Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes Reveals Mindset Heading into Preseason Game

The Kansas City Chiefs and the rest of the National Football League are inching closer to the beginning of the 2025 regular season. For the Chiefs, the next stop before the regular season is against the Arizona Cardinals on the road for their first preseason game on Saturday, August 9.

On Saturday, quarterback Patrick Mahomes will compete in his first preseason game of his ninth year in the NFL. Following Thursday's training camp practice, head coach Andy Reid revealed that Mahomes will be the first quarter quarterback for Kansas City against the Cardinals, before the other quarterbacks on the roster step in.

Mahomes is familiar with how the preseason operates as the new season approaches. As he prepares for the game against the Cardinals, his excitement and mindset are centered on the progress the roster has made since the start of offseason workouts. However, there's one thing he is not looking forward to: getting hit.

Jul 22, 2025; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) speaks to media after training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

"I don't necessarily look forward to getting hit, I always like getting hit once, but it's still a shock, but I mean going up against Spags is always tough but it'll be a good defense that we're going up against and they have a great scheme and a great coach," Mahomes told the media. "So I'm just excited to see where we're at, go out there, see where we're at, get it hopefully a couple series, and go out there and play some good football."

The Offensive Line

Mahomes is familiar with NFL defenses, but the key question is whether the newly constructed offensive line can adequately protect him. Last season, Mahomes was sacked 36 times, marking a career-high during the regular season.

Although the game against the Cardinals is not counted in their overall record, losing it could significantly affect the team's offseason preparations. If the offensive line continues to show weaknesses, it may have serious repercussions for the franchise moving forward.

Mahomes' Advice

Patrick Mahomes and his three Super Bowl wins are recognized in the field clubhouse of Texas Tech's new Womble Football Center as seen on Thursday, March 6, 2025. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For several rookies ready to compete in their first game against an NFL franchise, Mahomes offered advice to them, hoping to ease their minds and have them approach this game just like any other.

"I think it's going out there and doing what they've done this camp. I mean, obviously, it's gonna be a bigger stage you're going up against another team, but I think Coach Reid prepares us better than anybody else in the league to go out there and play your best football."

"That's because we practice hard, we practice fast, and so when you get to the game, it's not that huge step up. It's a step up for sure, but it's not that huge step up, so go out there like you practice, have the right mindset, and just play fast and let the rest handle itself."

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