Mahomes Dots HOF Résumé with 6 More Vintage Plays

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Patrick Mahomes fell to 35-6 in his career against the AFC West in Friday’s 27-21 loss to the Chargers. But his efforts in Brazil over the last 31 minutes showed why his Hall of Fame résumé is world class.

Here are his six highlight-reel plays from the game.

The spark

Second quarter (40 seconds left), down 13-3: Granted bonus time thanks to Omarion Hampton’s rookie mistake on the prior drive, Mahomes knew the Chiefs needed a spark. He got with a 38-yard first-play strike to Tyquan Thornton, who made a diving over-the-shoulder catch on a deep corner route for 38 yards. The play was enough for Harrison Butker’s range, and the Chiefs executed a flawless fire drill to provide crucial momentum entering halftime.

-Sep 5, 2025; Sao Paulo, BRAZIL; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) in action against Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia (93) in the first quarter at Corinthians Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images | Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images

The truck

Third quarter (10:10 on clock), down 13-6: The Chiefs, who were a different team in the second half. To that point, they’d converted only one third down and Mahomes wanted to fire up his teammates on both sides of the ball. So, he used the sternum of Chargers quarterback Donte Jackson. Rather than stepping out of bounds on a third-and-8 scramble, Mahomes lowered his shoulder and crashed into Jackson.

“More than anything,” Mahomes said after the loss, “you saw even the run before, when I ran into the linebacker, sometimes you’ve got to do something to jump-start the team. I was not in the mood to be running out of bounds. I wanted to try to do something to get us going.”

The touchdown run

Third quarter (8:11 on clock), down 13-6: Four snaps after that third-and-8 run, Mahomes used his legs again. This time, he juked Khalil Mack and beat the Chargers to the near pylon on a broken play, using two pump fakes to paralyze the pursuit. His 11-yard touchdown scamper would’ve knotted the game at 13 with eight minutes left in the third quarter if not for Butker’s missed extra point.

Another throw only Mahomes could make

Fourth quarter (14:56 on clock), down 20-12: Writing another page in his unprecedented book, Mahomes eluded Derwin James, who had him dead to rights after the quarterback stepped up in the pocket, and converted a third-and-5 in unbelievable fashion. Parallel to the ground, seemingly suspended in mid-air and somehow avoiding a penalty for crossing the line of scrimmage, he flipped a pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster for 12 yards and a first down.

Selling the screen

Fourth quarter (12:10 on clock), down 20-12: Four plays after that Super Man throw to Smith-Schuster, Mahomes took the snap and set his eyes on Brashard Smith in the flat. A quick nod toward his rookie running tricked the Chargers’ linebackers, who allowed Travis Kelce a free release off the line of scrimmage. Mahomes hit his tight end, who scored untouched on a 37-yard touchdown. It was touchdown pass No. 246 in Mahomes’ regular-season career, moving him past Hall of Famer Dan Marino (245), for the most ever by a player before his 30th birthday.

The Chargers win 27-21 and snap Chiefs' NFL record streak of 17 straight wins in 1-score games (playoffs included). Before tonight last KC loss in 1-score game was 20-14 to #Raiders on Christmas Day 2023
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) September 6, 2025

Fourth-down bomb

Fourth quarter (3:27 on clock), down 27-18: Facing fourth-and-7, Mahomes was immediately forced out of the pocket by Mack, who beat Jawaan Taylor and hit the sprinting quarterback as he threw. But the throw traveled 48 yards in the air and found Hollywood Brown deep in the Chargers’ secondary. The play went for 49 yards and set up first-and-goal at the Los Angeles 9-yard line, but Kansas City had to settle for a field goal to cut the lead to 27-21.

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