The Kansas City Chiefs made a smart decision way back when in the 2017 NFL Draft, moving up to draft Patrick Mahomes at tenth overall. Since donning a Chiefs uniform, Mahomes has cemented himself as a bona fide Hall of Famer, and he just turned 30.

The Chiefs need every ounce of what Mahomes’ leadership presents if they have any chance at making the playoffs. After losing to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 13, the Chiefs go into Week 14 with a 6-6 record and the daunting task of winning the remainder of their games to make the playoffs.

Mahomes’ performance all season has been tremendous, but his performance against the Cowboys, where he posted 23 completions for 261 passing yards and had four touchdowns. In the eyes of Pro Football Network’s Jacob Infante, that performance was the type of mentality of a Top 10 quarterback.

Power Rankings

Infante’s power ranking places Mahomes as the eight-best quarterback in the National Football League going into Week 14.

Nov 23, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass against the Indianapolis Colts in the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

“Week 13 saw Patrick Mahomes put up solid numbers, but the Kansas City Chiefs were unable to come away with the win despite that. He threw for 261 yards and four touchdowns in the Chiefs’ loss to the Cowboys,” Infante wrote. “As one could expect out of the three-time Super Bowl champion, Mahomes has been nails under duress this season. His EPA per dropback when pressured is the highest in the NFL, and he leads the league with 270.6 passing yards per game. His completion percentage is below the league average this year, but it’s been a strong campaign altogether.”Mahomes’ Leadership

Mahomes hasn’t been in this type of position in his career; he’s been used to making the playoffs and competing for championships. But the goal is clear in the mind of Mahomes, and his leadership will be the guiding light to the Chiefs’ playoff run, should they beat the Houston Texans.

Nov 23, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs the ball during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

“Yeah, I mean at the end of the day, you just got to win got to win every game now and and hope that’s enough. So, I mean, we’re going to play a lot of good football teams, um, coming up. If we’re going to make the playoffs, we’re going to have to win, win, win them all. And that’s got to be the mindset when we step into the building um when we get back,” Mahomes said following the Chiefs’ Thanksgiving loss.

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