball downfield. Head coach Andy Reid is surely drawing up pass concepts that can beat quarters, and many of those concepts require throwing downfield. Advertisement They could use a true X receiver/ball-winner on the outside, but the receivers should be better with Rice returning from injury and Worthy having a year of experience. Kelce has trimmed down in the offseason and looks motivated to make what could be his last season a productive one. But did the Chiefs do enough to address the offensive line? They traded Thuney, who was a stalwart at guard for them and played left tackle admirably in last year's playoff run, to sign Trey Smith to a long-term deal, which they did on Tuesday, league sources tell The Athletic. Replacing Thuney will be 2024 second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia, who was drafted to play left tackle. Suamataia was a disaster playing tackle last year, but has potential inside. They signed Jaylon Moore from the 49ers, who played well when Trent Williams was hurt, and drafted Josh Simmons in the first round. Simmons has top-10 talent but fell in the draft because of a serious patellar tendon injury. 'I think (Suamataia) projects well at left guard and is part of signaling a return to the more physically thinking lines of before,' former Chiefs tackle Mitchell Schwartz told The Athletic. 'I was surprised Thuney got traded, but in thinking about why you'd trade Thuney and re-sign Trey long term, and move Kingsley to left guard permanently, it struck me that it's a return to physical pass sets and firmer pockets. Thuney is undoubtedly one of the best guards in football, especially pass blocking, but he takes more of a 'normal' pass set. The Chiefs have long emphasized firmer and more aggressive sets, and the combination of Trey and Kingsley gives them more size, more youth, more strength, more firm sets. Especially if your interior is the strength of your offensive line, be firm and allow the QB to step up if the tackles are having some issues.' Suamataia's only action at guard was in the season finale, when the Chiefs rested their starters but the Broncos played theirs. Schwartz added that Suamataia played well against one of the better defenses and defensive tackles in the league after practicing at left tackle during the offseason and presumably for most of the season. 'Overall, the offensive line should project to return to being one of the top units,' Schwartz said. 'The interior should remain great as a unit. Jawaan (Taylor) is overall better than people think because of the penalties and cadence/alignment issues, and left tackle has a floor of Jaylon Moore and a ceiling as high as they've had since Eric Fisher was drafted first overall in 2013 (referring to Simmons). The team has shown that they will commit resources to the OL over and over, through the draft, through free agency, and by retaining their own. The emphasis is on physicality to protect the QB and run the ball efficiently, with an eye on what it takes to win the Super Bowl.' The Chiefs have a lot riding on the development of Suamataia inside, as they must be a bigger threat on the ground. Last season, they were 11th in offensive rushing success rate but ranked 30th in explosive run rate. There are a few reasons for that. Though running back Kareem Hunt did a good job of finding holes and moving the pile, he doesn't have the long speed to outrun defenders at the second level. Also, the Chiefs use a shotgun run/pass option (RPO). RPOs are effective at creating space, but they can be a little slower to develop, and you don't get the downhill effect of an under-center run game. The Chiefs will always be an RPO team with Reid and Mahomes, but they could benefit from adding to their under-center runs, similarly to what the Bills did last season. Also, I was surprised the Chiefs didn't draft a running back higher than they did in a deep running back class. Isiah Pacheco has talent, but he's struggled to stay healthy, and he doesn't break tackles at a high level. I thought the Chiefs would be more aggressive in adding a running back, seeing what Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs did for their respective teams last season. Advertisement If they can stay healthy, the Chiefs' offense will be better simply because Mahomes will have more talent to throw to on the outside. But how they perform against top defenses depends on their rebuilt offensive line. The line will factor into everything from how explosive their run game is and whether they can throw the ball deep more often. Reid, Mahomes and Kelce have proven to be problem solvers in the last three years, but would prefer to be the problem for other teams once again. (Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Alex Grimm, David Eulitt / Getty Images)
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
4 NFL QBs Projected To Be Better Than Patrick Mahomes In 2025
4 NFL QBs Projected To Be Better Than Patrick Mahomes In 2025 originally appeared on The Spun. When it comes to the NFL's top QBs pretty much everyone's top four is the same: Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow (usually in that order but not always). Advertisement But according to Warren Sharp's projections, a handful of Mahomes' peers are expected to be better than him in 2025. On Wednesday, the NFL analyst revealed his quarterback tier list made up of 38 signal-callers ranked from S+ to F. And the three-time Super Bowl champ found himself on the tale end of the league's top-five with Josh, Lamar, Jalen Hurts and Jayden Daniels ahead of him. On Mahomes Sharp noted 2024 featured: career lows in YPA (6.8) & yards/game (246) career low 26 pass TDs despite playing 16 games career high 30.8% of passes thrown at/behind LOS #3 highest rate of the last decade (Jake Browning, Alex Smith) career high 36 sacks taken career high 108 hits taken Adding all of that sounds terrible, but on the bright side: Rashee Rice, Marquise Brown, and Xavier Worthy never played a game together we expect the KC to transition towards a reemphasis on pushing the ball downfield & running the offense through their WRs and KC improved their tackle position via the draft & FA While Mahomes' numbers have ticked down in recent