We're staring down 65 days until the Chiefs kick off their season on "Monday Night Football" against the Denver Broncos in Week 1. Sixty-five days might feel like forever, but for this team, it’s a crucial countdown. What are we thinking about while we wait? For starters, how about Patrick Mahomes' workload last season, especially when it came to him taking off and running? The man logged an insane 65 touches, rushing 64 times himself, and even had a reception for negative ten yards. That's a huge number for a quarterback, and it simply can't be the blueprint for 2026 if they want to stay healthy and dominate.
The Legacy of #65 and What it Means Now
Speaking of 65, that jersey number holds some serious weight. Right guard Trey Smith has been rocking it since 2021, and let's be real, the dude is a beast. He's already a two-time Pro Bowler and has two Super Bowl rings. He's cementing that number's place in franchise history, no doubt about it. Before Smith, some other solid players wore #65, like Jon Gilliam, the only Pro Bowler on that list, and Tom Condon. There's also Jordan Black and Ryan Lilja, who played for the Chiefs from 2010 to 2012. Lilja's story is wild: kicked off his high school team, had to hit up community college, then Kansas State, and ended up an undrafted free agent who won two Super Bowls with the Colts before coming back to start 45 games for the Chiefs. Talk about a grinder, right? But as impressive as those names are, right now, all eyes are on the future, and that means looking hard at how the offense gets the ball moving.Mahomes' Rushing Volume: Time to Dial it Back?
Mahomes' 65 touches last season, including those 64 rushes, made him the fifth-most active playmaker on the team advancing the ball. Think about that for a second. Your MVP quarterback, recovering from a knee injury, is taking more hits than almost anyone else on the squad? Last regular season, only Drake Maye of the Patriots scrambled more (61 times) than Mahomes' 53. That kind of volume from your signal-caller is a glaring sign that the offense needs more consistent production and availability from its top skill-position players. It's a testament to Mahomes' toughness and desire to win, but it's also a major red flag for his long-term health, especially as he moves towards full recovery from that knee injury. It's just not sustainable. So, what's ahead? Sixty-five days from now, we'll see the Chiefs kick off against the Broncos. The big question is how much that offensive approach has shifted. Can the other playmakers step up consistently? Or will Mahomes still have to put the team on his back, risking more hits and potentially derailing their season? The early part of 2026 will tell us everything about the Chiefs' health strategy and offensive balance.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.