Patrick Mahomes has built a Hall of Fame résumé by doing things few quarterbacks would even attempt. That doesn’t mean he isn’t willing to evolve.
Speaking to reporters at Chiefs training camp, Mahomes acknowledged that he put himself at unnecessary risk last season by running too often — a decision he says he’ll try to avoid moving forward after suffering a torn ACL.
“I plan to be able to do everything I did before, but I’m going to obviously try to take care of myself a little better than I did last season,” Mahomes said. “I think I ran a little bit too much last season in general.”
He even joked about one possible solution.
“If all else fails, just give it to K9 and let him go out there and work,” Mahomes said, referring to new Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III.
#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes admits he ran too much last year and likely needs to be better about that this season.
“If all else fails, I’ll just hand it off to K9 (Kenneth Walker) and let him go to work.” https://t.co/DmORdw91GA pic.twitter.com/xh5FvjsHWw
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 24, 2026
Mahomes has never been known as a run-first quarterback, but his ability to escape pressure and extend plays has long been one of the biggest reasons Kansas City’s offense is so difficult to defend.
Last season, however, he carried the ball more often than usual before his year ended with a torn ACL. Now fully cleared to return, Mahomes appears focused on being smarter about when to use his legs.
That doesn’t mean fans should expect him to stop making the spectacular plays that have defined his career. It just means the three-time Super Bowl MVP hopes to pick his spots a little more carefully.
For the rest of the NFL, that’s probably still a scary thought.
