Reid, Chiefs Take Business Approach to Correcting Drops

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – It might’ve been the worst pass-catching day in franchise history.

The Chiefs by some counts had eight dropped passes. Patrick Mahomes finished with 33 attempts, four of which were intentionally incomplete. That means more than one of every four passes he tried to complete were dropped by the Chiefs.

rashee rice — Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) catches the ball in the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

“These guys,” Andy Reid said Wednesday, “they've got good hands and they're proud guys that normally catch the football. So, things happen in this business where they drop a ball. So, you got to go back and you got to catch a few more balls at practice and focus in on it. And we go from there.”

Late drops were especially impactful

Drops have infected the Chiefs over the last two games in uncharacteristic fashion. In Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the Texans, six of them seemed to happen over the final 20 minutes. One ended a drive on fourth down, and two came from Travis Kelce in consecutive fashion late in the game, one of which handed the Texans an interception.

Can start here

Only 15 games since 2018 where a QB had 6+ drops and lost by 1-10 points. Basically twice a season it happens.

Out of those 15 games, Mahomes has the 2nd-highest drop rate and 3rd-lowest bad throw rate 🤷 https://t.co/fTsS037YO7 pic.twitter.com/uiEsW5rHQi
— Scott Kacsmar (@ScottKacsmar) December 10, 2025

The week before in Dallas

The week before in Dallas, Rashee Rice dropped a perfect third-down pass from Mahomes. Instead of moving the chains in a 28-21 fourth-quarter game, the Chiefs had to punt.

“I got trust in the guys,” Reid said. “I mean, it's not a common thing for the guys that had some mishaps there, so they'll work through it. That's what you do. I mean, they're good players. And we're always looking at it from a coach's standpoint. Can we put them in better positions? We're never going to stop doing that, either. Try to work to their strengths.”

That trust includes Rice, who missed the first six games while suspended under the league’s personal-conduct policy, and missed much of last season with a knee injury. But Reid pointed to the receiver’s success before the drops -- including a pair of touchdown catches in Dallas -- as evidence that he’s going through a temporary lull.

“Yeah, he’s a tough dude, a young guy with a lot on his plate,” Reid said. “And he's powering through it to the best of his ability right now, and that's how he's going about his business. He comes to work and works.

“And it's unfortunate that he had a couple of these drops, but it's not for lack of effort or focus that way. But to say he doesn't have a lot of things going, yeah, he’s got a lot of things going.”

The Chiefs need to get a lot of things going, too. When they host the Chargers (9-4) on Sunday (12 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan), they know they’re out of time – and even if they win all four of their remaining games, they still might not get into the playoffs. Reid said he’s seen a workmanlike approach to begin the week.

“That's kind of how they're wired,” the head coach said before Wednesday’s practice. “They're eager to get back on the field and get going. Everybody knows. I mean, they know where we stand right now. They know what's taking place. So, very aware. But they also like to work. So, we’ll get back to it.”

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