## Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes' Increased Physicality as a Galvanizing Force **News Title:** ‘It makes me want to fight harder’: Mahomes’ physicality a galvanizing force for Chiefs **Report Provider:** ESPN **Author:** Nate Taylor **Date:** September 13, 2025, 06:00 AM ET ### Summary of Key Information: This news report details Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes' intentional display of increased physicality during a recent game against the Los Angeles Chargers, aiming to inspire his teammates and send a message to the opponent. Despite the Chiefs' 27-21 loss, Mahomes' actions on the field, particularly his willingness to absorb contact rather than immediately going out of bounds, are highlighted as a significant motivational tool. **Key Findings and Conclusions:** * **Intentional Aggression:** Mahomes deliberately sought contact on several plays, including an 11-yard gain where he lowered his shoulder into linebacker Troy Dye and another instance where he "trucked" cornerback Donte Jackson. This was a conscious decision to "jump-start the team" and inspire his teammates after a "lackluster first half." * **Galvanizing Effect:** Mahomes' physicality is seen as a leadership trait that fires up his teammates. Right guard Trey Smith stated, "He's always going to do anything to give us a better chance at winning... It makes me want to fight harder and protect him harder." Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy echoed this, calling Mahomes "a fiery competitor" whose actions were "pretty special." * **Strategic Shift:** While Mahomes has previously used the sideline to his advantage to avoid hits, his recent approach involves embracing contact. This is a departure from his usual strategy, especially when near the sideline, where he would typically run out of bounds to protect himself. * **Impact on Team Performance:** The offensive coordinator, Matt Nagy, believes that Mahomes' actions in Week 1 served as a catalyst. He emphasized that the entire team, including coaches, needs to match this intensity and "do it earlier" to build leads and avoid situations where Mahomes feels compelled to be overly aggressive. * **Long-Term Strategy:** Mahomes acknowledges that this heightened aggression is a demanding approach and that he will aim to return to running out of bounds more often to preserve himself throughout the long season. He noted that this level of physicality is something he typically reserves for the playoffs, but he felt it was necessary in the recent game. **Key Statistics and Metrics:** * **Game Result:** Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Los Angeles Chargers 27-21. * **Mahomes' Week 1 Performance:** 258 passing yards, 57 rushing yards, and two touchdowns. * **Notable Plays:** * An 11-yard gain where Mahomes lowered his shoulder into Troy Dye. * A play where Mahomes "trucked" Donte Jackson before going out of bounds. * An 11-yard touchdown run resulting from a broken run-pass option play where he faked out Khalil Mack. * **Career Highlight:** Last year, Mahomes had his longest career run of 33 yards against the San Francisco 49ers, gaining an additional 20 yards along the sideline with a block from Kareem Hunt. **Significant Trends or Changes:** * **Increased Physicality:** The most significant trend highlighted is Mahomes' deliberate increase in physical engagement with defenders, particularly near the sideline, as a means of motivation. * **Shift in Sideline Strategy:** A notable change is Mahomes' willingness to absorb hits rather than solely relying on running out of bounds, which he previously used as a protective measure. **Notable Risks or Concerns:** * **Player Safety:** Mahomes' increased aggression near the sideline raises concerns about his personal safety and the potential for injuries, especially given the demanding nature of the NFL season. He himself acknowledges the need to "protect yourself" and manage this physicality. * **Team's Early Performance:** The need for Mahomes to resort to such aggressive tactics suggests potential issues with the team's ability to start games faster and establish early leads, as highlighted by Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy. **Important Recommendations (Implied):** * **Team-Wide Intensity:** The report implies a need for the entire Chiefs team and coaching staff to match Mahomes' intensity and commitment, particularly in the early stages of games. * **Strategic Game Management:** Coaches need to strategize to build early leads, potentially reducing the necessity for Mahomes to engage in such high-risk, high-reward plays. **Material Financial Data:** * No material financial data is present in this news report. **Contextual Interpretation:** The report frames Mahomes' actions not just as a display of individual effort but as a strategic leadership move. In a sport where momentum and psychological advantage are crucial, Mahomes' willingness to absorb hits and play with a physical edge is presented as a powerful tool to rally his team. The numerical data (passing yards, rushing yards, touchdowns) provides context for his overall performance, while the specific descriptions of his plays illustrate the nature of his increased physicality. The mention of the upcoming Super Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles adds a layer of anticipation and suggests that this aggressive approach might be a tactic to be watched for in future high-stakes games.