years, it seems like it's more a function of how the Chiefs have needed to win games rather than a decline in ability or play. KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 18: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks to pass against the Houston Texans during the first quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by)Without the explosive weapons he was accustomed to earlier in his career, Kansas City has had to rely more on its defense and special teams to piece together Ws over the past two seasons (something they did 25 times in the 32 games Mahomes played in). Advertisement Still though, it's unclear how much longer Patrick can go without the gaudy numbers before fans start replacing him at the top of their lists. Related: Former NFL Reporter Michele Tafoya Called Out For Photo 4 NFL QBs Projected To Be Better Than Patrick Mahomes In 2025 first appeared on The Spun on Jul 9, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Patrick Mahomes' trainer Bobby Stroupe hits back at Kevin Kietzman for criticizing Mahomes' diet and offseason training
Bobby Stroupe defends Patrick Mahomes after criticism over diet and offseason fitness (Image via: Getty Images) Patrick Mahomes faced criticism over his body and eating habits after a recent viral photo. Radio host Kevin Kietzman questioned the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback's fitness and diet during the offseason. Mahomes' trainer Bobby Stroupe responded quickly, defending the quarterback's performance and training routine, and rejecting the claims made on the 'Kevin Kietzman Has Issues' podcast. Trainer responds to Kevin Kietzman's comments about Patrick Mahomes' body and work ethic Kevin Kietzman used his podcast to claim Patrick Mahomes was 'overweight, lazy, and out of shape.' He also criticized Mahomes' alleged fast food consumption. These remarks followed a viral image from a charity golf event in April and a shirtless July 4th photo shared by Brittany Mahomes, which led to online comments about the quarterback's so-called 'dad bod.' Bobby Stroupe, Mahomes' longtime trainer of over 20 years, pushed back. He said on social media that Kietzman's criticism was attention-seeking and did not reflect Mahomes' true conditioning. 'If you want to see what in shape is, make it through a practice at Saint Jo or run a hurry-up offense scrambling back-to-back plays,' Stroupe wrote. He also addressed the idea that top-level quarterbacks need six-pack abs to perform. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One of the Most Successful Investors of All Time, Warren Buffett, Recommends: 5 Books for Turning... Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Click Here Undo Stroupe pointed out that many Hall of Fame quarterbacks and pitchers did not have that body type but still played at elite levels. His main argument was that performance, not appearance, should be the focus when evaluating athletes. Mahomes remains in top form heading into the 2025 NFL season Despite online comments and podcast opinions, Mahomes remains one of the NFL's top players. At age 28, he is a three-time Super Bowl champion, two-time MVP, and continues to lead the Kansas City Chiefs as their franchise quarterback. His agility, playmaking ability, and durability have never been in question on the field. Also Read: It's a Baby Girl: Tim Tebow and Demi-Leigh Tebow announce birth of their first child As the Chiefs prepare for the 2025 NFL season and aim for a historic three-peat, Mahomes continues to train under the same program that has brought him consistent success. His team remains confident in his physical condition, regardless of outside criticism. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Patrick Mahomes faces legacy reckoning after Chiefs' Super Bowl meltdown
Mahomes Super Bowl fallout (Image credits : Instagram/X) The Kansas City Chiefs' 2024 season ended not just in defeat — but in disillusionment. A crushing loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl didn't just cost them a title, it fractured the image of invincibility around Patrick Mahomes. For years, Mahomes symbolized calm under pressure, football brilliance, and leadership. But this season's finale exposed cracks in both the quarterback and the franchise's identity. Super Bowl fallout leaves Mahomes searching for his voice and form While Mahomes posted respectable numbers, the fire and fearlessness that once defined his game were missing when it mattered most. His throws lacked urgency, his body language reflected frustration, and his leadership seemed muted. Fans were stunned not just by the loss, but by Mahomes' inability to rally the team when it mattered. For a player used to miracle moments, this ending felt eerily quiet. Behind closed doors, questions are swirling about Mahomes' mental fatigue and whether he's burdened by the weight of his own myth. A former rival defensive end criticized his 'emotional flatline' during crunch time, calling it a sign of pressure getting to him. The narrative isn't just about poor play anymore — it's about whether Mahomes has lost the edge that once terrified defenses. This shift is rippling through the locker room and the fanbase alike. Chiefs face cultural reset as leadership model comes into question This wasn't just Mahomes' loss — it was the Chiefs' cultural reckoning. The team, once known for resilience and composure, looked shell-shocked against the Eagles. Internal sources suggest a lack of vocal leadership, waning morale, and strategic confusion throughout the postseason run. Now, management faces a critical decision: rebuild the team's emotional foundation, or risk long-term damage to the franchise's core. Also read: Russell Wilson's NFL redemption tour begins in New York after Giants' brutal season As the 2025 season looms, the pressure is now twofold — Mahomes must rediscover his identity, and the Chiefs must reignite a culture of belief. The talent remains, but the aura has cracked. Whether Mahomes bounces back as the fearless icon or fades into just another 'what if' story will define Kansas City's next era. The road to redemption has begun — but this time, it starts from within. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
