It was difficult to imagine the Kansas City Chiefs not competing at the highest level again next NFL season, especially with Andy Reid on the sideline and Patrick Mahomes under center. Even after years filled with victories, the quarterback still drew questions about how much he was being asked to carry. Expectations in Kansas City never dipped; they simply reset to championship standards every year.
The Chiefs reshaped their offense after bringing back Eric Bieniemy this offseason. During an interview with Jason Anderson on Sports Radio 810, ESPN analyst and former quarterback Dan Orlovsky evaluated Mahomes’ 2025 campaign and the burden placed on him, sending a warning to Andy Reid.
“It’s like a slow fade with Patrick in Kansas City, where over the past two and a half years he has been asked to do more and more,” Orlovsky said. “It’s easy to say, ‘You’re Patrick Mahomes, you can do it,’ but just because he can doesn’t mean he should carry that load for most of an 18-game season and the playoffs.”
There was some truth to that assessment, particularly when considering the natural evolution of a player entering his thirties. Mahomes might not have relied on his legs the same way he once did, yet his processing, vision, and creativity remained elite. The conversation centered less on decline and more on adaptation, on finding ways to maximize efficiency while preserving him for January.
Orlovsky on the Chiefs’ staff changes
One of the clearest signals that the Chiefs wanted to raise their ceiling again came with the decision to move on from Matt Nagy and reunite with Bieniemy for 2026. The intention was obvious: rediscover the explosive identity that once overwhelmed defenses across the league.
“I’ve been outspoken that there are a lot of scheme things that I still think are lacking. Go under center more, put bigger bodies in. I still think he’s going to be at the highest. He just doesn’t have to do it 45 snaps a game, and I think it helps everybody else,” said Orlovsky,
“Patrick (Mahomes) is still the most talented player at that position. Are guys playing better than him this past year? Yes, but that doesn’t mean they are; it’s just maybe they’re in a slightly healthier situation where they’re not asked to do as much. I’ll be interested to see with EB (Eric Bieniemy) coming back, how they evolve.”
Mahomes’ numbers
The two-time league MVP finished the 2025 NFL season with 22 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions in 14 games before a knee injury cut his year short. He also added 422 rushing yards and five scores, production that remained strong even as the weekly responsibility grew heavier.