The fallout from Kansas City’s 22-19 loss to Denver swerved into strange territory after Andy Reid hinted that Patrick Mahomes had been flipping run calls at the line, which cracked open a bigger concern inside the Chiefs’ offense. This update, first reported Nov. 18, 2025, reshaped the talk around Kansas City’s 5-5 slide and its shaky grip on the AFC West. The whole thing felt like it dropped out of nowhere, then settled in like bad weather.
> The head coach said, “_But the runs are being called. It’s just that sometimes they get turned into passes in today’s world. You know, that’s how it goes. So, we’re getting them in, and we have some hard runs where you get up, line up, and go. Probably gonna call more of those_.”
https://twitter.com/MLFootball/status/1990587852745551981?s=20
**Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes Are Now Linked to a Bigger Offensive Disconnect**
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Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid with quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Reid’s tone didn’t resemble someone shielding his quarterback. It came across more like a quiet warning. Kansas City mixed in a stack of RPOs in Denver, and far too many slid into passes once Mahomes surveyed the front. Reid pointed out that the staff keeps leaning on run calls, the shift is happening on the field, fast, and sometimes without the balance that the group usually depends on.
The timing stings because Kansas City sits at 5-5, having suffered five one-score losses, and currently sits third in the AFC West. The margin for mistakes faded weeks ago. The defense keeps grinding, but the offense no longer brings the steady punch that defined Mahomes’ stretch. Drives sputter. Flow disappears. Situational sharpness, something that once felt automatic, has gone scattered for weeks.
Even with a few bursts on Sunday, Mahomes never settled the group. Kansas City threw 45 times and treated the run game like an afterthought, drifting back into the same loose identity that keeps sinking them. The Denver matchup exposed something uncomfortable: Kansas City can’t take over games right now, even when the chances are there.
The Red Army’s slump this year came after a 40-22 loss to Philly last season. Since then, they have not been in their usual form. This season, they have already suffered two consecutive losses.
> Reid said the season can still tilt back in the right direction, though his tone tightened around the need for urgency. [ESPN](https://www.espn.in/nfl/story/_/id/46995265/patrick-mahomes-chiefs-inconsistency-starts-me) reported the HC’s stance: _“I think we’re really talented and we’ve got a lot of great players, but it’s about being more consistent,_” he told reporters.” That point hit hard. The staff and players know what parts need cleaning, and they need it fast. Playoff odds keep slipping, the division sits almost out of reach, and these offensive problems don’t feel like quick-fix blips. They feel baked in.
For the first time in years, the gap isn’t about talent, it’s the alignment between the head coach and the quarterback. Reid made sure every team in the league caught that.