Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs Offense, Adding Playbook Twists at Training Camp

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is all about experimentation and development at Training Camp.

The Chiefs didn’t lose any of their top five receivers from the 2019 season, and only have to acclimate running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, running back DeAndre Washington and tight end Ricky Seal-Jones into the system.

The minimum turnover allows Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense the ability to experiment throughout camp.

“When you have Coach Reid and these offensive coaches that we have, there’s no shortage,” Mahomes told reporters in a virtual press conference Sunday. “They’re coming up with new plays every single day. We’re trying out everything…. I think that’s what’s great about training camp — we’re going to keep trying all of these different plays, and if it works we’ll put it in and if it doesn’t work we might push it aside and try it again later on. “

This throw is not supposed to look easy ⏰ pic.twitter.com/MEMMCU6UEr
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) August 19, 2020

One of the Chiefs' apparent offensive experimentations includes giving Mahomes the ability to complete forward-pitch passes.

He showed the developing skill with a flick touchdown pass to wide receiver Gehrig Dieter during Sunday’s practice session.

Patrick Mahomes threw one of those passes today. Drifting to his left and unable to step into the throw, just by snapping his wrist he hit Gehrig Dieter in end zone during a 7-on-7 drill. We've seen this before from him but no less impressive.
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) August 16, 2020

“I don’t want to give away all of my secrets,” Mahomes joked. “It’s stuff that I work on and it’s stuff that we do. I try to find ways to get the ball to the receivers, tight ends, whoever runs routes, whoever it is the quickest way possible. The pitch is kind of one thing we kind of worked on.”

Tight end Travis Kelce led the Chiefs’ receivers with 1,229 yards last season. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill finished right behind with 860 after missing four games due to a collarbone injury. Watkins, Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson piled behind in the next three spots. The wide variety of skill, including speed, helps make diversification possible

“When we have a team like we have, it’s hard for defenses to know exactly what we’re doing and exactly who’s running which routes because every single person can do every single route," Mahomes said.

“When you get those routes on air and when you get those one-on-one drills and then when you get those reps in practice, you see how guys are running routes, how we’re trying different stuff. Then we go to the sideline after and we talk about those routes, why we did this, what I was thinking and what they were thinking. Then we try to get on the same page in order to, when we get in the game, know exactly what each other is thinking and we can really go out there and execute on a high level.”