Brett Veach reveals Kansas City Chiefs’ plans to make life easier on QB Patrick Mahomes as he returns from knee injury

Chiefs GM Brett Veach knows that fixing the running game sets Patrick Mahomes and the offense up for success in 2026.

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor
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Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has been the engine fueling Andy Reid’s offense, but the team has different plans in mind to protect No. 15 as he works his way back from a serious knee injury.

Mahomes finished the 2025 NFL season with 64 carries for 422 yards and five rushing touchdowns, which is the most carries, yards, and touchdowns from a single season in his NFL career. Those numbers were achieved by Mahomes despite finishing the year on injured reserve with ACL and LCL injuries. He was just 40 yards shy of matching Isiah Pacheco’s rushing total, even though he had 54 fewer rushing attempts on the season.

Where the Chiefs lacked in the ground game during the 2025 NFL season, Mahomes picked up the slack himself, and it ultimately cost him and the team. With Mahomes aiming to be back for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, Kansas City must ensure that he has all of the tools at his disposal to succeed and isn’t picking up the slack for an ineffective running game.

The Chiefs aim to protect Patrick Mahomes by fixing the running game

Speaking to media members at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana, Chiefs GM Brett Veach was asked about how the team aims to protect Patrick Mahomes in 2026. He didn’t take this to mean that Mahomes needed more protection when dropping back to pass. He had his eyes on the running game, three specific players on the team, and how fixing the running game can be a means to setting up No. 15 for success.

“We want to get more explosive in the running game,” Veach told reporters. “And, you know, we’ve invested in that interior, with Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey, I mean, two of the best in the league, and we thought Kingsley (Suamataia) made a big step. I mean, those are three talented interior players. So, I think, and we’ve talked about it, and Coach (Andy Reid) has done an amazing job with his staff cranking on that scheme eval, but I think being more explosive in the running game and really taking advantage of those interior three to kind of impose your will on an opposing team’s defense. But I mean, the running game takes a lot of pressure off everybody. So, I think, if we can be more explosive and more effective in the running game, I think, obviously, we take a lot of pressure off Pat (Mahomes), especially coming back early in the season with the injury.”

It’s one thing to say it, but Veach has his work cut out for him to truly improve and become more explosive in the running game. The Chiefs have just two players under contract at the running back position, and only one of them has ever played an NFL down. They’ve been connected to pending free agent RB Travis Etienne Jr., with the 2026 NFL free agency period just around the corner. They’ve also had plenty of people connecting them to Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love at pick No. 9 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.

One thing is for certain: Kansas City knows it dropped the ball with the running game in 2025, and that fixing it gives it its best chance at success post-Mahomes’ knee injury.

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