Patrick Mahomes has seen the narratives around him and the Kansas City Chiefs change. Just last year, the quarterback and his team came under scrutiny after Kansas City finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time in Mahomes’ era. Now, the same Chiefs have started the 2026 season 2-0, and the praise and optimism surrounding the four-time Super Bowl champions are once again dominating the headlines.
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Mahomes, however, sees it differently. During the press conference ahead of the Chiefs’ Week 3 matchup, Mahomes was asked, “What’s the responsibility of the older guys to let them know that you can’t take anything for granted in this league?”
Mahomes admitted that narratives can change when you’re playing well one week and struggling the next.
“I think more than anything who we’re playing is just staying hungry. Like, when in this league it’s week to week. It’s one week they’re patting you on your back and one week they’re telling you you’re terrible,” said Mahomes. “And I think all offseason we heard about how bad we were and guys were super hungry and came in with that mentality.
“And I think that’s why we’ve had the success that we’ve had these first two weeks. And it’s like how can you keep that hunger, you know, like now everybody’s saying we’re amazing and that we’re great. It’s like we got to keep the hunger that we had this entire offseason.”
Mahomes’ comments came after the Chiefs experienced a dramatic change in fortunes over the past year. Kansas City finished the 2025 season with a 6-11 record, its first losing campaign since 2012 and first without a playoff appearance since 2014.
At the same time, the disappointing turn came after Kansas City had won nine consecutive AFC West titles and reached the AFC Championship Game in seven straight seasons.
The struggles were particularly evident in close games. After going 10-0 in games decided by seven points or fewer in 2024, the Chiefs went 1-9 in such games in 2025. Mahomes, meanwhile, also went down with a torn ACL and LCL in December, with the injury coming in the game that ended KC’s playoff hopes.
Evidently, the Chiefs were under the microscope heading into the offseason. One of the major issues during the 2025 season was the team’s run game. It placed additional pressure on Patrick Mahomes to create plays.
General manager Brett Veach acknowledged that need at the NFL Scouting Combine, saying Kansas City wanted to make its rushing attack “more explosive.” Subsequently, the Chiefs responded by significantly reshaping its backfield.
They moved on from running backs Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco before signing reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency. They also drafted Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson in the fifth round.
Walker immediately made an impact in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos. The RB rushed for 173 yards and put up 191 scrimmage yards.
The changes, however, extended beyond the running game. Kansas City acquired Justin Fields from the New York Jets, brought back former Pro Bowl cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, and added defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga, safety Alohi Gilman, and cornerback Kader Kohou in free agency.
The Chiefs also traded two-time All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams for a package of draft picks.
Kansas City then used its highest first-round pick in more than a decade to select LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane at No. 6 overall, before adding Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods and Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas with its next two selections. The Chiefs also added wide receiver Cyrus Allen and quarterback Garrett Nussmeier later in the draft.
Now, however, even though the Chiefs have started the season 2-0, Patrick Mahomes admitted that they’re preaching like they’re nowhere near where they want to be at the start of the season.
“So that’s what we’re preaching is like we’re nowhere near where we want to be at,” the quarterback added. “We’re still so early in the season and there’s still so much for us to learn from and so much for us 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.”
Kansas City opened the 2026 season with a 31-10 win over the Broncos before surviving the Indianapolis Colts 33-30 in overtime. Mahomes has completed 47 of 74 passes for 566 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception through those two games. That said, the Chiefs will now hit the road to play their first away game against the 0-2 Miami Dolphins.