Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes Talks 'Abnormal' Deep Passing Woes During 2024 NFL Season

Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes surprisingly struggled with his deep passes in 2024, and he's motivated to right the ship this season.

"Last year was abnormal," Mahomes told ESPN's Nate Taylor. "We definitely want to push the ball down the field and push the ball into tighter windows this year."

Taylor pointed out that Mahomes ranked 29th in the NFL with his deep passes last season, completing "a career-low 39.5 percent of his passes in which the ball traversed at least 15 yards downfield." He also "had more interceptions (six) than touchdowns (four) on deep throws."

At the beginning of his career, Mahomes was known for his prowess with highlight-reel passes. Despite his slight regression last year, the Chiefs still finished with a 15-2 record and made their third straight trip to the Super Bowl.

Improving his deep passes has been the priority for Mahomes since the start of training camp last month.

"I've got to be better at throwing the ball down the field," Mahomes told reporters on July 22. "In order for the offense to be great, you've got to complete those passes. It starts with me and giving those guys chances, but if we can do that, it's going to open up the offense in general."

Taylor noted that "having a stable, more consistent base appears to have helped Mahomes improve his precision on deep passes," so it sounds like the two-time NFL MVP is poised for another big year as he tries to lead the Chiefs back to the top of the mountain this season.