Chiefs start Mahomes, top unit in unusual third preseason for Brazil

The Kansas City Chiefs will close their preseason schedule Friday night against the Chicago Bears with a deliberate shift in philosophy: the team's starters, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes, are slated to play, marking an unusual third-game appearance for the regular-season preparation. Head coach Andy Reid said the plan is to give the top units an early run and then reassess, with the goal of building chemistry and cadence ahead of Week 1 in Brazil.

Reid confirmed that the starting group will take the field to begin the game, a departure from recent preseason norms. “They’ll start it off for sure, and then we’ll see how it goes from there,” he said. The veteran coach explained the rationale: some players are on the roster border, and giving them competitive opportunities can help determine who earns a spot. He emphasized that the objective is to have Mahomes work with the No. 1 offensive line to establish timing and protection dynamics before the regular season.

Mahomes spoke earlier in the week about his desire for more real game reps after a brief opener against Arizona, where he logged just 48 seconds of playing time before giving way to Gardner Minshew. He...