Since Patrick Mahomes became a starter in 2018, the Chiefs have compiled a 10-0 record in September.
Mahomes has thrown 32 touchdowns and zero interceptions in the season’s opening month.
He’s only been a starter for three seasons, but those are still some fairly staggering numbers. Aside from Mahomes’ obvious talent and skill, the quarterback said in his Wednesday press conference that the Chiefs have gotten off to such hot starts because of the emphasis they place on it in August.
“I think we just stress the importance of starting the season fast,” Mahomes told reporters. “We have a very tough training camp, as everyone knows, where we really compete and go at it every single day at practice. I think that prepares us to be ready to go from Day One. And so, I think just stressing the importance — we’ve kind of came out, in my time at least, with a lot of really good teams up early in the season. And we know that if you lose a game in September, it could cost you at the end of the season as far as seedings if you’re trying to get in the playoffs. So we just stress the importance, knowing we’re playing a lot of good football teams at the beginning of the year.”
The Chiefs are starting the year against the Browns on Sunday — a team that hasn’t won its season opener since 2004. If recent history is a guide, Cleveland is likely to leave Kansas City disappointed in Week One.