The Kansas City Chiefs are at a crossroads. With Patrick Mahomes leading the offense, expectations are sky-high, but last season exposed cracks that Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy now need to address.
Returning to the explosive form of Bieniemy‘s first stint won’t happen by repeating the same plays or tendencies – the offense needs a full makeover.
Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky put it bluntly ahead of the Super Bowl. “It was like a slow fade with Patrick in Kansas City,” he told Jason Anderson on WHB Radio Row last month.
“Over the last two-and-a-half years or so, the demand for him to constantly do more and bear more and burden more… it’s so easy for everyone to say, ‘Well, yeah, you’re Patrick Mahomes; you can and you should.’ That’s just not real. Just because you can, that doesn’t mean you want that to be the course.”
Orlovsky has consistently advocated for a strategic shake-up. Mahomes has excelled in the shotgun and pistol formations, but statistics suggest the quarterback is even more effective under center – a scenario the Chiefs have deployed sparingly.
In those limited snaps under center, Mahomes boasts a 110.7 passer rating and 8.1 yards per attempt, compared to a 99.6 rating and 7.6 yards per pass in shotgun. Under center, he’s also thrown more touchdowns, fewer interceptions, and taken fewer sacks.
How the Chiefs can maximize Patrick Mahomes
Orlovsky believes a return to more under-center snaps is key. “Go under center more,” he said. “Put bigger bodies on the field. That doesn’t make him a lesser player. I still think he’s going to be at the highest end. He just doesn’t have to do 45 snaps a game. And so, I think it helps everybody else. It doesn’t just help Patrick.”
The data backs up the suggestion. Last season, Mahomes was under center at the lowest rate of his career, and the Chiefs finished with their first losing season under Reid. The correlation is hard to ignore: the offense struggled, and Mahomes bore the brunt of the workload.
Bieniemy and Reid face a delicate balance: they need to modernize the playbook while protecting their franchise quarterback. Incorporating more under-center looks, adjusting personnel packages, and diversifying formations could ease Mahomes‘ burden while opening up opportunities for other playmakers.
It’s not just about throwing more passes or adding flashy plays – it’s about maximizing efficiency and minimizing unnecessary risk.
Fans and analysts alike are watching closely. Kansas City has the talent and coaching to rebound, but a repeat of last season’s tendencies could stall progress. The stakes are clear: Mahomes‘ prime years won’t wait, and the Chiefs need to innovate to stay at the top of the league.
If Bieniemy and Reid can implement these changes effectively, the offense could regain its signature explosiveness while reducing pressure on Mahomes.
The upcoming season will test the coaching staff’s ability to balance strategy, player usage, and creativity – and it could define the trajectory of Reid‘s tenure and Mahomes‘ legacy for years to come.
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