Ryan Clark drops bold take on Patrick Mahomes' TD production after last year's slump

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs failed to achieve a historic Super Bowl three-peat in February. The 2024 NFL season was a career low for Mahomes, who finished with the lowest number of touchdown passes (26) since he became the Chiefs' starting QB.

However, former Steelers star Ryan Clark believes Mahomes is ready to bounce back and clear 27.5 touchdowns in 2025. Clark appeared on the latest episode of "Get Up" via ESPN, where he shared his reasoning, pointing to key pieces around the 29-year-old quarterback finally coming together.

“I'm going to say more. Rashee Rice will return. We're expecting him to get suspended but he'll return this year. Xavier Worthy found his groove especially working with Matt Nagy being on the move, going from short to deep and also I think Travis Kelce will be huge in the red zone,” he said, acknowledging that the added protection can help Mahomes bounce back.

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In his down year, Mahomes completed nearly 68 percent of his throws and led the Chiefs to 73 total scoring opportunities. Out of those, four passes went for 40 yards or more. However, most of the offense came through sustained drives rather than explosive plays.

Clark believes a more stable supporting cast will help Patrick Mahomes return to form, especially with Worthy’s speed, Rice’s eventual return, Kelce's resurgence, and improvements up front.

Patrick Mahomes joins Joe Burrow in warning NFL About injury risk with 18-game season

The NFL might be leaning toward an 18-game regular season, and two of the league's quarterbacks seem to disagree. Mahomes joined Bengals QB Joe Burrow's chorus on injury risks during a prolonged season.

Burrow first addressed the idea during the 2024 offseason, acknowledging that adding an 18th game might be possible. However, he suggested adding a second bye week for better player recovery.

A year later, Patrick Mahomes echoed a similar stance on the 18-week schedule. In an interview with CNBC on July 11, the Chiefs star highlighted the physical toll of a longer schedule and the need for more rest. Mahomes pointed to the growing number of late-season injuries as a clear red flag.

"You’ve seen the amount of injuries that have kind of piled up there at the end of seasons, and you want to have the best players playing in the biggest games. So, if there were a way to get to 18 games...I’m not a big fan of it. But if there were a way, I think you'd have to add some bye weeks to give more time for guys’ bodies." (Timestamp: 7:52)

Also read: "President's Day weekend Super Bowl": Mike Florio explains why NFL won't embrace Patrick Mahomes' suggestion for an 18-game season

Edited by Gio Vergara