Last year, the NFL didn’t fear the arm of the world’s most dynamic passer.
There was a perfect example of why in Super Bowl LIX — one throw Patrick Mahomes chose not to make. It’s a throw that — had he gotten the most out of the play — might’ve been a north star for the 2025 season. Instead, it’s a microcosm of what went wrong for the Chiefs in 2024. And what they desperately need to change this season.
On Kansas City’s second drive of the game, after the Eagles scored their first touchdown, Mahomes had Xavier Worthy open downfield. Near the left sideline, Worthy had a one-on-one matchup with the cornerback. When Mahomes considered throwing the football, Worthy was even with the corner, which meant that he was leavin’.
It was an opportunity for an explosive play. Instead, Mahomes holstered the ball and picked up five yards on a short throw to JuJu Smith-Schuster. The drive went three-and-out.
That play was emblematic of how Kansas City’s offense has devolved in recent years. The Chiefs once boasted the most intimidating downfield passing attack in the NFL. But on that play in the Super Bowl, Mahomes looked intimidated — afraid to take advantage of a winnable situation.
Patrick Mahomes had a rough outing in Super Bowl LIX, throwing two first-half interceptions and passing up some deep shots. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
So it should surprise no one that Mahomes has a clear sense of where he wants to improve this year.
“I have to be better at throwing the ball down the field. Obviously, we weren’t good enough there,” Mahomes said after the Chiefs’ first training camp practice. “If teams are going to challenge us at the line of scrimmage, if teams are going to challenge us to throw the ball deep, we have to show that we can do that. If we can do that — it starts with me and giving guys a chance — I think it is really going to open up the offense and make us a better team in general.”
The Eagles did, in fact, encourage the Chiefs to take chances in the deep game. And Mahomes either took the wrong chances — with two interceptions — or he took the right chances at a point in the game when it no longer mattered. Worthy, after all, finished the Super Bowl with eight catches, 157 yards and two touchdowns. The second touchdown, which came on a 50-yard bomb, came despite a two-high safety look designed to contain big plays.
Despite that disadvantageous situation, Mahomes took the risk and gave Worthy an opportunity to make a big play. (Because it really couldn’t get much worse for the Chiefs, who were down 40-14 at the time.) Mahomes hasn’t indicated that he thinks about the throw he didn’t make in the first quarter. But that second touchdown? It’s still on his mind.
“[Worthy is] not simply quick, he could make performs,” Mahomes stated in Could. “You noticed that with the contested catches he made final season. … Even the final catch he had within the Tremendous Bowl. He is somebody who will go up and get the soccer. My job is to provide him extra alternatives. Even when it is one-on-one and he is working with any person, throw the ball up there and let him make the play.”
On the very first play of crew drills at coaching camp, that is the place Mahomes went with the ball. Worthy and Mahomes related for a giant play within the deep a part of the sector. After apply, Mahomes stated he is intent on difficult Kansas Metropolis’s cornerbacks this summer season, from Trent McDuffie to Jaylen Watson to, when wholesome, Kristian Fulton.
“The mindset is getting again to throwing the ball down the sector, and if we will try this, it’ll open up the remainder of the offense,” Mahomes stated.
If it sounds a bit acquainted, that is as a result of it’s. This was the Chiefs’ purpose final 12 months, too. They signed Hollywood Brown, one of many quickest receivers within the NFL. They drafted Worthy, the quickest receiver ever on the NFL Mix. But their downfield passing received worse. And it wasn’t like groups have been gearing up their defenses to cease Kansas Metropolis’s deep threats.
There was a time when groups bottled up the Chiefs with quarters protection — or any protection designed to forestall massive performs. Mahomes & Co. tailored, exhibiting a willingness to run the soccer and assault the brief areas of the sector. The QB demonstrated a number of the most disciplined soccer of his profession through the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
However in 2024, issues started to shift. Defenses weren’t afraid of Mahomes’ downfield throwing. The Chiefs noticed an uncommon quantity of single-high security appears, the eighth most within the NFL at 56.9% of snaps. These single-high appears create alternatives for Mahomes and his speedy receivers, however the Chiefs did not assault what ought to’ve been a more-open-than-normal deep space of the sector. Their 68 explosive passes (16-plus yards) have been tied for twenty eighth within the NFL, per FOX Sports activities analysis. They have been twenty seventh in passing performs of 20 yards or extra.
There have been various causes for Mahomes’ hesitance.
First, the Chiefs had points alongside the offensive line, significantly at left deal with. The excellent news is that the crew drafted Josh Simmons in Spherical 1 and signed veteran Jaylon Moore in free company.
The second challenge was the knee harm that ended Rashee Rice‘s season in Week 4. He was Kansas Metropolis’s clear-cut WR1 and the highest choice within the passing offense earlier than the harm. There’s largely dangerous information there for 2025, as a result of although Rice is again from harm, he’ll seemingly serve a suspension for his position in a automobile crash that led to a jail sentence.
And at last, final 12 months, Travis Kelce did not appear to be the participant he was. Age is beginning to change into a problem for the 10-time Professional Bowler, who turns 36 in October. This offseason, he misplaced weight and targeted on conditioning, which has him optimistic about a bounce-back year. Nevertheless it’s anybody’s guess whether or not he can truly discover the shape he as soon as had.
It is unusual to suppose that defenses are daring Mahomes to assault them. However that is what we noticed for almost all of 2024. So in 2025, it is about surrounding expertise. It is about mindset. It is about scheme. It is about a terrific mixture of issues. However the Chiefs are but once more dedicated to fixing their downside.
Final 12 months, the NFL did not concern Mahomes’ arm.
This 12 months, Mahomes has terrifying plans.
Earlier than becoming a member of FOX Sports activities as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years overlaying the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Comply with him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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