That early success has already changed the conversation surrounding the Chiefs. After spending much of the offseason hearing doubts about the team, Kansas City is now being discussed once again as a potential Super Bowl contender. Mahomes, however, knows how quickly that narrative can change in the NFL, and he believes his teammates must maintain the mentality that helped them respond to all the criticism they received during the offseason.

“In this league, it’s week to week. One week they’re patting on your back and one week they’re telling you that you’re terrible. I think all offseason we heard about how bad we were and guys were super hungry. They came in with that mentality. I think that’s why we’ve had the success that we’ve had these first two weeks.”

Patrick Mahomes wants the Chiefs to keep their hunger

Patrick Mahomes went even further with his warning, pointing out that the Chiefs are now facing a completely different kind of challenge. Instead of entering games with everyone questioning whether Kansas City can return to the top of the NFL, the Chiefs are once again receiving praise after their 2-0 start. For Mahomes, that praise can become dangerous if it causes the team to lose the urgency it carried throughout the offseason.

The quarterback emphasized that Kansas City is nowhere close to reaching its desired level, even though outside expectations have already changed dramatically. The Chiefs still have an entire season ahead of them, and Mahomes believes the team must continue treating every week as an opportunity to improve rather than allowing its undefeated record to create complacency.

“It’s like, how can you keep that hunger? Now, everybody is saying we’re amazing and that we’re great. We gotta keep the hunger that we had this entire offseason. We’re nowhere near where we want to be. We’re still so early in the season. There’s still so much for us to learn and to get better at. We have to have that mentality week in and week out if we want to go out there and have success.”

The message from Mahomes is clear: a 2-0 record has given the Chiefs a strong start, but it has not solved everything. Kansas City has already experienced two very different games, and the quarterback understands that the expectations surrounding the team can shift just as quickly. With the Chiefs now receiving the praise they spent the offseason chasing, Mahomes wants his teammates to make sure that success does not take away the hunger that helped them reach this point.

Key takeaways

• The Kansas City Chiefs opened their season 2-0 with wins over Denver and Indianapolis.
• Patrick Mahomes urged teammates to keep their offseason hunger despite new praise.
• The quarterback emphasized that the team remains nowhere near where they want to be.

That has created pressure on Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice to take another step as the season progresses. Both receivers have the talent to become major weapons for Mahomes, but Kansas City could eventually decide that adding another proven playmaker is worth exploring if the passing game remains inconsistent.

That is where Tyreek Hill becomes an intriguing possibility. A late-season return to the Chiefs would be complicated by his recovery and would depend entirely on his physical condition, but if Hill can get healthy enough to contribute, the idea of using him as a WR3 rather than asking him to carry the offense could make the reunion particularly attractive.

Why could Tyreek Hill make sense for the Chiefs?

The Chiefs do not necessarily need Tyreek Hill to be the player who dominated defenses during his first stint with the organization. Kansas City would have a very different role available for him in 2026, one that could allow the veteran receiver to operate as another explosive weapon alongside Rice and Worthy while Travis Kelce continues to play a major role in the passing game.

That distinction could make a potential reunion more realistic. The Chiefs would not need to build their offense around Hill or immediately give him an enormous workload. Instead, they could use his speed selectively, force defenses to respect the deep ball and create more space for Mahomes and the rest of the offense.

The pressure on Worthy and Rice would also change if Hill arrived. Rather than asking two younger receivers to consistently provide explosive plays, Kansas City could distribute that responsibility across a deeper group. Worthy could continue developing while Rice remains one of Mahomes’ primary targets, with Hill providing another threat capable of changing how defenses approach the Chiefs.

A reunion could be huge for the Chiefs

Travis Kelce has already shown that he can remain a major part of the offense, giving Mahomes a reliable option in the middle of the field. Adding Hill to that equation would theoretically give Kansas City a collection of weapons with very different skill sets, creating more possibilities for Andy Reid and the offensive staff.

