Nobody says this about Patrick Mahomes. Not after the Super Bowl rings, not after the comebacks, and certainly not after years of making the impossible look routine. But when the tape rolled and NFL analyst Greg Cosell started pausing and rewinding, the verdict on Mahomes’ role in the Kansas City Chiefs‘ Week 1 victory turned out to be blunt.
“Well, let me ask you this, Ross. When would we have said in recent years that the Chiefs would blow out a really good team without Patrick Mahomes really being a factor in the game? Can you recall us ever saying something along those lines? No, because Mahomes really did not have a very good game, and he wasn’t really a factor in the game,” Cosell said on the Ross Tucker Podcast.
On September 14, the Kansas City Chiefs played their 2026 season opener against the Denver Broncos. It was a blowout 31-10 victory for the Chiefs. Yet, Greg Cosell believes Patrick Mahomes did not play any major role.
Cosell has over four decades of experience as a senior producer at NFL Films and has built a reputation as one of the most trusted film gurus among NFL coaches, executives, and scouts.
Before starting the Week 1 game, Mahomes was coming off a nine-month rehabilitation from an ACL and LCL tear suffered in December 2025. HC Andy Reid had kept the Chiefs QB out of the preseason games to keep him ready for the Week 1 clash.
On the Chiefs’ first possession, Mahomes scored on a 15-yard rushing touchdown. By the end of the game, he had 184 passing yards and two passing touchdowns, alongside the rushing TD.
Meanwhile, Greg Cosell believes that the Chiefs can excel in the season even without Patrick Mahomes. And he has his reasons to believe in that.
Beyond Mahomes, Super Bowl LIX champion running back Kenneth Walker III displayed an excellent performance. Walker dismantled the Broncos’ defense by racking up 191 total yards and one touchdown.
Meanwhile, rookie Kahlil Benson, making his first start at left tackle after playing elsewhere in college, was assigned to block Nik Bonitto. Benson put on a pass-blocking clinic, allowing just one pressure on 32 dropbacks (a 3.2% pressure rate), leading all rookie tackles in Week 1.
These performances may have seemingly gained Cosell’s attention. At the same time, Patrick Mahomes, in a post-game presser, admitted to a few areas where he needs some improvement.
“Tonight was fantastic offensively, but what’s next as far as getting the wide receivers involved… I got to be better. At the end of the day, I have to be better,” Mahomes said after the game.
Meanwhile, Chiefs HC Andy Reid was happy to have Patrick Mahomes in the starting unit.
“It was great to get Patrick back in the mix there, knock a little rust off. I was proud of him and how he handled it, and he ran the ball a couple of times, and your hat goes off to the guy. Phenomenal.”
That said, as the season goes by, will Cosell’s opinion on the Chiefs’ offensive unit change? Only time will tell. Next up, Mahomes & Co. will face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2, where the Chiefs QB will lose to utilizing his passing prowess more.