RM Patrick Mahomes defends his teammates against media criticism, taking full responsibility upon himself

Patrick Mahomes stepped in front of reporters exhausted, the weight of a frustrating night written across his face. Before anyone could ask a question, he made his message clear: the blame belonged to him, not his teammates.

“My guys left everything on the field,” Mahomes said. “They deserve credit for the way they competed. We didn’t get the result we wanted, but this isn’t the end of our story. And if someone has to take responsibility for the loss, that person is me.”

The critical moment came late in the fourth quarter as the Chiefs were driving with a chance to tie the game or even take the lead. Under heavy pressure, Mahomes rolled to his right, tried to create something on the move, and threw a pass that was intercepted. The turnover halted the comeback and set up the opponent’s decisive drive.

Mahomes admitted he was battling discomfort from several early hits, but immediately dismissed any suggestion that pain contributed to the outcome.
“Playing hurt is part of this league. Every guy in that locker room is dealing with something,” he said. “The expectations don’t change. I have to perform better. The team fought hard—I’m the one who fell short.”

While Kansas City’s offense struggled to find rhythm, the defense delivered one of its best outings of the season—forcing punts, generating long-yardage situations, and keeping the Chiefs within reach. The offense showed occasional sparks, but each time momentum started to shift, a mistimed throw, miscommunication, or turnover stalled the drive.

Mahomes ended the game with an uncharacteristic stat sheet that immediately fueled national discussion. Analysts pointed to footwork issues, inconsistent protection, and receivers failing to separate. Mahomes cut through the noise with a simple response:
“Don’t put this on the guys around me. They worked, they competed. Fixing this starts with me.”

Head coach Andy Reid backed his quarterback’s stance, praising Mahomes’ leadership both on the field and in front of the cameras.
“He’s our guy,” Reid said. “Leaders hold themselves accountable. But we win and lose as a team. We’ll regroup and get back at it.”

As the press conference wrapped up, Mahomes delivered one final promise:
“I’ll bounce back. I always have, and I’m not shying away from the challenge now.”

The Chiefs move forward from a tough defeat, but Mahomes’ words suggest their season is far from derailed. He has taken the responsibility—now he intends to take back the momentum.