How ‘Camp Mahomes’ helps Chiefs offense during the season
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It’s the third year of Patrick Mahomes hosting Kansas City Chiefs players at his home in Texas.
Wide receivers Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Anthony Miller, and tight end Noah Gray are among a few players seen practicing with Mahomes this year. Practice squad quarterback Chris Oladokun is also with the players.
Mahomes broke down how ‘Camp Mahomes’ usually goes:
Morning workout/physical therapy
Throwing + route running session – two to three times a week
Meet virtually with coaches at noon
The players get the luxury of getting guidance straight from Mahomes who gets to break things down in more detailed ways than they would if they were at the Chiefs practice facility.
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“I think just the guys hearing it from me because we get the workouts in before the meetings,” he said. “Hearing how I explain things, how I explain the routes, what I’m kind of thinking, and then getting to go into the meeting room and hear the coaches and hear how they explain the stuff and we blend that together.
“So to be able to explain my thought process one-on-one, I think it gives guys a good intro into what the coaches are thinking and the coaches can really detail the details,” Mahomes said.
“It gives the guys an opportunity to stay away from [Kansas City],” head coach Andy Reid said. “Maybe a little bit more ‘laxed atmosphere but at the same time get a ton of work done. Also, there’s a little camaraderie that goes with it, which is important on the offensive side that the guys work and play together and are on the same page. It gives Pat an opportunity, along with the quarterbacks, to be able to talk to the guys about what they see in a little bit of a slowed-down pace.
“It’s been effective for us. The guys have come back in great shape and they’ve come back knowing what their responsibilities are. And at the same time, they’re getting the influx of new and our scheme evaluation from last year thrown at them by the coaches.”
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Players usually stay at Mahomes’ home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Players get the luxury of having trainers on hand along with the fun of Mahomes’ home which includes a pool table, ping pong table, and other fun items for players to pass the time when they aren’t training.
Mahomes explained how during the season and in practice, players will try to do exactly what the coaches say. These training sessions give all the players a chance to share what they think when they’re running routes and going through plays.
“I can hear what they’re thinking whenever they’re running their routes,” he said. “It helps me know where they’re gonna be at and what their timing is gonna be and that’s something that I try to do during the year but there’s kind of a lot of things that you’re worried about during the season.
“When I can hear them and we talk it through and we hear from the coaches, we can all be on the same page.”
Rashee Rice has also worked out with Mahomes in Texas and Mahomes expects to continue that work as Rice works through the legal process of his March 30 multi-vehicle crash that resulted in him being charged with eight felonies.
Mahomes is also impressed with the speed, route running, and work ethic of new Chiefs veteran receiver Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown.
“He wants more. He wants to continue to push himself more and more. I think he’ll have a great role in this offense, the way he’s able to run around, the way he’s able to stretch the field. I think he’ll be even different than you’ve seen him before because I think we can utilize him in different ways.”
Building and strengthening relationships with teammates is something Mahomes treasures this time of year which makes Camp Mahomes a pleasure for everyone.
“I think what I find most enjoyable is just building those relationships with the guys. I mean every single team’s different and just getting the guys, especially, getting them down here. Seeing them outside the building, trying to do different things, trying to get dinners whatever it is. You get to meet the guy and I think that’s what brings a team closer together and so that’s something that I enjoy especially about this part of the year.”
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Winning back-to-back Super Bowls brings shorter offseasons for the Chiefs as well. As much as Mahomes enjoys the wins, he makes sure to prioritize personal time and family time.
“Trying to make sure that I get time to myself and my family is something that’s very important to me. And so I try to still intertwine that with keeping my body in the right shape so that I can go out there and try to try to quest to try to get the three-peat.”
