Matt Nagy knows how important it is for the Kansas City Chiefs to have Patrick Mahomes and Kadarius Toney further develop their rapport this offseason.
One of the better mid-season acquisitions made last year was the Kansas City Chiefs adding former Florida standout Kadarius Toney to their robust receiving corps.
It had been a frustrating year and a half for Toney on the New York Giants. Although the G-Men had great success last season in Brian Daboll’s first year leading the operation, Toney didn’t finish the year in The Big Apple. In fact, his season ended far better by becoming a Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs! It was impressive to see him pick up a new offense so quickly after coming over.
However, new Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy knows how important it will be for Kansas City’s continued success to have Toney further develop his rapport with Patrick Mahomes. While both were former first-round picks coming out, the Chiefs’ receiving corps has taken a hit this offseason with veterans Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster having signed elsewhere.
Nagy knows how special Toney is with the ball end his hands, but Mahomes has to get it to him.
“I think we all see what he can do when the football’s in his hands. Again, same type of deal, he comes over halfway through the season, it’s a whole new offense, he’s got to learn the ins and outs, and so you have that point and he was able to do that and it’s exciting now for us to be able to take that to year two and build that relationship with Pat. But he’s super talented with the football in his hands and he’s been that way his entire life in his football career.”
The Chiefs still have the best tight end in the game in Travis Kelce, but it may be more difficult than you would think for them to repeat as Super Bowl champions. This hasn’t happened since 2004…
Matt Nagy wants for Patrick Mahomes’ rapport with Kadarius Toney to improve
Not only is there plenty of time for Mahomes and Toney to get on the same page even more, but the Chiefs offense is going to have to do so out of necessity. It may be the mother of invention, but I have reservations about the Chiefs’ chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions for a handful of reasons, mostly the amount of attrition they sustained at key positions on the offensive side.
I mean, there is a reason no team has repeated as Super Bowl champions since the New England Patriots went back-to-back in 2003-04. This was back before Tom Brady even made real money, slightly before he started taking hometown discount after hometown discount to stay in New England for the better part of two decades. Mahomes got the bag, so the Chiefs will pay the price.
You should have no issues with Mahomes receiving fair market value for his incredible play. After all, he has brought two Lombardi Trophies to Kansas City in four years. He has only been their starting quarterback for five years, but he has already cemented himself as a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, probably a first-ballot inductee. Of course, he is just going to have to win anyway…
While one could reasonably expect for Mahomes and Toney to become fast friends in the Kansas City offense, the Chiefs need Toney to be the best version of himself fast. He will be compared to Tyreek Hill for as long as he is in Kansas City, unfortunately. Then again, Toney was a more sought-after player coming out of college than the troubled Hill was. Regardless, Toney has work to do.
If Mahomes and Toney develop a strong rapport, Kansas City might host the AFC title bout again.