The Chiefs Kingdom showed up expecting a tune-up win, or at least something close. Instead? A 17-20 loss that felt more unsettling than it should have. Andy Reid’s team doesn’t flinch in close games. But losing to a Cardinals squad that’s been playoff-irrelevant for three straight seasons? It’s a rare sight under Reid, regardless of the month.

Two days later, Kansas City made a move. On August 11, the Chiefs signed DE Nate Matlack, a 23-year-old defensive end who just happens to be from Olathe, Kansas. A local kid, barely a half hour down I-35 from Arrowhead, is now knocking on the door of an NFL roster. Chiefs reporter Matt McMullen reported the news on X, “The Chiefs signed defensive end Nate Matlack ahead of practice this morning. Local player who graduated from Olathe East before spending time at K-State and Pitt.”

Matlack’s football trail runs through Kansas State, where he redshirted in 2020 before breaking out as a freshman in 2021. Coaches handed him an Honorable Mention for Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. A nod to his 17 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. The production didn’t exactly dry up after that. By 2023, he’d added another 15 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, and four sacks to his name. Then came the jump.

New defensive line coach Tim Daoust plugged him in as a starter, and Matlack answered with 22 tackles and five sacks across 13 games last fall. The guy doesn’t vanish in big moments either. He logged three tackles in some of Pitt’s most emotionally charged games, like the River City Rivalry win over Cincinnati and the Backyard Brawl against West Virginia.

The Chiefs weren’t the first team interested. Back in April, the Steelers invited the undrafted rookie to their rookie minicamp. His trainer, Joseph Potts, revealed that he was the first such player to receive an invitation. And just a few days back, the Panthers also showed interest, inviting him for a workout.

However, his luck took him straight to Andy Reid, who has this season’s every move penciled in.

Andy Reid teases fans with a glimpse of Patrick Mahomes

On August 9, Arrowhead got its first flicker of Patrick Mahomes since February. Two plays, one throw, one touchdown. Then gone.

And that was the point. Andy Reid didn’t need to see Mahomes go through the whole act. He’d told everyone before kickoff, per ESPN, this was a cameo. Just enough to light up the crowd and remind defensive coordinators across the league what they’ll be seeing in a month.

The Chiefs even served it on a silver platter, opening kickoff fumble recovery, penalty, walking them to Arizona’s 5. First snap? A quick one-yard strike to Jason Brownlee. Efficient and almost too clean. Then came the handoff, not on the field, but in personnel. Gardner Minshew jogging in, Mahomes already halfway into baseball cap mode. Stat line read, 1-for-1, one yard, one touchdown. If you blinked, you missed him.

The result wasn’t surprising. Last year, the Chiefs had a clean 15-1 record before the last game. One loss came against Josh Allen, his perennial competition. But Andy Reid decided to start Carson Wentz in the season-ender against the Broncos. Result, 0-38. Yes, they even failed to score a field goal.

And that’s why Reid pulls him so fast during the preseason. Protect the masterpiece. Preseason is for auditions, not risking the franchise.