Patrick Mahomes Defends Chiefs WRs amid Backlash: I Have a Lot of Trust in Those Guys

Despite a lack of production from his wide receivers this season, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes insisted Thursday that he has belief in his pass-catchers.

According to Pro Football Talk's Myles Simmons, Mahomes suggested that his receivers are doing all the right things, and he believes any negative narratives can be turned around with one big game:

"In the locker room I think everyone knows we're all trying to go out there and be great and trying to win football games. I have a lot of trust in those guys. I see how hard they are working.

"For us, it's about keeping it within the locker room—I mean we're still sitting there atop the AFC West, and I think a lot of the stuff is out in front of us we just have to go out there and capitalize on it. I think if we can start this week with a great week of practice and try to beat a really good football team, the Buffalo Bills—it's kind of like next week, we'll be talking about how great we are. It's kind of how the NFL works."

Since the Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins prior to the 2022 season, Mahomes has been without a true No. 1 wideout to complement all-world tight end Travis Kelce.

It didn't seem to matter last season, as Mahomes threw for 5,250 yards, 41 touchdowns and 12 interceptions en route to being named NFL MVP, the Chiefs were the highest-scoring team in the league, and they went on to win the Super Bowl with Mahomes being names Super Bowl MVP.

As a team, the Chiefs have been far less explosive offensively this season, though, ranking eighth in the NFL in total offense and 11th in scoring offense with just 22.9 points per game.

Mahomes numbers, while still solid, have also suffered, as he is completing 67.8 percent of his passes for 3,127 yards, 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Kelce was Mahomes' unquestioned go-to guy last season, as he recorded 110 receptions for 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns, and that has been the case again this season with Kelce reeling in 74 catches for 813 yards and five touchdowns.

While not dominant by any stretch, JuJu Smith-Schuster was solid last season as the Chiefs' top option among wide receivers with 78 receptions for 933 yards and three scores, but he left for the New England Patriots in free agency.

The Chiefs replaced him with rookie second-round pick Rashee Rice, and the rest of the receiving corps is largely unchanged with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney and Justin Watson in the mix.

Rice leads Chiefs wide receivers with 52 receptions for 591 yards and five touchdowns, but no other wideout has more than 22 catches or 332 yards.

The Chiefs can't do much to upgrade their receiving corps since the trade deadline has passed, meaning Mahomes has to make do with what he has.

Kansas City is still among the top teams in the AFC at 8-4, but there is far more concern surrounding the team this season than in past years since they can't necessarily be counted upon to light up the scoreboard.