The biggest question, however, would be Hill’s health. He is recovering from a serious knee injury, and the Chiefs would have to determine whether he can still create the separation and explosiveness that made him one of the NFL’s most dangerous receivers.

If Hill is healthy enough to contribute late in the season, his potential role as a third wide receiver could be particularly interesting. He would not need to be the same Tyreek Hill who left Kansas City in 2022; he would simply need to be good enough to force defenses to account for him. It’s important to remember that Hill is a free agent and that makes things less complicated.

For a Chiefs team that could be competing deep into the season, that type of addition could become increasingly appealing. Kansas City already has the quarterback, coaching staff and offensive foundation to contend, but adding another proven playmaker could give Mahomes another weapon when the games become more important.

A Hill reunion remains hypothetical at this point, and there is no guarantee that the Chiefs will pursue him. But if Kansas City continues winning while its passing game leaves room for improvement, bringing Hill back late in the season could become one of the more fascinating possibilities to monitor.

“We have to get better at executing in the red zone, because that’s what wins you football games,” Mahomes stated during his press conference. A field goal can contribute to a victory, but a touchdown is more effective.

The quarterback also spoke about maintaining a winning mindset from game to game: “In this league, it’s week-to-week… All offseason, we heard about how bad we were… How can you keep that hunger now that everyone is praising you, telling you you’re great… We’re nowhere near where we want to be… You have to go out every week and have that mentality if you want to have success.”

One way or another, the Chiefs are doing a great job and currently hold a 2-0 record. As the weeks go by, it will be interesting to see whether they can ultimately make the necessary adjustments on offense to become a more lethal team in the red zone.

Chiefs’ offensive firepower

Through the first two weeks of the 2026 season, the Chiefs’ offense has been putting up points, racking up 7 total touchdowns (5 passing, 2 rushing) and sticking to their high-powered scoring routine. Harrison Butker has stayed sharp as well, hitting 5 of his 6 field goal attempts over the two-game stretch.

As for Patrick Mahomes‘ go-to partner, Travis Kelce remains his primary target in the air—leading the team with 12 catches for 172 yards and a touchdown—though newly acquired running back Kenneth Walker III has quickly turned into an explosive centerpiece for the overall attack.

Kansas City wants to keep the momentum going

The Chiefs are heading into a key divisional stretch, starting with two straight road games before taking an early breather. First up in Week 3, they hit the road to take on the Miami Dolphins, followed by a quick trip out West in Week 4 for a classic AFC West rivalry showdown against the Las Vegas Raiders. After that division battle, Kansas City gets its BYE week in Week 5 to recharge before returning home to Arrowhead in Week 6 to host the Los Angeles Chargers.

Key takeaways

• Quarterback Patrick Mahomes stated the Kansas City Chiefs must execute better in the red zone.
• Harrison Butker has converted 5 of 6 field goals through two games this season.
• Kansas City faces the Miami Dolphins on the road in Week 3 of the schedule.

“We had the big play in overtime where we think we stripped the ball—I was actually kinda glad, I didn’t want to see twitters reaction if they would’ve called it a fumble,” Mahomes said during his post-game press conference.

Trailing by three points, Laquon Treadwell caught a pass from Daniel Jones near the 20-yard line and was tackled by the Kansas City secondary. After losing the ball, the officials reviewed the play and ultimately ruled it an incomplete pass rather than a fumble, which would have given the home team an immediate victory at that point.

Andy Reid’s team has established itself as one of the NFL’s winningest teams in recent years, and that level of success often leads to public scrutiny over how it has managed to win so much. Fortunately for Mahomes, the win at Arrowhead was a clean one.

Mahomes rises to the occasion once again

Patrick Mahomes was back to putting on a show in the Chiefs’ wild 33-30 overtime victory against the Colts. He looked completely vintage, putting up a massive line by completing 32 of 47 passes for 382 yards, three touchdowns, and clean sheet with zero interceptions.

