After the Kansas City Chiefs' disappointing 2025 campaign, many fans and analysts ignored the first eight years of Patrick Mahomes' career, instead choosing to focus on one poor season. The former MVP was bumped down in quarterback rankings and had plenty of doubters heading into 2026.
He hasn't wasted any time proving those doubters wrong. In four games, Mahomes has returned to being the superstar Chiefs fans have come to know. The best part? He's only going to improve as the season goes on.
J.J. Watt was in awe of Mahomes' Week 4 performance against the Las Vegas Raiders. During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Watt broke down why he thinks that Mahomes is only going to get better throughout the season.
""You would imagine he's only gonna continue to get stronger. Obviously, he's still coming back from the injury and still building up that part of his game. He hasn't had to run a ton, hasn't had to use his Mahomes magic and legs and everything. So you would imagine that whenever those situations do arise when it's required, that he's only gonna continue to get stronger there.""J.J. Watt on "The Pat McAfee Show"
Patrick Mahomes still hasn't unlocked his full arsenal amid Kansas City Chiefs' perfect start
That "Mahomes magic" that Watt is talking about hasn't been a major part of the quarterback's game so far this year. He isn't extending plays with his legs nearly as often as he has in the past, and he hasn't needed to.
Mahomes currently has 19 pass attempts from outside the pocket this season, which ranks 11th in the NFL. He ranked within the top five in that category in every season from 2022 to 2025. His ability to extend plays outside of the pocket and create positive plays on his own is one of his best traits.
There's a chance that those plays have been limited by his ongoing recovery from the knee injury that ended his 2025 season. He made a remarkably quick recovery and has still been playing at a high level, but it shouldn't come as a surprise that his mobility has been somewhat limited.
Even without using the full extent of his athleticism, Mahomes ranks tenth in the league in both EPA per play and passing success rate. He has been excellent for Kansas City, complementing Kenneth Walker III and the rushing attack perfectly.
As the season progresses, expect Mahomes to tap into his athleticism a bit more often. The Chiefs play the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos in Weeks 7 and 8. Against those elite defenses, Mahomes may have to put his creativity to use.
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