Patrick Mahomes begs to be "coached hard" as QB eyes MVP surge, says Chiefs OC Matt Nagy

Patrick Mahomes isn’t settling for greatness as he’s actively demanding more from himself and everyone around him.

With Kansas City entering a pivotal season, he is embracing pressure not as a byproduct of the game, but as a tool for growth. According to Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, Mahomes made one thing clear behind the scenes: Don’t go easy on him.

"He wants to be great," Nagy said after Tuesday's training camp. "He wants to be the best. And he wants to be coached hard. So that's what we try to do. We all see what he does out here, whether it's people videoing plays on their phones at practice in training camp, but we see it in practice when it's closed to the public."

NFL: Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp - Source: Imagn

Mahomes is entering his ninth NFL season, fresh off a bitter Super Bowl loss and with little left to prove. However, under Missouri’s August heat, he has been anything but complacent.

Patrick Mahomes maintains 7 a.m. weekly routine for game prep

Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp - Source: Getty

Behind Patrick Mahomes’ electrifying throws and head-turning improvisation is a highly structured mental regimen.

Matt Nagy detailed how Mahomes begins his game-week prep at 7 a.m. daily. He meticulously works through play calls, formations and mental reps long before stepping onto the field.

"There's an obsession that he has with being perfect at what he does on the mental side," Nagy said on Tuesday. "He doesn't take calling a play for granted, getting the formation right. He wants to be great at that."

Mahomes hasn’t let the offseason go quietly. In what’s has become the most buzzed-about moment of Chiefs camp, he stunned teammates and coaches with a behind-the-back completion during live reps.

February’s Super Bowl loss still lingers, not as a weight but as fuel. Mahomes was pressured relentlessly by the Eagles and never found a rhythm in that game.

“When we lost that Super Bowl, it was the very next day, he’s ready to go," Nagy said. "We just know that it’s a great, high standard that we all have, and coach (Andy) Reid’s at the top of that. So it’s been good.”

With preseason action set to begin on Saturday against Arizona, Mahomes is ready to put that mindset into motion.