On top of slinging it all over Arrowhead, he scrambled twice for another 17 yards on the ground. He was spreading the love all night—hitting Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, and Jalen Royals for scores—and ultimately marched Kansas City down the field in OT to set up Harrison Butker’s game-winning kick.

Have the Chiefs ever been benefited?

In a closely contested matchup between the Chiefs and the Denver Broncos, controversial officiating once again sparked intense debate among fans and analysts alike. The scrutiny centered on Patrick Mahomes’ first touchdown scramble of the season, where Travis Kelce appeared to commit a clear, uncalled holding infraction on a Broncos defender to spring Mahomes into the end zone.

The missed call reignited long-standing accusations of favorable whistle-treatment for Kansas City, a narrative even Kelce later acknowledged with a lighthearted comment regarding the officials’ decision to keep their flags tucked away.

Key takeaways

• The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Indianapolis Colts 33-30 in overtime during their 2026 season game.
• Quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns without throwing any interceptions.
• Officials overturned a late overtime fumble call on Laquon Treadwell, ruling the play an incomplete pass.

Albeit to different degrees, both signal-callers are staples under center for their teams. By now, fans across the NFL know they will be in charge of the fate of the pigskin. The same applies to the Chiefs and Colts’ running-back depth charts. Who will be behind Mahomes and Jones in the depth chart, and next in line should something happen to the starters, is the real question.

Justin Fields will be Kansas City’s second-string quarterback in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season. As for Indianapolis, it will be another question-marks-filled quarterback serving as backup: Anthony Richardson. Both young quarterbacks share similarities in that they are questioned on many of their traits, but no one denies how explosive they are with the ball in their hands and some room to run.

Emergency quarterbacks for Chiefs vs Colts

Both teams hope they don’t need to send any quarterback other than their starters on Sunday night—unless it’s a substitution as result of a blowout. Still, the Chiefs and Colts must brace for whatever may come their way. On that note, they both have a third, emergency quarterback designated.

In Kansas City’s case, it will be rookie Garrett Nussmeier. Indianapolis will have sophomore quarterback Riley Leonard in that role. As emergency QBs, Nussmeier and Leonard can only be brought into the gridiron if both signal-callers ahead of them are injured.

How did Mahomes and Jones play in Week 1?

Both Mahomes and Jones entered the 2026 NFL season after long injury rehab journeys. In his first game back from the torn ACL and LCL suffered late last year, Mahomes threw 15 completions for 184 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.

Mahomes cleared all concerns around his leg health with solid runs and movement in the pocket, along with 23 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. In case it wasn’t clear enough, Mahomes clarified his leg injury status ahead of Week 2.

As for Jones, he suffered an Achilles tear last season. In his return, Jones threw more passes than Shane Steichen may have liked as Indy allowed an early lead to Baltimore in the 41-23 loss. Jones finished the day with 19 passes for 166 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

Fantasy points in Week 1, Week 2 projections

Mahomes put up 21.6 points in fantasy football, per ESPN’s app, in Week 1’s statement win over the reigning AFC West champions, the Denver Broncos. Jones, meanwhile, had a rougher outing, finishing with only 9.04 points. Entering Week 2, Mahomes projects 18.22 points, while Jones is expected to record 13.9 points.

Regardless of whether they helped fans win in their leagues or not, both quarterbacks have put their 2025-season-ending injuries in the rearview mirror and appear fully healthy to guide their teams in 2026.

Coming off an ACL tear, Mahomes finished just 15/27 for 184 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for another TD. Still, media is questioning about his leg and Mahomes was clear on how he’s feeling.

“Yeah, I feel normal actually. I mean, it’s like a blessing and curse. You get sore everywhere else because you haven’t played football in so long. And so, the leg is like the least of my worries right now,” Mahomes said.

Mahomes played with no fear in Week 1

Mahomes picked his way through the defense for a 15-yard score to open the board. He ran through contact early in the first quarter. That is impressive given how many players would be hesitant to welcome contact like that after an ACL tear.

