How do you face the bitter sting of an ‘almost, but’ story? For the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s not just a question. It’s a mission for which they’ve dedicated their entire beings to turn around this year. After the disappointment of a 40-22 defeat at the hands of their long-term rivals, the Chiefs kingdom wept. The Eagles hoisted the Lombardi and even poured a barrel full of Gatorade on a laughing Nick Sirianni. But for QB Patrick Mahomes, that’s already ancient history. He’s taken the lessons from last season and turned them into fuel. And with that drive comes a declaration that is nothing less than a war-cry.
Phase 3 of the offseason program officially kicked off this week at the Chiefs’ facility, with voluntary Organized Team Activities that allow for full 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. It’s the closest the team has come to real football since the confetti fell in Las Vegas — but for Mahomes and the veterans around him, it’s not just a warmup.
Travis Kelce, for one, is practising with everything he’s got to make it his best season. As Mahomes said at the OTA interview, “I mean, the way he’s talking about football, the way he’s talking about working and trying to be even better this year than he was last year. I mean, he doesn’t seem like a guy that it’s his last ride, like he’s tired of the job.” Even WR Skyy Moore has built himself up for the new season. As reporter Darren Smith had written on X, “Skyy Moore looks to have added some muscle to his frame this offseason after his injury last season.” And Patrick Mahomes clearly wants to win again. With many members gone and a number of new faces in the locker room, Mahomes even has a message for the crew to kick things into high gear.
On the Kansas City Chiefs’ official IG page, a reel went up with Patrick Mahomes making a bold prediction. The clip is from the OTA presser just a few days ago. With veterans like Travis Kelce and Chris Jones showing up for the OTAs along with Mahomes, the Chiefs are putting in all the work they need. And as Mahomes said it best himself, “We’ve been doing it all throughout this spring. As guys are working hard, you can tell they’re motivated to go out there and be even better this next year. So it starts here and I think guys understand that.” The message couldn’t be any clearer. For the Chiefs, “it starts here,” and the path they’re on leads to the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs’ quarterback had a strong day himself, firing tight-window throws across multiple periods. The defense responded in kind, with cornerback Trent McDuffie picking off a shovel pass and linebacker Cam Jones snaring an interception over the middle.
Andy Reid, entering his 26th year as a head coach, said the team is treating OTAs like an install-heavy camp. “We go full-steam ahead,” Reid said. “You ask them to go execute those plays. If you’re not studying at home, you’re going to have a problem out there. But it looks like these guys are doing a good job with it.”
As the Chiefs tackle the OTAs and later the training camps, focus is key. And focusing on winning after last season’s defeat could be hard for anyone. But Mahomes is pulling through with his classic alpha energy. “I feel like I focus every year because I know how special a run that we’re on and how many years left I’ll have with all these great players and a great team. Every team’s different, and you don’t want to miss an opportunity. But, I mean, obviously when you lose a Super Bowl, I think sometimes in those workouts you might be a little tired. You have that extra added motivation to finish even harder, finish even stronger. And I think it will be good for us at the end of the day.”
With this drive, Patrick Mahomes is leading the team into what could be their most challenging yet also most rewarding season. They are even going international to make football shine on a global stage. However, when it comes to their schedule, it’s quite hectic, to say the least, with high-voltage opponents. And HC Andy Reid may not be all that happy about it.
Andy Reid’s take on the Chiefs’ 2025 schedule
Right off the bat, the Chiefs are going to be opening the season in the difficult climate of São Paulo, Brazil. The matchup is scheduled against the LA Chargers, and the Chiefs will be 5000 miles away from Arrowhead Stadium. The journey and adjustment alone will cut heavily into their training. Not to mention battling the humidity of São Paulo. After returning, they’ll be up against the very team that crushed their hopes of a three-win streak at the Super Bowl last year. Week two will have the Chiefs battling jet lag, adjustments, and, of course, the Eagles. These are just two matchups, and with an even more packed schedule, the Chiefs will certainly have their work cut out for them. But is Andy Reid all for it?
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When asked about the Chiefs’ schedule this season, Andy Reid had said, “It’s quite a tour… You’re playing all the teams… It doesn’t matter where you’re playing them, you’ve got to play these guys. They’re doing the same thing we’re doing and playing on the same days we are so we gotta get ourselves ready and go. You’ve only got so many weeks you can pay and you wanna make sure you take advantage of that. I don’t get caught up in it all that. Whenever and whatever goes, we go.” On the surface, it doesn’t look like Reid is worried. But will the team feel the same way with them travelling a grand total of 21,695 miles throughout the season?
But this is certainly not the first time Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid have had to lead the team through a tough schedule. Even just last season, they played 3 games within 11 days, and won all three, too. When the pressure is on, Mahomes will simply double down on his efforts and get his team closer to the trophy at the end of it all. We’ll have to wait and see how it all pans out when the season comes around.
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