Patrick Mahomes Focused on Recapturing the Joy of the Game as Chiefs Prepare for the Upcoming NFL Season

Patrick Mahomes is heading into the 2025 NFL season with a mindset shift that fans of the Kansas City Chiefs may find both refreshing and familiar. After years of chasing perfection, contending with sky-high expectations, and living under the weight of the team’s own dynastic standard, Mahomes is dialing things back—to something simpler, more elemental.

“It’s just us having fun again,” Mahomes said recently. “It’s always been fun playing on the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s what makes it special.”

This isn’t to say Mahomes has lost any of his edge. The two-time MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion remains one of the most competitive forces in football. But as he reflected on the emotional and psychological toll of last season—a campaign that ended in heartbreak at Super Bowl LIX—Mahomes made it clear that a renewed focus on joy, camaraderie, and playing for the love of the game could be the key to unlocking another championship run.

“I feel like last year—I don’t want to say there was pressure—but guys wanted to go out there and win every single week. Not for the fun of the game, but we were supposed to,” Mahomes admitted. “I just want to go out there and have fun. Wins will come if we play the way that we know we can.”

That subtle but powerful statement sheds light on what the 2024-25 season was really like for the Chiefs. Though they clawed their way back to the Super Bowl, the grind clearly took its toll. Each week brought heightened scrutiny, and even in victory, the joy that had long defined Kansas City’s rise to the top of the NFL felt increasingly muted.

Mahomes’ comments echo sentiments often shared by athletes who have already tasted greatness but want to rediscover why they started playing the game in the first place. His renewed perspective suggests a more loose, natural version of the Chiefs could be emerging this season—one that relies less on the pressure to meet expectations and more on returning to the culture of fun that got them to the top in the first place.

That approach could be dangerous—for everyone else.

Kansas City’s roster remains loaded. Mahomes is still in his prime. Tight end Travis Kelce returns for what could be one of his final seasons, hungry to prove that age has nothing on chemistry and talent. The defense, still one of the most disciplined in the league, is buoyed by continuity. And the offensive unit, though retooling in certain spots, is anchored by an elite quarterback who knows how to make everyone better.

“We have the talent, the coaches,” Mahomes said. “We work harder than anybody in the NFL. So let’s go out there and have fun and let the results handle themselves.”

Mahomes’ confidence isn’t arrogance—it’s belief born of experience. He’s already led the Chiefs to three Super Bowl titles, navigated everything from crushing defeats to miraculous comebacks, and proven himself as one of the most gifted quarterbacks the sport has ever seen. But perhaps most notably, he’s still evolving. His leadership continues to mature. And after a year where playing the game felt more like a job, he’s determined to return to a place where it feels like a joy.

In many ways, the 2025 season could mirror the 2019 season—the year the Chiefs won their first Super Bowl of the Mahomes era. That team was fearless, unburdened by legacy. They played fast, loose, and bold. Mahomes improvised at will, throwing no-look passes and dazzling defenses with backyard-style plays that became NFL highlights. It was, as he described it, fun.

But over the years, fun was slowly replaced by responsibility. The Chiefs were no longer the upstart. They were the standard. Opponents treated them like the hunted. Every win was expected. Every loss was overanalyzed.

“People started to expect us to win. That changes things, whether we like it or not,” Mahomes said. “It makes you more aware of mistakes. You try to be perfect, and that’s not always what the game needs.”

In a way, Mahomes is doing what all great leaders eventually do—resetting the tone. By telling his teammates and the public that it’s okay to play with joy again, he’s freeing the locker room from the invisible weight of constant expectation.

“This is a game,” Mahomes emphasized. “It’s supposed to be played with passion, not fear of failure.”

Mahomes’ approach could also serve as a key to longevity—not just for him, but for the team’s culture. When playing becomes a grind, even winning doesn’t feel as rewarding. But when a team loves what they do and enjoys doing it together, success becomes sustainable.

As the Chiefs prepare for training camp, there’s already a noticeable shift in energy. Offseason workouts have featured more smiles, more banter, and a renewed sense of connection. The locker room is energized—not just because of what they hope to accomplish, but because of how they plan to enjoy the process.

“I think the best teams are the ones that don’t lose sight of what brought them together in the first place,” Mahomes said. “For us, it’s that feeling of playing with your brothers and having each other’s backs, every play, every drive.”

Mahomes also knows the stakes. He understands that windows don’t stay open forever. There will be roster changes, injuries, and the inevitable challenges that come with an aging core. But by shifting focus from pressure to passion, he’s giving the Chiefs their best shot to make the most of what they have now.

“We’re not trying to chase perfection anymore,” Mahomes said. “We’re just chasing each other’s best.”

The NFL should take notice. When Patrick Mahomes is playing loose, he’s at his most dangerous. When he’s having fun, the Chiefs become nearly unstoppable. And when the team around him buys into that energy, history has shown what happens—they win.

This year, Mahomes isn’t entering the season with a chip on his shoulder. He’s coming in with a smile on his face.

He knows the wins will come. He trusts the work that’s being put in. And most importantly, he remembers why he started playing this game to begin with.

So what’s his mindset?

Simple: “Let’s go out there and have fun—and let the results handle themselves.”