The fact is that Mahomes also saw help from star running back Kenneth Walker III. The Super Bowl MVP had 23 carries for 173 yards and two total touchdowns. Mahomes still needs to find his rhythm, but he is getting there and has help from the running game.

The Chiefs are strong favorites vs Colts

The Colts just received a 40-piece from the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, where they ran the ball at ease. The Chiefs will try to replicate that against them with a red-hot Kenneth Walker III.

However, the Colts also allowed 150 receiving yards to Zay Flowers. That could allow Mahomes to find proper connections with wideouts like Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy.

The officials did not throw a flag, allowing Mahomes’ touchdown to stand and giving Kansas City an early lead in a game the Chiefs eventually won 31-10. The play immediately generated debate, with the broadcast crew questioning whether Kelce had gotten away with an offensive holding penalty.

Days later, Kelce addressed the controversial moment on the New Heights podcast and acknowledged that the officials could have called him for holding. Rather than dismissing the criticism, the Chiefs tight end admitted that he knew the play was dangerously close to drawing a flag.

Did referees made a wrong call in Chiefs vs Broncos?

Travis Kelce described the play as a moment when a player immediately knows he may have crossed the line. He explained that he got up slowly after the play because he was hoping the officials had not seen the contact with Talanoa Hufanga. “It was definitely a questionable play. That’s one of those where you get up slowly like please don’t be any laundry on the field.”

Kelce went even further by acknowledging that the correct decision could have been a holding penalty. With Hufanga attempting to close in on Mahomes near the goal line, Kelce’s block prevented the Broncos safety from getting a clean opportunity to stop the quarterback. The officials ultimately allowed the touchdown to stand, but Kelce admitted that Kansas City was taking a significant risk on the play.

“You can’t do it. Almost cost us and, to be honest, that would have been Patrick Mahomes’ second rushing touchdown called back in two plays. That would have taken us out of the red zone. That was risky business right there.”

Chiefs avoided a costly penalty on Mahomes’ return

The timing made the non-call even more important because Patrick Mahomes had already seen a rushing touchdown wiped out earlier in the drive because of an offensive holding penalty. A second holding call would have erased another potential score and pushed Kansas City back, completely changing the situation inside the red zone.

Instead, Mahomes reached the end zone and the Chiefs took control early in the game. The quarterback’s touchdown was especially significant because it came in his first regular-season game since suffering his major knee injury in December 2025, making his return to the field immediately memorable.

ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler provided the surprising update, revealing that Hill remains fond of his former team and that a reunion could make sense once he is healthy enough to return. Fowler wrote: “Free agent receiver Tyreek Hill remains fond of the Chiefs, and a potential in-season signing would make a lot of sense. He should be closer to playing around October.”

The timing makes the possibility particularly intriguing. Hill is not expected to be ready immediately, but his potential availability around October would give the Chiefs an opportunity to evaluate their roster during the first portion of the season before deciding whether to make a major addition. Kansas City already looked impressive in Week 1, making the possibility of adding one of the most explosive receivers of his generation even more interesting.

Will Tyreek Hill return to the Chiefs?

Tyreek Hill spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with Kansas City and became one of Patrick Mahomes’ most dangerous weapons before being traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2022. A reunion would therefore bring back a player who already knows Andy Reid’s offense and has a long history with the organization.

The Chiefs do not necessarily need to make a move at wide receiver after their Week 1 performance, but Hill’s potential availability changes the equation. Kansas City has Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and other young receivers, yet adding Hill’s speed would give Mahomes another dimension in an offense that could become even more difficult to defend if the veteran returns close to his previous form.

For now, this remains a possibility rather than an indication that the Chiefs and Hill are negotiating a contract. His recovery remains the biggest factor, and October is only a potential window for his return. But after Kansas City looked like a serious contender in its season-opening win over Denver, the idea of adding Tyreek Hill to that roster later in the year would represent a massive potential splash move.

“I gotta be better… There were times where those guys were open, and I was a little bit quick with my reads and getting the ball out of my hand,” the No.15 said during his press conference. “I have to trust in the offensive line, I have to trust in myself that I can stand taking the hits.”

