The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a season that looked nothing like their run over the previous six years. After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014, Patrick Mahomes believes this team can look different without losing what made the Chiefs so difficult to beat.

Mahomes spoke at the Chiefs’ annual Kickoff Luncheon with the 2026 season opener against the Denver Broncos just days away. He made it clear that the Chiefs may not look exactly like the team fans have watched dominate the NFL in recent years. 

“We’re gonna be a new version of the Chiefs that goes out there and dominates the same way the old one did,” Mahomes said, per Matt Foster of KSHB41.

Mahomes is on track to return nine months after tearing his ACL. His return gives Kansas City a chance to put last season behind it.

Speaking at the Chiefs’ annual Kickoff Luncheon, as shared by Matt Foster's X on September 2, Mahomes also pointed to the disappointment of last season as fuel for the team. He said the Chiefs learned from what went wrong and improved during the offseason.

Kansas City has made several changes around Mahomes. The Chiefs brought back offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and added reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III.

They hope those moves can add balance and explosiveness to an offense that lacked both in 2024 and 2025.

Walker gives the Chiefs another option in the backfield and could take some of the burden off Mahomes.

The quarterback rushed for a career-high 422 yards and five touchdowns last season despite playing only 14 games. He often scrambled when the offense struggled to create easy opportunities.

Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy also remain as Mahomes’ top three targets, giving him familiar pieces in the passing game.

A stronger rushing attack could give Kansas City more balance. It would also take some pressure off Mahomes when plays break down.

There is still one immediate question, though: whether Mahomes will actually play in Week 1.

Patrick Surtain II expects Patrick Mahomes to be himself

Denver cornerback Patrick Surtain II knows Mahomes is returning from a serious knee injury, but he is not preparing for a different quarterback.

“It’s still Patrick Mahomes at the end of the day,” Surtain told reporters on September 2 via Broncos YouTube. “We still have to prepare and study for him like years past. So, we’ll be ready.”

Mahomes has not been officially cleared and did not play in the preseason, so his status against Denver remains something to watch.

Surtain expects Kansas City could adjust Mahomes’ workload, particularly when it comes to running. But he does not expect those changes to alter the quarterback the Broncos will have to defend.

“It’s really tough to tell, because coming off an injury like that, it’s pretty tough. But I don’t expect nothing less from him than to be himself,” Surtain said of Mahomes. “Obviously, they might change the scheme up for him a little bit, not allow him to run as much, but like you said, to be more of a pocket passer, which he’s good at.”

Kansas City still has to get Mahomes cleared before the Chiefs can find out how closely this new version resembles the old one.

Written by

Evince Das