Patrick Mahomes faces a major challenge. Just as the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback is returning to his top form, his chances of winning the NFL’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award are threatened by two players no one expected to be in the race for the prestigious award.
The start of the season was a nightmare for the Chiefs. After losing Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City got off to a shaky start in the 2025 season, racking up two consecutive losses.
Their first win came in Week 3, but the team still failed to convince fans and experts alike. However, all that changed in Week 7, with a 31-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Mahomes returned to his form from the 2019 and 2022 seasons, when he won the MVP and led his team to the Super Bowl, winning the 52nd edition. However, all that effort is being overshadowed by two of the NFL’s best running backs.
Who’s vying for the MVP?
Historically, quarterbacks dominate the MVP. In the last 14 years, only running back Adrian Peterson has broken this monopoly, taking home the award in 2012.
This year, however, Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts and Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers are making waves on the field and have a good chance of snatching the glory from Mahomes or any other quarterback.
Although quarterback Daniel Jones is the face of the Colts, the driving force behind their 6-1 start is Taylor’s 131 carries, 697 yards, and 10 rushing touchdowns.
McCaffrey isn’t far behind. With Brock Purdy injured, the running back has carried the team, contributing 465 yards and three touchdowns on 132 carries. With McCaffrey as the spearhead, the Niners are now at 5-2.
Mahomes still has the lead for the MVP.
However, taking the title away from Mahomes won’t be an easy task if he continues to play like he did against the Raiders. In that game, Mahomes threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns, completing 26 of 35.
What’s more, he did it in just three quarters. When it became clear the Chiefs had the game in the bag, head coach Andy Reid rested his starters, leaving open the question of what else Mahomes would have done with another 15 minutes of playing time.
The win rose the Chiefs to 4-3, in third place in the AFC West. But if the team keeps racking up wins and makes the playoffs, they might as well put Mahomes’ name on the bottom of the MVP trophy.
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