The process of getting back to 100% is a slow one, and it is extremely important to avoid making mistakes that could set that progress back. Little by little, Mahomes is regaining his form and dreams of taking his Chiefs as far as possible once again.

Mahomes’ long-awaited return

Patrick Mahomes didn’t have to put up absurd stats in the 31-10 blowout victory against the Broncos, mainly because the ground game was absolutely cooking. Returning to action at Arrowhead on Monday Night Football, the QB went 15-for-27 for 184 yards and accounted for 3 total touchdowns.

He threw two scoring passes—including a slick 13-yard catch-and-run to Rashee Rice—and tucked it in himself for a 15-yard rushing TD to cap off the opening drive. He kept things super efficient and let the defense and run game do the heavy lifting to secure a clean division win.

Kenneth Walker’s strong debut

Kenneth Walker delivered an impressive debut for the Chiefs, spearheading the offense in their victory over the Denver Broncos. He rushed for 173 yards on 23 carries—highlighted by a breaking 60-yard touchdown run—and added a 2-yard receiving touchdown.

Averaging 7.5 yards per carry, Walker established the tempo early and took significant pressure off Patrick Mahomes, offering an immediate and major boost to Kansas City’s ground game.

“His strength is symmetrical from side to side—his function is the same side to side and his graft is fully healed,” ESPN‘s Ian Rapoport revealed on X. “We are going to see as close to 100% of Patrick Mahomes as we could possible see considering the timeline.”

This divisional clash will feature two major stars, as the Broncos will also have Bo Nix as a starter for this game. Arrowhead is ready to see one of its biggest stars back on the field and, why not, dream of making another run to the Super Bowl.

Mahomes’ highly anticipated return

The end of the 2025 campaign was undoubtedly not what Chiefs Kingdom had hoped for. Not only because of the team’s early elimination and failure to secure a ticket to the playoffs, but also because of the serious injury suffered by Mahomes.

In mid-December, the No. 15 tore his ACL and LCL in his left knee during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers, sparking concern among everyone inside the stadium. Against all odds, he managed to make a remarkable recovery that will see him back at the helm of the Chiefs for a season opener once again.

Chiefs’ QB room for the 2026 season

It is clear that, for Andy Reid, Mahomes will be the one calling the shots for his team throughout the season, as long as his body holds up. But if he needs to turn to other options, the Chiefs’ depth chart features two intriguing names behind him.

As the primary backup, Justin Fields stands out as an experienced player who could rise to the occasion if called upon. Finally, rookie Garrett Nussmeier sits further down the depth chart, perhaps with fewer opportunities to see the field, but looking to gain valuable experience while developing alongside a talented group of players.

Walker appeared in front of reporters and praised Mahomes’ preparation. “This dude always writing notes, when he don’t even have to—I looked at his notes, they’re so neat I’m like dang I’m really slacking—That’s a great leader and somebody you want to play along side of.”

Mahomes is a student of the game despite him being arguably the most talented player in the NFL. The fact that Mahomes, after winning five Super Bowls, is still hungry and not slacking is a testament to his greatness.

Walker also brings winning pedigree to Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are used to going on deep runs and Super Bowl appearances. Hence, the culture is a winning one. Walker fits right in with the team. After all, he just won a Super Bowl and was labeled the MVP of the game.

Kenneth Walker is also a huge talent in terms of player. Hence, you’re getting a premium quality playmaker that already knows what it takes to win a Super Bowl to join forces with a dynasty in the making.

The Chiefs come as underdogs this season

In an unusual turn of events, the Chiefs actually come into the 2026 season as underdogs. They’re not favorites to win the Super Bowl, to get to the AFC Championship Game, and not even favorites to win the division.

This is uncharted territory for Mahomes. However, there are reasons for this. Mahomes is coming off an ACL injury. The Chiefs had their worst season since Mahomes got the starting job, and all the division has gotten considerably better.