Why Chiefs OC Says Mahomes Has Unprecedented Level of Trust

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City offensive coordinator Matt Nagy spoke from the podium at team headquarters prior to practice on Thursday. The Chiefs (3-3) are hosting the Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) on Sunday (12 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan).

To view his comments, watch and read below:

On how he’s sensed that his wide receivers genuinely like each other:

“I really have. It's been really cool. Everyone throws around the word culture. It's like the relationships that these guys have built – obviously, winning helps -- but this has gone back to OTAs and then training camp, where it started, and it's something that's special. We've talked about it in the last couple of weeks, what these guys have done in that wide-receiver room.

rashee rice, hollywood brow — Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Hollywood Brown (5) and wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) laugh on the sidelines against the Chicago Bears during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

“There's only one football and so, statistically, these guys are going to have a certain amount of plays, or catches, for example, or touchdowns. You look at a guy like (Tyquan) Thornton last week, he didn't have a catch; so, so important to this offense, and what he's done, he's a team player, great kid, and the guys are just embracing that. And we're having fun. It's selfless football, and it's every day. It's not just pick and choose. And I think that's just a credit to those players for embracing that, understanding it. And then when you win, it certainly makes it a ton of fun.”

On how he’d describe Rashee Rice this week:

“So, Rashee, his growth from rookie year to last year -- unfortunately, getting hurt -- to now this year, I think the word is just exciting, optimistic. The kid has done so much on and off the field to better himself, both as a person and a player. And I think you feel that, and see that with the love and the friendship that these guys have internally. You see that, you feel it.

“So, I have to get goose bumps just thinking about when he goes out there and what he does to this offense. And there's an excitement that you have. You got to remember now, he hasn't played for a little while, so there's a little bit of some realness to it, too. But that's the beauty of what Brett Veach and Coach Reid have done with the depth that we have on this offense.

patrick mahomes, xavier worthy, rashee ric — Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) celebrates after scoring against the Cincinnati Bengals during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

“And I think it's been well stated that there haven't been a whole lot of plays or games that the three of those guys (Rice, Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy) have played together, and now we get a chance to do that.”

On how mindful he has to be of Maxx Crosby when calling plays:

“You have to. And in the offseason, the Kelce brothers, they did that little deal, that interview with me, they asked me, ‘Who's one of the most important defensive or toughest defensive players that you go against?’ And Maxx Crosby's right there. So anytime, I mean, you're talking about a ton of players, and somebody that just, he goes 100 percent of the time, all the time, and it's relentless. And so, he's a game-changer. He can affect the game. And so, just a ton of respect, and you got to know where he's at on every play.”

On the play of Crosby’s primary adversary Sunday, right tackle Jawaan Taylor:

“Well, it's been good. I remember, just going back and looking at Jawaan when he was a free agent. They've had some battles now, prior to Kansas City, before Jawaan was here, they've gone at it. And so, it'll be a test. I have a ton of confidence in JT, and I know he respects the heck out of Maxx. And so, it's a good battle.”

On Rice’s roller coaster of uncertainty the last six months, and eventually the six-game suspension:

“Yeah, no, the person that I see, and just kind of him understanding what he did wrong, and part of that when you go through that, is you got to be able to accept that and understand that what happened was not right. But you got to be able to learn from that. And I think when you can do that, that's a powerful message. And he's done that.

“And his growth as a football player, which is where I see him most, that's the part where, he wants to grow on how to learn. And grow, on how to run a sail route or a corner route or a quick post route, five-step, little things like that, that are first-world problems for everybody else. For him, it's something that he can keep growing with. So, I love where he's at. And the kid has a smile on his face every day, and he's ready to rock and roll.”

rashee ric — Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) celebrates with guard Trey Smith (65) after scoring against the Chicago Bears during the first half of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

On what he sees in Patrick Mahomes’ trust in the players around him:

“It's on another level, the trust. That trust is powerful. You got to have that. You want to be able to take shots downfield? Well, you can't do that if you don't have protection. You want to be able to take shots downfield, you got to have the guys that together can attack a defense.

“So, you put that together, and then you put Patrick back there, and these guys are just, they're executing at a high level right now. And so, as a coach, that's fun to be able to come in here on a Monday and put together and show them where, how we're improving, we're creating this identity.

“And, I just go back to eliminating those penalties. When we don't beat ourselves, and just stay ahead of the sticks, we can do good things. But consistency, you have to be able to do that every week, and you can never get complacent. So those two words, I think, go hand in hand. And if we do that, we stick together, we keep that edge, it can be a special, special year.”

patrick mahomes, hollywood brow — Oct 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown (5) reacts with quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after a touchdown catch against the Detroit Lions during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

On whether Mahomes’ trust in his teammates appears higher than it’s been in a long while:

“One hundred percent. One hundred percent.”

On the difficult assignment Jaylon Moore executed Sunday night:

“Well, I say two things. So, No. 1, the good thing about him coming here is that he does have experience. No. 2, he's mentally strong, so he's always prepared, knowing that he's that guy at any moment that can go in there.

“And then the third part, too, is Coach (Andy) Heck does a great job of being able to rotate guys in practice. And so, you throw all those three together, and then all of a sudden you get kind of a short-notice, quick deal that, ‘Hey, you're going to start and play against one of the best defensive ends in the game.’ What a credit to him. And he never, he just stayed true and time tested. And I think it was a pretty cool moment after the game when he broke down the huddle.”

matt nag — Dec 20, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy watches the game against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at Soldier Field. The Minnesota Vikings won 17-9. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-Imagn Images | Jon Durr-Imagn Images

On his name associated with the Tennessee Titans job, and how he deals with those situations:

“I'd say, you start off with for me, like you just said, I've been through this situation before, and I think it's very, very important that knowing that you got to figure out ways how to navigate it. And so, every coach is a little bit different on how they do that. And for me, going through it before, what I've learned is that you want to make sure that you are preparing the right way, and when you prepare, that's in the offseason.

“So, that said, it's very, very important that you just, you stay in the moment, and you don't lose focus on anything else. And the social-media world right now can get crazy, and there can be a lot of things said, but it's only fair to your peers, your players, coaches, etc., that you stay true to them, you stay in the moment. And then when the time does come, you look forward to it. But the time is not right now.

matt nagy, andy rei — Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy (left) and head coach Andy Reid against the Buffalo Bills during the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“What we have going on right now in this building, and I've been here for going into nine years, five and now four, it's something that's different in a good way. And so, I just, I love being a part of it. I love coming here, being with these guys every day. And man, it's just awesome.”

On confirming that he prepares for head-coach interviews only in the offseason:

“Yeah, yep. I think that's important to do.”

On the unique role of assistant running backs coach Mark DeLeone, and how he plays devil’s advocate on offensive gameplans:

“For sure. Mark DeLeone goes back to the defensive side of the ball here with Coach (Bob) Sutton, back in ‘13, ‘14, ‘15, when we were here. And so, I think it's a unique role where you have somebody that has an expertise on defense. Can come in and really help confirm and maybe tell us we’re idiots sometimes when we think we know everything on offense that the defense is doing.

“And he can maybe help us out some, and he's been great with that. He pours a lot of time and energy into what he does. And I give Coach Reid a lot of credit for embracing that type of opportunity for him, and he's been a huge advantage this year for us.”

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