Mahomes recalls Texas Tech days under coach Kliff Kingsbury

Patrick Mahomes has faced plenty of defensive coordinators in his career. Monday night, he’ll face a familiar offensive mind — and a former mentor — on the opposite sideline.Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury once helped shape Mahomes’ game as his head coach at Texas Tech. Now, the two meet again at Arrowhead Stadium.“He’s one of the first people that truly believed in me playing the quarterback position,” Mahomes said. “He gave me a ton of advice of refining me, but letting me still just be me and play to my strengths.”Kingsbury coached Mahomes at Texas Tech, where Mahomes’ improvisational style and arm talent first caught national attention. The Chiefs quarterback said Kingsbury’s approach helped shape who he became as a player.“A great coach, a great person that I still stay in touch with,” Mahomes said. “Not as much this week but throughout my career, and he helped me get to where I’m at today because he didn’t put me in a box and tell me how to play quarterback this way.Mahomes said Kingsbury never tried to force him into a rigid style, instead giving him the freedom to rely on his instincts, an approach that carried into his NFL career under Andy Reid and Matt Nagy.“He would obviously help with my footwork and stuff like that and going through progressions, but he would just let me play when it came to playing,” Mahomes said. Mahomes said Kingsbury’s offensive style “lets players play free.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

Patrick Mahomes has faced plenty of defensive coordinators in his career.

Monday night, he’ll face a familiar offensive mind — and a former mentor — on the opposite sideline.

Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury once helped shape Mahomes’ game as his head coach at Texas Tech.

Now, the two meet again at Arrowhead Stadium.

“He’s one of the first people that truly believed in me playing the quarterback position,” Mahomes said. “He gave me a ton of advice of refining me, but letting me still just be me and play to my strengths.”

Kingsbury coached Mahomes at Texas Tech, where Mahomes’ improvisational style and arm talent first caught national attention.

The Chiefs quarterback said Kingsbury’s approach helped shape who he became as a player.

“A great coach, a great person that I still stay in touch with,” Mahomes said. “Not as much this week but throughout my career, and he helped me get to where I’m at today because he didn’t put me in a box and tell me how to play quarterback this way.

Mahomes said Kingsbury never tried to force him into a rigid style, instead giving him the freedom to rely on his instincts, an approach that carried into his NFL career under Andy Reid and Matt Nagy.

“He would obviously help with my footwork and stuff like that and going through progressions, but he would just let me play when it came to playing,” Mahomes said.

Mahomes said Kingsbury’s offensive style “lets players play free.”