Patrick Mahomes Has Strong Words After Andy Reid’s Decision on Thursday

Andy Reid made a decision on his starting QB...

Patrick Mahomes Has Strong Words After Andy Reid’s Decision on Thursday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid have begun their ninth season together with the Kansas City Chiefs, eyeing their fourth Super Bowl ring. The Chiefs kicked off their 2025 training camp on July 22 and have their first preseason game coming up.

On Saturday, Kansas City will head to Glendale to take on Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals. But instead of resting his starters for the exhibition game, Reid has elected to play them for the first quarter, and that includes Mahomes.

"Chiefs HC Andy Reid says he wants the starters to go out and 'do well' but adds of snaps in preseason Week 1: 'I'm going to keep the numbers down in the first game, and we'll see about the second game,'" wrote A to Z Sports' Charles Goldman on X.

Patrick Mahomes Reacts to Playing Preseason Opener

While Mahomes has proven himself with three Super Bowls and two NFL MVPs, the former Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback seems excited about playing in the preseason opener. Following Reid's decision, Mahomes opened up about Saturday's game.

"I always like getting hit once," Mahomes said. "It'll be a good defense we're going up against."

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) talks to the media during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night.© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Mahomes also had a message for his teammates who will be playing against the Cardinals.

"I think it's going out there and just doing what you've done in this camp," he commented.

Playing Preseason Games Has Risks and Rewards

Reid’s decision to play his starters may not come as a surprise. Since Mahomes became the starting quarterback in 2018, he has typically played one or two drives in preseason openers, except in 2020, when the preseason was canceled due to COVID.

But why would Reid elect to play his starters in a meaningless game? There are a few reasons that the coach could want to play his starting quarterback, including:

  • Shaking off rust after a long offseason.
  • Building chemistry with new teammates.
  • Evaluating the offense surrounding Mahomes.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) walks down the hill to the practice fields during training camp.Denny Medley-Imagn Images

While there are clear benefits to playing starters in the preseason, there’s also a significant risk — the possibility of injury. If Mahomes were to go down, the Chiefs' hopes of contending for another championship could quickly fade.

Mahomes and the Chiefs will have three preseason games before the regular season begins on Friday, Sept. 5, against the Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Related: Chiefs' Andy Reid Offers Hollywood Brown Injury Update

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 7, 2025, where it first appeared.

Category: Football