Chiefs HC Andy Reid, QB Patrick Mahomes praise Josh Gordon’s early development

The rich got richer last week with the Kansas City Chiefs’ signing of Josh Gordon to a one-year deal in hopes of revitalizing an offense that has stagnated a bit in recent weeks. His addition to the receiving corps was a clear indication that the coaching staff wasn’t satisfied with the talent assembled at the position, and now paired with MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes, it seems the sky is the limit for what the Chiefs might accomplish in the passing game once Gordon settles in.

During a press conference on Wednesday ahead of Kansas City’s practice session, Mahomes commented on Gordon’s development after a week spent in practice with him. He gave a glowing review of the receiver’s progress so far, praising his playmaking and athleticism. Asked specifically about the first in-game snaps he saw with him against Buffalo, the quarterback said he was particularly impressed by Gordon’s football IQ, and saw his lone reception as a sign of big things to come.

“It just shows he makes plays happen,” Mahomes said of the 11-yard reception that got Gordon his first yards for the Chiefs. “It was kind of a broken play where I was scrambling out to the right and he’s such a big target, I could still see him, so I put it up there, having trust in him and he went up there and made a play. I thought he did a lot of good things. We came off the ball hard, he ran fast, did stuff, didn’t have any missed assignments or anything like that. Just continue to incorporate him in this offense and I think it’ll help everybody a ton.”

Gordon’s role in the offense has yet to be fully determined, but Andy Reid wanted to play him more than the handful of downs he saw on Sunday.

“He did good,” Reid said of Gordon’s performance. “If we hadn’t gone into the hurry-up mode, he would’ve had more. I was thinking somewhere around 20 plays to get him in, and he got nine, but we also jumped into the hurry-up late in the third quarter, so it cut him off of some plays there. But I like the progress he’s making.”

Given Reid’s comments, we should expect extended play-time for Gordon this week against Washington. The head coach and quarterback are in no rush to get him on the field before he’s totally acclimated to Kansas City’s offensive schemes. That said, Mahomes was practically salivating at the prospects of what Gordon might bring to the Chiefs’ passing game, noting his physical tools as reasons to be excited.

“I think as he gets more accustomed to our offense and how we run it and how we do things,” Mahomes said. “You’ll see him get utilized more and more over time. His skill set is something not a lot of people have in this world. To be that big, that fast, that strong so I think as you get more comfortable – and you see this in receivers all the time, when they start trusting that what they’re doing is the right thing, in that offense you’ll see him make more and more plays.”

They’ll need Gordon to contribute as much as he can as soon as possible, as their 2-3 record won’t cut it in an AFC playoff race that seems to get tighter by the week. Though most of Kansas City’s problems stem from a dysfunctional defense, it never hurts to add a former All-Pro receiver into the mix, especially when they’re finding themselves playing catch-up against opponents eager to hand the Chiefs a loss.

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