In preparation for their Week 7 AFC West showdown against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Kansas City Chiefs received an unexpected revelation from their special teams coach, Dave Toub.
The Chiefs’ depth chart took an intriguing turn, as it was revealed that, due to punter Tommy Townsend’s knee injury, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes was designated as the backup punter.
Toub confirmed the surprising development, stating, “The backup punter? Yeah, we had a plan. Believe it or not, Patrick Mahomes is our backup punter.”
Before their Week 6 game, the Chiefs considered various free agent punters as a contingency plan in case Townsend couldn’t play.
Ultimately, they chose not to sign anyone, opting to rely on Mahomes as an emergency backup. This strategy will persist as the Chiefs understand the value of every roster spot in the competitive world of the NFL.
Remarkably, Mahomes has demonstrated his punting prowess. Toub expressed his confidence in Mahomes, saying, “He can do it. He shows me all the time. He’s out there going on Saturday hitting punts. He can do it all, that guy.”
The Chiefs are, of course, eager to prevent Mahomes from being on the field during fourth downs to reduce the risk of him getting hit while punting.
However, the tantalizing prospect of using an MVP quarterback for fake punts adds an extra layer of intrigue. The Chargers will have to be vigilant and keep an eye on Mahomes when setting up their punt return formation.
Fortunately for the Chiefs, Townsend is expected to be fully fit for Week 7, having played through his knee injury in the previous week and participating fully in practice.
Nevertheless, in the event of an in-game injury to Townsend, Patrick Mahomes stands ready to showcase his hidden talent as a punter.