Glendale, AZ ā Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes wasted no time making his presence felt in the team’s preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals, orchestrating a touchdown drive that lasted a mere 48 seconds. The brief but effective performance, however, was not enough to secure a victory, as the Cardinals rallied for a 20-17 win on Saturday.
Mahomes, entering his ninth season, appeared fired up on the sidelines before the game. He took advantage of a short field after a Cardinals fumbled kickoff, connecting with Jason Brownlee for a 1-yard touchdown pass to give the Chiefs an early 7-0 lead. It was Mahomes’ only pass of the game, as he was pulled by head coach Andy Reid after the single series.
Mahomes finished his night a perfect 1-for-1 passing for 1 yard and a touchdown.
Despite the strong start from the Chiefs’ starters, the team struggled with penalties and sloppy play later in the game. Reid acknowledged the positives from the starters but expressed disappointment with the rest of the team’s performance. “Too many penalties, going backward,” he said.
For the Cardinals, the game was a tale of overcoming early adversity. They fumbled their first two kickoff returns and quarterback Kyler Murray threw an interception on his opening drive. However, Murray, playing in his first preseason game since 2021, remained positive, stating it was good to get back on the field and play at game speed. He completed 7 of 8 passes for 96 yards before being replaced.
Arizona’s comeback was fueled by backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who threw two touchdown passes, including a 43-yard score to Emari Demercado and a 1-yarder to Xavier Weaver, giving the Cardinals a 17-14 lead at halftime.
The Chiefs suffered a couple of injuries during the game, with cornerback Jaylen Watson leaving with a concussion and safety Deon Bush being carted off the field with an Achilles tendon injury.
The Chiefs will look to rebound in their next preseason game when they visit the Seattle Seahawks. Pregame coverage Friday on Classic Hits Q-106.7 KQNK will begin at 8:00 PM, before a 9:00 PM kickoff from Seattle.
