Patrick Mahomes is rewriting the NFL record book putting his first 10 seasons alongside Tom Brady and Peyton Manning
This is Mahomes's 10th season, but his ninth as a starter. He has played in five Super Bowls
Following a decisive 31-10 victory over the Denver Broncos , it is safe to declare that the Kansas City Chiefs are officially back, leaving their dismal 6-11 record from last year—the franchise's worst finish since 2012 , firmly in the rearview mirror.
Heading into the 2026 NFL season opener, all eyes were fixated on the highly anticipated return of Patrick Mahomes , who was stepping back onto the gridiron after suffering a devastating season-ending injury a year ago.
While the superstar quarterback looked solid, throwing for 184 passing yards alongside two touchdown passes and a rushing score (despite tossing a costly red-zone interception), his comeback was surprisingly overshadowed by the spectacular debut of off-season acquisition Kenneth Walker III .
The reigning Super Bowl MVP exploded for a career-best 173 rushing yards and 191 total yards from scrimmage , finding the end zone twice and setting the mark for the most rushing yards in a single game for Kansas City since Mahomes took over the offense in 2018 .
Patrick Mahomes Historic First Decade in the NFL
If there is one absolute truth established during Mahomes' tenure under center, it is that a healthy number 15 instantly makes the Chiefs perennial Super Bowl contenders and the undisputed team to beat in the AFC .
The evidence is staggering: across his first eight seasons as the primary starter, he remarkably led Kansas City to seven AFC Championship games and five Super Bowl appearances .
Now entering his 10th NFL season , though only his ninth as the full-time guy, having started just one meaningless Week 17 game during his rookie campaign, the historic trajectory of his career becomes even more evident when stacking his regular-season win totals against the all-time greats.
To truly appreciate his unprecedented pace, simply compare his win column to the most successful quarterbacks in league history through their first ten years. Hall of Famer Peyton Manning currently holds the record with 105 wins , achieving a 105-55 record over 160 games during his early days in Indianapolis.
Just behind him sits Russell Wilson with 104 victories in 158 games ( 104-53-1 ), followed by the legendary Tom Brady , who secured 97 wins across 129 games ( 97-32 ) after also spending his rookie year holding a clipboard on the sidelines.
Following Monday night's triumph against Denver, Mahomes now boasts an astonishing 96 wins in just 127 games (96-31) . This means that if he secures victories in his next two matchups, he will officially surpass Brady's win total playing the exact same number of games.
Furthermore, if he hits the 10-win mark this year, he will shatter Manning's decade-long benchmark in nearly 20 fewer games . There is a legitimate, statistically backed reason why Mahomes is firmly on track to be crowned the greatest quarterback of all time.
Playoff Dominance and the Path to the Week 5 Bye
When the lights shine brightest in January and February, the separation between Mahomes and the rest of the league becomes even more apparent. In postseason play, only Tom Brady stands above him, holding the ultimate NFL record of 35 playoff wins , while Mahomes already sits securely in second place with 1 7 playoff victories before even completing his first ten years in the league.
As he continues to rewrite the NFL record books, the immediate focus shifts to capitalizing on this early momentum. Looking ahead, Kansas City will head back to Arrowhead Stadium for a blockbuster Sunday Night Football clash against the Indianapolis Colts , which will be followed by a pair of tricky road trips against Miami and Las Vegas.
Given their dominant, well-rounded performance in the opening week, the Chiefs have a highly realistic shot at hitting their Week 5 bye with a flawless undefeated record.
Achieving that feat would push Mahomes even closer to toppling Manning's milestone as the winningest quarterback through his first ten seasons, a monumental task that is, of course, much easier said than done.
