Kansas City Chiefs fans go bananas over Patrick Mahomes news

Let the madness begin. Chiefs Kingdom is in a frenzy over the news that Patrick Mahomes will be the starting quarterback in Week 17 vs. Denver.

Kansas City Chiefs fans are understandably excited with news that rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be starting in Week 17 as Alex Smith takes a week of rest before suiting up for a postseason run. Chiefs Kingdom has been hoping for glimpses of Mahomes all season long, from garbage time appearances at the end of games to outright replacing Smith during the team’s midseason slump. Now, however, they finally get the chance to see what the “gunslinger” can do.

It will be interesting what sort of talent the Chiefs leave around him on offense given the fact that Andy Reid, the team’s head coach, also said he was going to give others the chance to rest as well. Will Mahomes have to deal with a thin offensive line that makes his job tougher than normal? Will he have both Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill as Pro Bowl outlets in the passing game? Will the Chiefs grind fellow rookie running back Kareem Hunt for another week, even after he’s carried 3 of his 4 heaviest loads in the past three games?

It’s one thing to see Mahomes in action, but it’s another to actually set him up for success. No doubt the Denver Broncos want to close out the season with a win to feel better about such a miserable season and to do so against their bitter rivals. They’re likely to give Mahomes everything they have—a formidable statement considering the Broncos still boast Von Miller as pass rusher and Chris Harris in the secondary.

No matter the lack of help, however, Chiefs Kingdom is clearly excited. Here are some of our favorite responses when we asked how excited fans were: