13 years ago, if you had told a Chiefs fan they would get a QB who would lead them to multiple Super Bowl titles, the response would have been quite surprising. After all, the QB room had looked shaky for years. Matt Cassel had just been released after underwhelming performances, with neither Tyler Palko and Kyle Orton looking particularly impressive. 

But that situation didn’t change with Patrick Mahomes. It boiled down to a single trade the Chiefs made that brought Alex Smith to their locker room. Smith arrived in Kansas City as the QB who lost his spot to Colin Kaepernick, but by the time he left, he had helped transformed the franchise.

That’s why when the Chiefs gear up for their first game of the regular season, they’re bringing Smith back for a special tradition, one that goes back all the way to the 1960s. 

According to multiple reports, including KMBC News, the former Chiefs quarterback has been selected as the team’s Drum Honoree for Week 1 against the Broncos.

For the unversed, during the 1960s, the Chiefs introduced a massive drum on the sidelines to entertain fans. Since then, it has evolved into a tradition that takes place right before every home opener. 

Someone with real ties to the franchise gets the honor of banging the drum right before kickoff and leading the Arrowhead Chop. That ceremonial blessing of the drum has also been one way the team has honored its American Indians roots.  The Chiefs have taken the tradition seriously, even upgrading the drum back in 2019. 

This year that job belongs to the guy who set the table for everything: Alex Smith. Even though Mahomes defined a glorious era of football, Smith was the one who laid the groundwork for that success.

When Andy Reid took over as head coach, the very first thing he did was trade for Smith, pulling him away from the 49ers. Smith spent five seasons in Kansas City, made three Pro Bowls, and got the team to the playoffs four times. His last year there, 2017, was also his best. He threw for a career-high 4,042 yards, tossed 26 touchdowns, and led the entire league with a 104.7 passer rating.

That same 2017 season was also Mahomes’ rookie year, the one where he sat and learned behind Smith before taking the reins himself. A few months later, Kansas City traded Smith to Washington and never looked back.

By the time he left, Smith had put together a 50-26 record as the Chiefs’ starter, thrown for over 17,600 yards, and posted 102 touchdowns across 76 starts. These days, he’s swapped the helmet for a headset, working as an NFL analyst for ESPN.

And he’s clearly still paying close attention. On the Rich Eisen Show, Smith talked about wanting to see the Chiefs establish a steadier ground game this year so they’re not too one-dimensional, pointing to the addition of Kenneth Walker as a real difference-maker. He also singled out Rashee Rice as the guy who’s going to “stir the drink” for this offense.

When asked whether Kansas City can bounce back after a rough 2025, Smith didn’t just hand out empty optimism. He kept it honest.

“I think certainly a lot of people expect them to, and we’re going to find out,” Smith said on the Rich Eisen Show. “They’re going to the barometer Week 1, going against Denver. So, I will be there, lucky enough, and can’t wait to see it.”

Fitting words from a man who knows exactly what it feels like to carry expectations at Arrowhead, and who now gets to watch the next chapter unfold from the best seat in the house.

All eyes on Mahomes as Chiefs enter season opener

Monday night, the Chiefs get a chance to make things right against the Broncos, and this game really matters.

Last season was rough for Kansas City. They went 6-11, missed the playoffs, and lost the AFC West for the first time since 2016. To make things worse, Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL, which made an already tough year even harder.

Still, there’s a real reason for Chiefs fans to feel good heading into 2026. Andy Reid is still the head coach, Mahomes is back, and the team made some smart moves this offseason that have people believing they can get back to the top.

That’s why FOX Sports’ Charles Woodson picked the Chiefs as his top storyline this season. On FOX NFL Kickoff, he said he’s curious to see how Mahomes bounces back after a rare tough year.

“Last year, we were deprived in the playoffs of seeing the best of the best,” Woodson said. “Patrick Mahomes has been Superman. Over the last 10 years, this Kansas City Chiefs team has been to five Super Bowls, and they won three of them. This past year, he had his first major injury where he had to miss significant time.”

“So, I want to know how that affects him mentally, because he’s had to carry this team rushing the football over these 10 years. Over these 10 years, they’ve only had one 1,000-yard rusher, and that was back in 2017.”

Looking ahead to Monday, the Chiefs will need to get their run game going early. Denver led the league in sacks last season, so keeping that pressure away from Mahomes, especially on the left side, will be key to controlling the game.