Even though he’s the winningest quarterback in NFL history through the first eight seasons of his career, Patrick Mahomes has seen himself become one of the most criticized players in the league this offseason. Whether it’s being ranked fourth overall on Chris Simms’ QB tier list, or claims that he’s been carried to success by his defenses, the scrutiny has seemingly reached a fever pitch ahead of the 2025 regular season.
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Despite having won a combined total of five Super Bowl and regular season MVP awards, Kansas City’s lopsided loss to the Philadelphia Eagles seems to have emboldened Mahomes’ naysayers. In fact, it’s reached the point where Tucker Franklin of the Kansas City Sports Network is proclaiming that he’s “f***king tired of it.”
In acknowledging that Mahomes’ “…last two seasons haven’t particularly been stellar,” Franklin suggests that it’s important to remember the context of the situation when looking at the stat sheet.
“Patrick Mahomes didn’t have his WR1 or his WR2 for the majority of the season. In fact, they were gone before his bye week… It’s a lot to take what you’re banking on and then, all of a sudden, completely erase it four games into the season and try to figure out something else.”
According to the KCSN host, the “revolving door” that the team featured at the left tackle position didn’t prove to be helpful either. As far as the upcoming season is concerned, Franklin believes that the Chiefs have made the necessary adjustments to the roster.
With everyone fully healthy, there’s plenty of things for Kansas City to be optimistic about.
“They addressed left tackle. They drafted Josh Simmons. They signed Jaylen Moore to have a contingency plan. Rashee Rice looks to be fully healthy coming into minicamp… Everything is looking and pointing in a direction to where Patrick Mahomes can have a pretty explosive year in 2025.”
Even though people might be clamoring to “crown a new king,” as Franklin points out, it’s unlikely that Mahomes will go quietly. On any given week, Kansas City may not be winning the skill position matchups or the battle upfront, but they will almost certainly have the better quarterback on the field at all times.
The rate at which Mahomes is collecting not only wins, but hardware as well, is unprecedented. While he surely will slow down with age, the fact of the matter is that he just now beginning to enter what will likely be the most prime years of his life.
While that’s convenient for the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s anything but for the rest of the NFL. Considering the swiftness with which people are writing Mahomes off, it’s worth suggesting that perhaps they are doing so out of hope, rather than expectations.
His reign of terror is welcomed by the fanbases of all 31 other teams in the league, but then again, the criticisms come with the territory. In other words, heavy is the crown.
