Super Bowl or bust for legacy chasing Chiefs but ‘miraculous’ Mahomes return comes with worrying question

The NFL has been warned, Patrick Mahomes is back.

Almost to emphasis the point, the Kansas City Chiefs wheeled out their face of the franchise to face the media on Thursday afternoon in the Mid-West.

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The quarterbacks and rookies were first to report for the Chiefs as training camp gets underway and all eyes wwere on star man Mahomes and just how big a participant he would be.

The answer was immediate.

“I feel stronger than I’ve ever felt, I feel amazing, I’m excited just to be able to play football,” Mahomes told the media on Friday.

The 30-year-old was speaking after an initial update came from Andy Reid, letting everyone know that his two-time MVP had been cleared for practice.

“I’ve been seeing cinderblock walls rehabbing every single day in Kansas City. Now, to be on that practice field with my teammates, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Mahomes shredded his knee 223 days before he returned to camp, in a Week 15 game where the Chiefs hopes of making the post season were ended with defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers.

The former Texas Tech QB insisted he planned to do everything he did beofre the injury, but did offer one worrying caveat when he said, “the process isn’t over, it’s something I’m dealing with for the next couple of years.”

For a team used to AFC Championships and Super Bowls, scrapping to just make the postseason was out of the ordinary.

Defeat to the Chargers was part of a six-game losing skid to end the season, 6-11 and third in the AFC West.

It is easy to forget that for 15 weeks of the year Mahomes was part of the equation, as the Chiefs struggled to 6-8.

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They never realistically looked like Lombardi contenders, that has to change in the upcoming season – which has the look of a last dance and Super Bowl or bust.

Bouncing back from dismal 2025

Mahomes clearance for training camp – described as miraculous by NFL analyst and former Chiefs QB Chase Daniel – might be a good thing but it also means there are no excuses for this legacy chasing franchise.

2025 was the Chiefs first losing season since 2012, while ever since Mahomes took the starting job in 2018 they have made the AFC Championship game every year until last season.

Five AFC West titles, three Lombardi’s and three Super Bowl MVP’s later, this is a player and a franchise who only deal in success.

Last season will have hurt, and with Mahomes dance partner Kelce embarking on one final season after his summer marriage to pop superstar Taylor Swift there’s only one outcome this time are gunning for.

Last season a lack of weapons limited the Chiefs, and Mahomes admits that the lack of a deep threat is something he and the offense need to work on.

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“Whenever the deep ball is there, you have to hit it,” he said.

“At the end of the day, that just comes down to me throwing the ball and giving guys chances to make plays… If we can do that, as well as the run game, I think we can get back to being a dynamic offense.”

Little in the way of receiver help has arrived, and while Rashee Rice has also been cleared to return, Marquise Brown has departed to leave a widout crew that looks very similar to last season.

Links continue with Tyreek Hill, who won Super Bowl LIV alongside Mahomes and the Chiefs, but he too is coming off serious injury.

Part of the retooling includes the star offseason acquisition of Keneth Walker III, who claimed the Super Bowl MVP award himself as the Seattle Seahawks beat New England at Levi’s Stadium.

Walker’s $43million deal – with $28million guaranteed – should ease some of the pressume on Mahomes as a runner – especially returning from a serious injury.

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“If all else fails, I’ll just hand it off to K9 (Walker) and let him go to work,” Mahomes smiled on Friday.

Who do the Chiefs play in preseason

The Chiefs welcome the rest of the veterans – including Kelce – back for training camp on Monday.

The build up is now towards preseason games against the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks.

That will be a chance for offseason trade recruit Justin Fields and seventh round NFL Draft pick Garrett Nussmeier to flight it out to be Mahomes backup.

Their season proper kicks off with the opening Monday Night Football of the year and Mahomes looks set to be under center when AFC West rivals Denver are at Arrowhead Stadium.