Brownlee made a heck of a touchdown catch, the highlight of the Chiefs’ 20-17 loss to the Cardinals in the preseason opener here in Arizona — and, ahem, most certainly the highlight of the 48 seconds Patrick Mahomes spent on the field. But there’s something far more telling about that play. The throw. Or, rather, the decision to throw it at all.

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs came up just short of another Super Bowl win last season against the Philadelphia Eagles. All offseason long, they have been thinking about that loss and gearing up for the 2025 season.