Tyreek Hill didn’t need many words to salute Patrick Mahomes ahead of the Chiefs’ season opener.
With Mahomes set to play against the Broncos after recovering from a torn ACL and torn LCL in his left knee, Hill - still sidelined and unsigned - reposted the update on X and kept his message simple: “Different man,” Hill reposted on X, alluding to Patrick Mahomes’ successful comeback from injury.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the news on X that Mahomes is healthy and ready to go for Kansas City’s opener. That comes after a late-year injury that had raised real questions about how long the Chiefs’ star might be out.
The respect between Mahomes and Hill clearly hasn’t faded, even if their time together in Kansas City didn’t turn into the kind of partnership the Chiefs had hoped for. Both players dealt with major injuries last season, but their recoveries have taken different paths, with Mahomes nearing a return and Hill still waiting for his next move.
Hill isn’t the only one inside the Chiefs orbit who’s been impressed by Mahomes’ comeback. Travis Kelce said Mahomes’ rehab played a part in his own decision to keep playing.
On the ‘New Heights’ podcast, Kelce said, “I could see the determination. I could see the frustration in his (Mahomes) mind that it got to this point this year.”
“And, you know, that was - that’s a huge reason why I’m still playing the game because I know that guy. Like, I want to be there for that guy, you know, in every aspect of the game,” he added.
Now the question shifts back to the field: will Mahomes look like his usual elite self again? Kelce thinks so. Hill does too.
In Other News...
Travis Kelce's New Home Is Already Drawing Serious Attention
Travis Kelces move into Bratenahl, Ohio, earlier this year has put a small village on the map in a way few places ever experience. The Chiefs tight ends purchase has sparked a noticeable spike in online searches for the community, a quiet lakeside suburb with a long history of notable residents and a current real estate market that already includes several homes listed at a million dollars or more.
For a place used to being low-key, the attention has created a new kind of buzz around town, even as local officials try to keep the focus on normal life. Mayor Keith Benjamin has said the community is welcoming and plans to respect the privacy of Kelce and his wife, singer Taylor Swift, a balancing act that figures to matter as interest in the village keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Suddenly Have A Week 1 Problem Denver Can Target
The Chiefs are running into a familiar late-summer issue in the secondary, and it comes at a spot Denver will be watching closely in Week 1. Injuries have left Kansas City sorting through its safety group, with Alohi Gilman expected to be available for the opener but Chamarri Conner still uncertain, and the ripple effects are already showing up in how the back end is being pieced together.
Jaden Hicks is the player most likely to be asked to steady things in a bigger role, while less experienced options such as Xavier Nwankpa could also be pushed into more responsibility than planned. After losing key defensive backs in the offseason, the Chiefs do not have much margin for error in a secondary that already looks thin before the first snap against the Broncos. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Are Already Being Cast As Philadelphias Biggest Problem
Bill Barnwell is already looking way ahead, and he thinks the road back to the Super Bowl for Philadelphia could run straight through Kansas City again. The ESPN analyst projected the Eagles to make it to the 2026 seasons title game, only to run into the Chiefs, setting up what would be a third Super Bowl matchup between these teams after their meetings in 2022 and 2024.
For Kansas City, the idea alone says plenty about how the franchise is viewed entering the next few seasons. Barnwell pointed to changes on the Eagles roster and the state of the Chiefs offense as reasons for the prediction, but the larger takeaway is simpler: even as rosters evolve, the Chiefs are still being cast as the team Philadelphia may have to solve to finish the job. [Read more 🡒]