Patrick Mahomes hasn’t let that 40-22 Super Bowl loss fade. It’s been a chip on his shoulder ever since. You could see it during OTAs, feel it in training camp. Even before that, he was seen grinding in the gym alongside his longtime trainer, Bobby Stroupe. “We’ll be back to the Bowl next year,” Mahomes declared, keeping the spark alive not just for himself, but for all of Chiefsdom. And his family’s always been in his corner. Ahead of the 2025 season, that hasn’t changed one bit.

“GO TIMEEE,” Mahomes’ younger brother Jackson Mahomes fired off in the comments, doing his part to pump up the QB. Speaking of the Chiefs, this is the franchise’s 13th season under Andy Reid, and the pressure to restore the team to its dynasty reputation is higher than ever. Reid knows he’s got to play his cards right. One of his first strategies was perhaps to keep the team safe.

This preseason was no different, which allowed fans to get a brief glimpse of Mahomes under center. Reid earlier confirmed that Mahomes would play Saturday, and he did. That was exactly for two plays. After the Chiefs recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff and moved to the Arizona 5 thanks to a penalty, Mahomes threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Jason Brownlee.

That was it for Patrick Mahomes. Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew took over on the next drive after Mahomes finished 1-for-1 for one yard and a touchdown, matching his light workload from the 2023 and 2024 preseason openers. Last year, Mahomes logged just six snaps. Jackson Mahomes showed his support on social media, posting on X that his brother is “so good” during the brief appearance. Jackson is quite close to family.

With Mahomes on the sideline, Minshew made the most of his preseason reps. He connected with wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on a 15-yard pass against the Arizona Cardinals, continuing to build chemistry with the offense. He had always wanted to play for the Chiefs and didn’t waste much time thinking when the Chiefs came knocking.

“I knew in my head that this was where I wanted to be. I took a predraft visit with the Chiefs back in the day coming into the league and I feel like everything went really well. Just talking to Coach Reid then and understanding what they’re all about, I always knew that that’d be a really good fit,” he said. While he wasn’t drafted by the Chiefs, this is his chance to prove himself. And he is in at a crucial time for the franchise when they are chasing another Super Bowl run.

If the team ever needs a boost, they can count on Mahomes’ encouraging and uplifting words.

Patrick Mahomes had an intriguing mindset for the same

Following Thursday’s training camp practice, head coach Reid confirmed that Mahomes would start the first quarter against the Cardinals before the other quarterbacks rotate in. He did. Mahomes, no stranger to the preseason, said his focus is on the progress the roster has made since offseason workouts began. One thing he’s not exactly eager for, though, is taking a hit.

“I don’t necessarily look forward to getting hit, I always like getting hit once, but it’s still a shock, but I mean going up against Spags is always tough but it’ll be a good defense that we’re going up against and they have a great scheme and a great coach. So I’m just excited to see where we’re at, go out there, see where we’re at, get it hopefully a couple series, and go out there and play some good football,” Mahomes told the media.

Well, the star of the game was the Chiefs’ rebuilt offensive line. Mahomes was sacked 36 times last season, the most of his career. But he isn’t giving up. He is excited for the season. It remains to be seen if the QB can help the team bounce back with another Super Bowl win. As for tonight’s game, the Cardinals walked away with a 20-17 win. The Cardinals will face the Broncos next, while the Chiefs are set to take on the Seattle Seahawks.