Can taking chances continue to pay off for Chiefs’ Mahomes? Answer: maybe

The direction of this much-anticipated Chiefs season hinges on countless factors, none more than the extreme makeover of a vulnerable defense and, should they make the playoffs, whatever mystical means they might summon to win more than one postseason game for the first time in a generation of futility.

Even so, no aspect of the adventure will be followed as deliriously as second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes ascending into the starting role.

Absolutely unfairly, it will be impossible for Mahomes to immediately live up to the hysteria that ignores how good predecessor Alex Smith actually was and seems to assume Mahomes can instantly break every Chiefs passing record and lead them deep into the playoffs.

This certainly could happen in time, of course. And Mahomes may blossom fast thanks to the unique fusion that comes with his big arm, smarts, vision, maturity, tutelage from Smith and being under the wing of the well-respected and imaginative offensive mind of Andy Reid.

“He can’t be in any better place, man, than with the Kansas City Chiefs,” Reid said Sunday, with a bit more pride than he normally might, as the Chiefs began training camp.

For his development, that is, which remains a work in progress — including perhaps in one way more than any other.

The most significant factor in what Mahomes will become, more so than his knowledge of the playbook and beyond even that he will be surrounded by a remarkable cast including Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Sammy Watkins and Kareem Hunt, is a matter of his fundamental makeup and how it will prosper by experience.

Call him a gambler, call him high-risk, high-reward, call him prescient, but Mahomes’ modus operandi through college at Texas Tech and even in his regular-season debut last year at Denver has been marked by taking huge chances that usually work.

It’s a mindset that Reid treasures — “you don’t ever want to stifle that and put him in a box with that,” he said — but knows must be honed with care. Because playing that way will be more challenging at this level in every way, from the quality of athlete to the sophistication of the defenses he’s facing.

Those elements can suddenly make a treacherous mirage of an apparent oasis.

Mahomes at least intellectually knows this, and he understands how he’ll have to refine this part of himself to reach his potential.

As he spoke Sunday of what he’ll be working on in the weeks to come, he talked about such points of discipline as just creating positive plays to move the chains, taking yards where they are, staying within the flow of the game and not necessarily pressing for the huge plays.

Asked about the crux of his challenge, knowing the difference between forcing an issue and exploiting one, Mahomes nodded as if to say, yep, it’s on his mind.

“It’s a challenge for all quarterbacks, though: You want to make the big play, you want to throw a touchdown every single play,” he said. “But at the same time you have to know that it’s a process. These defenses are good, so you have to make sure you take what they give you and don’t go for the home run every single time.”

So there will be many fascinating turns in his education, including the way Reid wants to get him ready: For now, anyway, he wants Mahomes to explore his limits by trial and error.

“Let’s see what we can do, let’s work through it, let’s not be hesitant,” said Reid, who smiled and acknowledged concocting some new things for his playbook in the offseason. “If there’s an interception here or there, let’s learn from it. Let’s challenge the offense, not only the player but challenge ourselves within the offense and see what you can get away with.”

That concept will be assessed and defined in stages, naturally. From now until the Chiefs preseason opener against Houston Aug. 9 at Arrowhead Stadium, from then to when they open the regular season Sept. 9 at the Los Angeles Chargers and, finally, week-by-week during his debut season.

One we’d all do well to remember will be underscored by a learning curve even for this remarkable talent.

“Are there going to be growing pains and all that stuff that go on? Yeah, sure, he’s a young guy who’s learning the game,” said Reid, later adding, “There’s going to be hiccups here and there, but you don’t want to stifle (him) at all.”

Ultimately, it will fall to Mahomes to find the sweet spot. And he’ll get there, maybe pretty soon.

But the journey still will come only through an initiation process that no outpouring of breathless expectations will plow away for him.

This story was originally published July 22, 2018 at 6:56 PM.