‘It makes me want to fight harder’: Mahomes’ physicality a galvanizing force for Chiefs
Read original at ESPN →Nate TaylorSep 13, 2025, 06:00 AM ETKANSAS CITY, Mo. -- During last week's game, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was intentional in wanting to deliver a message -- both to his teammates and the opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers.The Chiefs' first play on offense in the second half began with Mahomes executing a play-action fake and then rolling to his right.
Mahomes knew that most quarterbacks, including himself, would've been content with gaining seven or eight yards before running out of bounds to ensure they didn't get hit by a defender. This time, however, Mahomes was the one who wanted contact. He turned upfield to lower his left shoulder into linebacker Troy Dye for an 11-yard gain.
Following the play, even as a few Chargers from the sideline chirped at him, Mahomes smiled when he entered the Chiefs' huddle.In Mahomes' mind, he accomplished his side mission: He grabbed everyone's attention."More than anything, sometimes you've got to do something to jump-start the team," Mahomes said after the Chiefs' 27-21 loss.
"I was not in the mood to be running out of bounds."Later in the same drive, Mahomes doubled his efforts. While scrambling for another first down, Mahomes wowed the crowd in São Paulo when he trucked cornerback Donte Jackson before going out of bounds, a decision he made because he noticed -- after a lackluster first half -- that his teammates needed to be inspired by his physicality."
He's always going to do anything to give us a better chance at winning," right guard Trey Smith said Friday of Mahomes. "He's looking to make a play, and it fires me up. It makes me want to fight harder and protect him harder."The Chiefs scored a few plays later on Mahomes' 11-yard touchdown run that was a byproduct of a broken run-pass option play in which he faked out Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack with a pump fake before going around him to reach the front pylon."
It's who he is, his natural leadership," offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said Thursday of Mahomes. "He's a fiery competitor. I loved what he did. That's who he is and he made plays."The most surprising part of Mahomes' Week 1 performance -- finishing with 258 passing yards, 57 rushing yards and two touchdowns -- is that he punished defenders when near the sideline instead of just going out of bounds."
We kind of got going on offense in the second half, but it takes everybody," Mahomes said. "We've got to start faster."Mahomes' increased aggression has added another layer to what he has done in the past when near the sideline, which is use it to his advantage against defenders leery of committing a personal foul or unnecessary roughness penalty.
The biggest such example occurred last year in a win over the San Francisco 49ers. Mahomes used the sideline, and a block from running back Kareem Hunt, to run for an additional 20 yards along the sideline on his 33-yard highlight, the longest run of his career.Based on his actions, Mahomes is aware of what he could encounter next, perhaps as soon as Sunday's Super Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles (4:25 p.
m. ET on FOX). The next time Mahomes has the ball and is near the sideline, he'll likely have a quick decision to make.Will the approaching defender not expect him to go out of bounds? Does the defender look like he's ready to hit him harder than usual, even if it results in a penalty? Will the defender try to energize and impress his teammates by trucking him?"
I always brace for impact," Mahomes said. "I mean, you have to protect yourself. In this last game, I think we just needed the yards. We needed ways to score, especially at that time of the game. That's why I think people highlighted the one I got hit on the side. I really wasn't running out of bounds really the whole second half."
It's a long season, so I try to get back to running out of bounds as much as possible. But that's stuff that I usually do in the playoffs. I'm just going to try to manage that throughout the season so I can be there for the playoffs."Nagy knows a best-case scenario for Chiefs' offense in Sunday's game.
Instead of trailing by 10 points in the second quarter, Nagy and coach Andy Reid challenged the Chiefs to build their own lead against the Eagles early in the game. If that happens, Mahomes might not have to scramble as much, which means he might not have to get so aggressive when he sees a defender chasing him near the sideline."
I thought in that game, when you look back at how he played in some moments, it was pretty special," Nagy said of Mahomes' Week 1 performance. "The guys saw that, we as coaches saw that, so now (we all) have to do it, too. If we do that, it can get really good. But we've got to do it earlier."
