AFC Notes: Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Charles Omenihu, Chiefs, Jets

Chiefs

Chiefs DE Charles Omenihu will likely return soon from a torn ACL suffered in last year’s playoffs. Kansas City DT Chris Jones described the work Omenihu is putting in to get back on the field as fast as possible. 

“He’s been all in on it, staying late, working out for three or four hours a day,” Jones said, via Ed Easton Jr. of the Chiefs Wire. “Just his commitment, him and Tiffany (Morton) doing whatever it takes to make sure Charles gets back and can excel when he steps on the field again.”

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes said he learned to play through slumps last year after playing poorly toward the end of the regular season and leading Kansas City to the Super Bowl in the playoffs. 

“That’s what I learned last year,” Mahomes said, via Dave Skretta of the Associated Press. “I obviously went through a slump where I didn’t play as good at the end of last year, and I just continued to work on it in practice. And in the playoffs, I thought I played a very high level. And so that’s what I’ve been focusing on right now.”

Mahomes admitted it’s more difficult to create one-play touchdowns than when they had Tyreek Hill. 

“It’s not as fun,” Mahomes said. “You’re not going to see a lot of one-play touchdowns unless you hit, like, a crazy shot. So we have to keep working so that we can execute at a high level. And I think that has been something I’ve worked on with how teams are playing us. I have to continue do to that, and show that we can drive the ball all game long.”

Mahomes reflected on how he would throw more deep passes earlier in his career.

“There’s some points now where you almost know too much,” Mahomes said. “When I was younger, I would just cut it loose. Like, I’d just go through the reads the way they sat on paper, and I’d throw the deep shot if it was there. I gave it chances. And now there are times where I’m like, ‘Well, they’re supposed to be in this coverage and that’s not supposed to be there,’ and it is.”

Jets

Jets’ interim HC Jeff Ulbrich said Aaron Rodgers supported their decision to demote OC Nathaniel Hackett from play-calling duties in favor of QB coach Todd Downing. 

“It was obviously — not necessarily shocked, but we all are familiar with the relationship [Rodgers] has with Nathaniel. And they’re very, very good friends that go back a long way,” Ulbrich said, via the team’s YouTube. “He understood the decision and he was supportive of the decision. And I’m fortunate for that. So, I talked to him, I talked to a lot of offensive players — and defensive players for that matter — before making this decision.”