Patrick Mahomes Sounds Off on Grueling Holiday Schedule: “Not a Good Feeling”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs are no strangers to adversity, but even superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes is feeling the strain of what’s coming their way. The NFL has handed the two-time defending Super Bowl champions a brutal schedule, forcing them to play three games in just 11 days. And Mahomes? Well, he’s not exactly thrilled about it.
“It’s not a good feeling,” Mahomes admitted during a press conference on Wednesday. “You never want to play this amount of games in this short of time. It’s not great for your body. But at the end of the day, it’s your job, your profession, you have to come to work and do it.”
The Chiefs are one of four teams tasked with playing on Christmas Day this year, alongside the Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Baltimore Ravens. But with Christmas falling on a Wednesday—a day the NFL rarely schedules games—these teams will also play the prior Saturday to allow for some rest. The result? Two short weeks of preparation following their Sunday matchups. Ouch.
A Holiday Gauntlet
Here’s how the Chiefs’ schedule shakes out:
- Sunday: Chiefs visit the Cleveland Browns.
- Saturday, Dec. 21: Chiefs host the Texans.
- Wednesday, Dec. 25: Chiefs travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers.
For Mahomes, this kind of grind is unprecedented in football. “I haven’t [played three games in such a short span] in football,” he said. Sure, he’s done it in high school baseball and maybe basketball, but the physical toll of the NFL is a whole different beast.
“All you can do is focus on the game. The practice you have that day,” Mahomes explained. “I try to prepare my body all year long for this stretch. That’s tailoring my workouts, tailoring how you practice and prepare, and the coaches do a great job of taking care of us on the practice field. We practice as hard as anybody, but they know how to dial it back when needed.”
History in the Making
Playing on a Wednesday is a rarity in the NFL. The last time it happened was in 2020, when a COVID-19 outbreak forced the Steelers and Ravens to reschedule. Before that? You’d have to go all the way back to 2012, when the league moved its season opener to a Wednesday to avoid conflicting with Barack Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. And before that? Try 1948, when the Lions and Rams squared off on a Wednesday. Talk about a throwback.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is taking the challenge in stride. “It’s a unique situation. You just have to manage it,” Reid said. “It is what it is. You make the best of it.”
High Stakes, High Pressure
These aren’t just throwaway games, either. Each matchup carries significant playoff implications. The Chiefs have already clinched the AFC West, but they’re in a tight race with the Buffalo Bills and Steelers for the No. 1 seed and a coveted first-round playoff bye. Meanwhile, the Steelers are two games ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North and could clinch a playoff berth with the right results this weekend. The Texans, for their part, are two games up on the Colts in the AFC South.
Reid emphasized the importance of staying focused. “The main thing is you get guys ready for the game. Give them a chance to get ready for the game,” he said. “They’re going to do whatever you present to them. You try to help them out with that. Right now, we have a normal week right here. We have to take care of business here.”
For Mahomes and the Chiefs, the road ahead is daunting, but if there’s one thing this team has proven, it’s that they thrive under pressure. Still, the question remains: Can they navigate this grueling stretch and emerge unscathed? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure—this holiday season is going to be anything but restful for Kansas City.
Originally Written by: Adam Teicher
