Patrick Mahomes Preseason Status: Bad news for Patrick Mahomes? Andy Reid makes surprising call on Chiefs QB’s preseason | NFL News
Chiefs fans, take a breath before you panic. Head coach Andy Reid dropped a headline-grabbing update on Patrick Mahomes‘ preseason status Friday, saying he’s “leaning against” playing his star quarterback in the opener against the Rams on August 15. He also admitted he’s unsure if Mahomes will suit up for either of the next two preseason games either. It sounds alarming on the surface, but the real story here is far more routine than the headline suggests.
Andy Reid “leaning against” playing Patrick Mahomes this preseason: here’s what’s really going on
Speaking to reporters at Friday’s training camp session, Reid didn’t mince words about his thinking. “There’s a pretty good chance I don’t play him,” Reid said of the Rams matchup. “Percentages are leaning that way.” He went a step further, adding he’s also not committed to playing Mahomes in the Chiefs’ second or third preseason games, against Tampa Bay and Seattle. “I don’t know if I’ll play him in the second or the third game. I don’t know that. But the percentages probably lean against doing that.”Reid’s explanation wasn’t about any concern with Mahomes’ health or setback in his recovery. Instead, he pointed to the value of getting reps for the newer faces behind Mahomes on the depth chart. “We’ve got new people in those other positions behind him that need some work, and so the more reps they get, the better,” Reid explained. That’s a reference to Justin Fields, acquired in a trade with the Jets in March, and rookie seventh-round pick Garrett Nussmeier, both of whom need in-game experience heading into the season.
Why this isn’t actually cause for concern
Here’s the part that matters most: Mahomes is still fully on track for Week 1. He’s coming back from a torn ACL and an LCL injury suffered in December against the Chargers, and he was cleared for full training camp participation last month. Since then, he’s reportedly been running the first-team offense in every 11-on-11 period, showing sharp accuracy and even flashing improvement on his deep ball. He’s also been shown scrambling and changing direction in drills, proving his knee can handle real football movement, not just standing in the pocket.Mahomes himself has struck an optimistic tone throughout camp, saying a few weeks ago, “I’m a competitor, so on game day, I’m going to want to be out there. But I understand the process of getting myself ready to play in the regular season is more important.” Reid has echoed that same philosophy, treating preseason snaps as expendable in favor of a fully healthy return for the Chiefs’ September 14 opener against the Broncos.So no, this isn’t a red flag on Mahomes’ recovery. It’s the Chiefs doing exactly what any smart franchise would do with a two-time NFL MVP working back from major knee surgery: protecting the asset, and saving the real fireworks for when the games actually count.
