New Chiefs Tight End Compares Patrick Mahomes to Aaron Rodgers

Andy Reid’s first NFL coaching job in 1992 was heading up the tight ends for Mike Holmgren’s Green Bay Packers. So, don’t be surprised that the Chiefs have seven tight ends on their 90-man roster. One of them has played with both Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers.

“They can each make every single throw imaginable on the field,” said Robert Tonyan after practice on Tuesday. “And it's kind of funny, you just see, Pat getting better every day as well.”

Like Jason Brownlee, Tonyan joined the Chiefs late in the 2024 season on a practice-squad contract and helped Kansas City prepare for the Texans, Bills and Eagles during the Chiefs’ run to a third-straight Super Bowl. But he didn’t get to really catch passes from Mahomes until after re-signing with the Chiefs this offseason.

An eighth-year veteran who has more career catches (148), receiving yards (1,549) and touchdown receptions (17) than any current Chiefs tight end other than Travis Kelce, Tonyan said Mahomes makes hard throws look easy.

Jul 22, 2025; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Robert Tonyan (85) walks down the hill to the practice fields during training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

“Pat's incredible. It’s great to be in the huddle and see his command, and see him control the line and make plays and extend plays. I'm happy to be a part of that.

“He's very confident. He's very positive, like reaffirming. Even if we're just going through little tight-end drills on the side, or running backs, we're running through the pads or whatever, he's encouraging us. That's just a leader you want, just constantly making noise and being positive and creating that energy.”

In Green Bay

Tonyan created a lot of energy with Rodgers in Green Bay, where, like Reid, he also spent much of his NFL journey. A 6-5, 240-pound veteran from Indiana State, Tonyan entered the league in the same class as Mahomes, 2017, but went undrafted.

After signing with the Detroit Lions as a college free agent, Tonyan couldn’t make the season-opening roster and spent his rookie year on the Packers’ practice squad. He made that Week 1 roster in 2018, though, and slowly began building Rodgers’ trust.

In 2020, when the Packers finished 13-3 and advanced to the NFC title game, Tonyan had his best career season. He posted 586 yards and an impressive 11 touchdowns on 52 receptions, then posted another eight catches for 82 yards in the playoffs, including a touchdown in the conference-championship loss to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.

After season-ending ACL surgery midway through 2021, he rebounded for 53 catches and 470 yards with two touchdowns in 2022, his last season with the Packers. Then, he played every game for the Bears in 2023 as a reserve player before joining the Lions last season.

Now in a new home entering the preseason opener on Saturday at Arizona, Tonyan wants to show coaches he’s a consistent, dependable asset.

“I want to get better every day and those games are a great opportunity to do so,” Tonyan added. “I'm just going to just keep grinding it out. Like I said, like this is an Andy Reid camp and just keep on grinding, make full-speed mistakes and don't make them twice, and then just make plays and keep grinding.”

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