Organized team activities still fall under the voluntary portion of the offseason program, but the Kansas City Chiefs still had over 90% attendance at OTAs on Wednesday.
Even with the MVPs, Super Bowl rings and an endless number of accolades under his belt, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is out among his teammates during these voluntary workouts. He’s not just going through the motions either, he’s doing everything possible at this juncture of the offseason.
What value does Mahomes see in taking the field with his teammates at this time of the year?
“It’s just building those relationships,” Mahomes told reporters after practice on Wednesday. “We’ve had a lot of turnover on this team over the last few years and I think you’ve seen that we’re still a close-knit group and I think that just comes with almost everybody being here for OTAs and everybody coming into training camp and we build those relationships and I think that’s what makes us a great football team. I mean, everyone’s talented in this league but I think you’ve got guys that are all on the same page, offense, defense, special teams – that’s what takes you to the next level.”
Building up relationships with newcomers on the roster when there has been a constant state of turnover over the past few seasons is key. Mahomes wants to make sure that everyone is on the same page as early as possible because it leads to the most productive offseason work. It also helps kick things up a notch when the regular season rolls around.
The Chiefs also have a certain standard when it comes to how they prepare and practice. Mahomes is a big part of that culture, so having him there in attendance sets an example for all of the incoming players to follow.
