The Kansas City Chiefs‘ 2025 preseason has become about so much more than football. It all started back in March 2024, when star receiver Rashee Rice – one of Patrick Mahomes‘ most reliable targets – saw his life take a dark turn.. His high-speed Dallas crash left six vehicles wrecked and multiple people injured. Now he’s facing real consequences: 30 days in jail, five years’ probation, and likely a four-to-six game NFL suspension. Suddenly, the team’s offensive plans had a big question mark before camp even began.

Then July brought tragedy that made football seem small. Devastating floods swallowed Texas Hill Country’s Camp Mystic whole, claiming 27 lives. Among them was nine-year-old Janie Hunt, a beloved member of the Chiefs’ owning family. The organization was still reeling when Tavia Hunt, Clark Hunt‘s wife, took to Instagram on August 9 with words that would define their season.

“A new season, a fresh start. Trusting the One who writes the playbook of our lives,” she wrote. This simple yet profound message now becomes the team’s compass as adversity mounts. Veteran safety Deon Bush‘s season ended before it began with an Achilles tear in the preseason opener. Kristian Fulton‘s knee injury weakened the secondary, while receivers Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (ankle) and Brashard Smith (finger) joined Rice on the sidelines. Even rookie linebacker Jeffrey Bassa‘s promising debut couldn’t brighten the gloom of their 20-17 loss to Arizona.

Through it all, Andy Reid kept things steady in his own way – pulling Patrick Mahomes after just six preseason snaps, because some traditions anchor a team when the waters get rough.

Now, as September approaches, the Chiefs carry more than playbooks onto the field. They carry grief, questions, and the kind of challenges that test a team’s soul. But they also carry Tavia Hunt’s August words – a reminder that even when life calls an audible, there’s still a play to run, a game to play, and a season to trust.

Andy Reid does it again

Suppose there’s one preseason tradition as reliable as the Chiefs’ annual roster battles. In that case, it’s Andy Reid insisting Patrick Mahomes will play a full quarter in the opener – only to yank him after one drive. This year was no different. Despite Reid’s Thursday declaration that Mahomes would quarterback the entire first quarter against Arizona, Chiefs fans knew better. Sure enough, Mahomes took just six snaps before heading to the bench, continuing a trend that’s become as predictable as Reid’s play-calling genius.

The numbers don’t lie. In 2019, Reid promised a full quarter; however, Patrick Mahomes played only seven snaps. In 2021? Four snaps. Even last year’s “extended” appearance against Jacksonville lasted just six plays before Hollywood Brown’s injury reinforced why Reid plays it safe. The coach’s preseason fib has become so routine that Mahomes’ early exit Saturday drew more eye rolls than concern. After all, why risk the franchise quarterback in August when the real stakes are months away?

There’s a method to Reid’s deception. Those brief cameos serve as glorified walkthroughs – a chance to test new wrinkles (like 2022’s heavy personnel packages) without tipping strategy. And let’s be honest: no one benefits from seeing Patrick Mahomes scramble against third-string defenders in a glorified scrimmage. As Reid himself might say while adjusting his mustache, “Preseason stats taste like lukewarm Gatorade.”

So while Reid’s annual playing-time fib might fool casual fans tuning in for star power, Chiefs Kingdom knows the drill. One drive. Six snaps. No surprises. And given the Lombardi Trophies piling up in Kansas City, who’s really complaining? The only promise that matters is the one Reid and Mahomes keep delivering when it counts.