Patrick Mahomes has insisted he is not afraid to put his body on the line by running a quarterback sneak, despite Andy Reid’s long-standing reluctance to call the play for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The discussion has resurfaced after Kansas City’s disappointing defeat to the Denver Broncos, with the Chiefs failing to score on four attempts from the one-yard line.
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The loss saw the Chiefs surrender a 24-13 fourth-quarter lead before falling 28-24, leaving questions over their short-yardage play calling.
Patrick Mahomes insists he is willing to run QB sneaks for Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes’ comments come amid criticism of Reid’s decision not to use quarterback sneaks since the quarterback dislocated his kneecap during a successful attempt against Denver in 2019.
The Chiefs had another opportunity to use the play against the Broncos, with an open gap between centre Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith during a third-and-goal situation.
Instead, Reid called a handoff to Kenneth Walker III, who was stopped at the line of scrimmage.
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Speaking to reporters, Mahomes made it clear that he would have no problem taking on the responsibility if it gave his team a better chance of winning.
“I’m going to do whatever it takes to win,” Mahomes said. “Quarterback sneak, whatever it is, it’s not like I’m scared to put my body on the line. That’s how I’ve played. It’s gotten me in trouble sometimes, and sometimes it’s helped the team.”
However, the quarterback also acknowledged that any decision to call his own number would need to be carefully considered.
“If I do that, it better work,” Mahomes added. “I understand people watch the film and see stuff and want you to go out there and make it happen. But, the play call is what we call, and we want to execute that play.”
Mahomes also revealed that the Chiefs have included quarterback sneaks in their game plans but have changed the play at the line of scrimmage depending on the defensive formation.
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Reid previously defended the approach, saying: “We’ve been pretty successful without sneaking it.”
Kansas City have not attempted a quarterback sneak since Mahomes’ injury, but their latest goal-line struggles have renewed the debate.
The Chiefs remain 5-2 despite the defeat and will face the New York Jets next. Whether Reid changes his approach could become a major talking point if Kansas City find themselves in another short-yardage situation.
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