Report: Mahomes’ outburst overheard at Chiefs practice

Patrick Mahomes reportedly let his frustration be known during Chiefs training camp after a heated moment between two rookies turned heads on Monday.

During a 7-on-7 period, undrafted safety Xavier Nwankpa delivered a heavy hit on rookie running back Emmett Johnson, ending the rep with a violent collision that immediately drew attention on and off the field. Johnson was knocked backward by the contact, landed hard, and needed a teammate’s help getting up afterward.

The play quickly became a talking point online not only because of its intensity, but also because of the players’ college history. Nwankpa came from Iowa, while Johnson starred at Nebraska, one of the Hawkeyes’ longtime rivals. What looked like a routine camp rep to some was viewed by others as a rivalry-fueled moment spilling into an NFL practice.

Mahomes, however, appeared to have little patience for it. According to Arrowhead Pride, the Chiefs quarterback could be heard yelling from the sideline, “What the [expletive] are we doing?” His reaction suggested clear annoyance at the unnecessary physicality, especially in a training-camp setting where avoiding injuries is critical.

Johnson enters camp with a strong résumé. The fifth-round pick was named Big Ten Running Back of the Year and had several standout performances against Iowa during his college career, even though Nebraska went 0-3 against Nwankpa’s Hawkeyes in those matchups. One of Johnson’s biggest games came last season, when he rushed for 217 yards against Iowa while Nwankpa recorded five tackles.

Now in Kansas City, Johnson is battling for a roster spot and has already earned praise from head coach Andy Reid for his approach and effort. The rookie has made it clear that he is willing to contribute however necessary, including on special teams.

“That’s how you get on the field, man,” Johnson said in a July 26 press conference. “That’s how you help the team win.”

He added that if he is not in a starting role, he still wants to make an impact on kick coverage, returns, or any other phase of the game.

“If I’m not a starter, I want to go out and help on kick returns, punt returns, whatever it takes to help the team. That’s bigger than anything to me. I take big pride in helping the game in all phases, and special teams can make or break a game.”

Nwankpa is also trying to force his way onto the 53-man roster. As an undrafted player working in a crowded defensive group under coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, he knows every snap matters.

“Just trying to take advantage of any reps I can get,” Nwankpa said. “Young guy, undrafted guy, I’m just trying to go out there when I get my number called and go make some plays and just capitalize on those opportunities; that’s all I can ask for.”

The incident comes as Kansas City manages Mahomes carefully during the preseason. Reid has indicated that the star quarterback may sit out against the Los Angeles Rams, which would mark the first time in Mahomes’ career that he misses a preseason game entirely. The Chiefs are being cautious as he continues ramping up after recovering from an ACL tear last season.

Mahomes has already been fully cleared for training camp, but Kansas City’s priority is obvious: making sure its franchise quarterback is healthy for the regular season, not exposing him to unnecessary risk in August.

Reid recently suggested the odds are leaning toward keeping Mahomes off the field in preseason action, though no final call has been made for the remaining exhibition games.

“I mean, there’s a pretty good chance where I don’t play him,” Reid said last week. “The percentages are leading that way. I don’t know if I’ll play him in the second or third game. I don’t know that. The percentages probably lean against not doing that.”

Mahomes, unsurprisingly, said his competitive instincts make him want to play, but he also acknowledged that the larger goal is being ready for Week 1.

“I’m a competitor, so on game day, I’m going to want to be out there,” Mahomes said last month. “But I understand the process of getting myself ready to play in the regular season is more important. We’ll see. The coaches and doctors will make that decision for me, but I’ll prepare myself like I’m going to play.”

For now, the biggest takeaway from Monday’s practice may be that intensity is high in Chiefs camp — perhaps a little too high for Mahomes’ liking.