The Kansas City Chiefs got exactly what they needed out of rookie offensive tackle Kahlil Benson in Week 1.

The UDFA started at left tackle for Josh Simmons in the win over the Denver Broncos on Monday night. In his first career start under the bright lights of Monday Night Football, Benson delivered an extremely impressive performance that should give Kansas City confidence as it moves through the early portion of the 2026 NFL season.

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Benson allowed just one pressure on 32 pass-blocking snaps, for a 3.2% pressure rate. He faced Broncos edge rusher Nik Bonitto in 15 matchups, including 14 one-on-one reps, and surrendered only that single pressure to Bonitto.

Benson was one of four rookie offensive tackles, along with Blake Miller, Monroe Freeling, and Spencer Fano, to log at least 29 pass-blocking snaps in Week 1. He recorded the lowest pressure rate among the group. He was also the only one of those players to not allow a sack.

Patrick Mahomes reveals his 4-word message to Chiefs rookie OT Kahlil Benson

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes revealed the four-word message he gave Benson before the game. While Mahomes didn’t say much to him during the week of practice, he delivered those four words before they took the field for the Week 1 win over Denver.

“I think the only thing I said to (T Kahlil Benson) him right before the game was, ‘I believe in you,’ and that’s it. You’re out there for a reason; just go out there and be yourself and do what got you here. A lot of times, it’s the NFL. Sometimes you make it bigger than what it is, but you’re still playing a game that you’ve loved since you were a kid, and there’s a reason that you’re in that uniform and the reason that you’re on that field. And so, go out there and do that.”

This message is what true leadership is all about. Benson didn’t need his teammates to make things any bigger than they already were. He needed reassurance that he was right where he was supposed to be, as a valued member of the Kansas City Chiefs.

What does Patrick Mahomes expect out of Benson moving forward?

Speaking about the trust he has in Benson, Mahomes mentioned that it takes playing in games together. Week 1 against the Broncos was the first game the two actually played together, with Mahomes not participating in the preseason. He has, however, seen all of the work and effort Benson has put in to reach this point. That helps breed trust as well. It also builds confidence that the rookie will keep improving and striving for success as the season progresses.

“Yeah, I mean, obviously it takes—you have to play in games and stuff like that, but I think what the trust has come from is his work and how he’s worked and went about his business throughout the entire process. I mean, starting back from OTAs until training camp, he’s the guy; he’s in the building early, he’s late, he asks the right questions, and then he competes, and you want guys that want to go out there and compete and be out there and play and just do whatever they can to help the team. And so, he did a great job of that, of just being out there, and it’s not always going to be perfect. I mean, he went up against one of the best pass rushes in the league, and he did a great job of just finding ways to compete and battle, and he’s gotten better and better every step of the way. And so, I expect him to keep continuing to get better.”

The truth is that Benson’s performance was about as good as Kansas City could have hoped for given the circumstances. A first-year undrafted free agent stepping in at left tackle and holding his own against an NFL pass rush is no small feat. Doing it on national television, protecting Patrick Mahomes’ blind side, makes it all the more impressive.

The Chiefs will need Benson to maintain this level of play for as long as Josh Simmons remains out of the lineup. If his Week 1 showing is any indication, Kansas City found a capable option in its offensive tackle room through the undrafted free agent process. Brett Veach and the coaching staff deserve credit for identifying Benson and developing him to the point where he could step into a starting role and perform at this level.