The Kansas City Chiefs‘ 2024 season ended in heartbreak. Their Super Bowl dreams shattered like glass against the Eagles. Patrick Mahomes, the face of the franchise, didn’t look like himself. This wasn’t the MVP version fans knew. Mahomes had an okay season, by normal standards. But for him, it was a step back. Fewer touchdowns, fewer yards. The magic was still there, just not as often. Now, all eyes are on 2025. Can he bounce back? Or will it be another year where he falls short of his own standards of greatness?
Even after a down year, he’s still the NFL’s best QB. His resume speaks for itself. But critics are starting to whisper. Recently on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike Radio, Chris Canty didn’t hold back when talking about Patrick Mahomes. The former Cowboys, Giants, and Ravens DE acknowledged Mahomes as “the best player in the sport, bar none,” but dropped a sobering reality check, “We are one more average season from Mahomes from having the conversation about who the best quarterback in the NFL actually is.”
The stats back up the Super Bowl XLVI winner’s concern. “The last two years, Patrick Mahomes, 27 touchdown passes, 26 touchdown passes. This past season, less than 4,000 yards passed. I mean, it was an average season by his standards,” he added.
Chris Canty says we are one subpar Mahomes season away from having a real conversation about who the best QB in the #NFL is. #Mahomes #chiefskingdom
– @UnSportsESPN pic.twitter.com/rFEEFEDFps
— Starcade Media (@StarcadeMediaKC) June 28, 2025
Winning buys patience. “People don’t want to talk about that. People don’t want to talk about it because they’re in the Super Bowl, right?” But Canty pushed further, “If the Chiefs miss the AFC Championship and Mahomes has 15-20 turnovers? Then all of a sudden, it’s going to become a question of who the best quarterback in the NFL is.“
Still, Canty wouldn’t bet against him. “For my money, if I’m starting a team, it’s Patrick Mahomes over everybody else. Because this guy is a proven winner. And to me, that matters more than all of the numbers.” Even at his worst, Mahomes delivers. He’s reached at least the AFC title game every year as a starter. Three Super Bowl rings sit in his trophy case. But legends are held to impossible standards.
Still, not everyone’s hitting the panic button just yet. While analysts like Canty raise eyebrows about Mahomes‘ recent numbers, others see this as just another chapter in his legacy.
Patrick Mahomes’ ‘prove it’ season
While critics question the Chiefs‘ QB, one former NFL receiver sees a storm brewing in Kansas City. Isaiah Stanback isn’t buying the narrative that Patrick is slipping. On Good Morning Football, the former wideout turned analyst made his case clear: “Patrick Mahomes, the last two years, really had ‘down years’ in terms of his numbers. We’re used to seeing Patrick Mahomes with 37, 41 touchdowns. The last two years, he dropped off, with 26 and 27 touchdowns.” The stats don’t lie – but Stanback sees something bigger coming.
What’s different now? Everything. “Isiah Pacheco, Rashee Rice – now those guys are back,” Stanback pointed out. Last season, Mahomes lost key weapons at brutal moments—Pacheco fractured his fibula in Week 2, missing nine games before a quiet Super Bowl return. Rice’s breakout year ended in Week 4 when a collision with Pat tore his LCL and hamstring. Yet Mahomes still dragged the Chiefs to the Super Bowl. Now? Both are back.
“Andy Reid has a chip on his shoulder.” With his weapons returning and a Super Bowl loss fresh in their minds, Stanback believes Pat is primed for a statement year: “What do we see this year out of Patrick Mahomes that we didn’t see last year? I believe he might be the most dangerous version of himself.”
It’s not just about revenge. It’s about reloading. Pat dragged an under-manned offense to the Super Bowl last year – now he’s got his full arsenal back. Stanback’s message is simple: writing off Mahomes after two “down” years (that still ended in championship games) is a mistake. The Chiefs’ QB has played with house money before. Now? He’s playing with something to prove. And when Patrick has that edge, nobody wants to be in his way.
The numbers might show a slight dip, but the eye test says something else. This is still the guy who makes impossible throws look routine, who thrives when the lights are brightest. With his weapons healthy and his coach motivated, 2025 could be less about decline and more about dominance. As Stanback put it, the most dangerous version of Mahomes might be coming. And the NFL might not be ready for what’s next.
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