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Patrick Mahomes Admits Chiefs Realization After 3 Games Played

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 6:33 AM ET

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are off and running. They got their first win of the campaign on Sunday night after taking down the New York Giants, 22-9, improving to 1-2 on the new season.

Mahomes registered 22-of-37 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown, which isn’t exactly impressive by his high standards. Nevertheless, it was enough to help carry the Chiefs to a crucial win.

Mahomes’ lone TD came in the third quarter, as he found wide receiver Tyquan Thornton for a five-yard touchdown. That gave Kansas City a 10-point lead after Harrison Butker converted the extra point.

For his part, Thornton finished with five catches for a team-high 71 receiving yards and a touchdown — his second score in three appearances this season.

The 25-year-old has been making some noise for the Chiefs thus far. So much so that Sunday’s performance drew an honest admission from Mahomes.

"I knew he was going to be a good football player, but he's even exceeding my expectations," Mahomes said of Thornton, via Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star.

Mahomes and Thornton’s time together has been brief, but this partnership is already looking very promising. The fact that Mahomes targeted him in crucial moments against the Giants is a testament to this notion.

With Xavier Worthy out due to a dislocated shoulder and Rashee Rice suspended for the first six games of the season, Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense could lean significantly on Thornton in the interim. Based on what we’ve seen thus far, as well as the impression Thornton has left on his QB, it looks like he’s ready to make a big impact on the squad in the coming weeks.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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