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Mahomes Backs Rookie Emmett Johnson After Denver Loss
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- Mahomes Backs Rookie Emmett Johnson After Denver Loss
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, but one rookie made the night matter. Emmett Johnson, a fifth-round pick out of Nebraska, rushed for 15 yards and caught passes for 128 yards. He scored his first career touchdown on a 73-yard catch in the second quarter. This season's longest rookie reception in the NFL is that catch. It was also the fifth-longest reception by any player in 2026.
Patrick Mahomes did not care about the loss when asked about Johnson's night. The quarterback made it clear that the team needs to use Johnson more often. He knows the season is long and that defenses must worry about every weapon. Mahomes stated precisely what was required regarding the rookie's performance. "Yeah, no, I mean we're going to need more of it," Mahomes said of Johnson's performance, according to A to Z Sports . He wants to take carries away from starter Kenneth Walker III to keep Walker fresh for the whole year.
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A Historic First Half
Johnson's 119 receiving yards in the first half set a new record for the franchise. No rookie has ever gained that much yardage in the first half of a game during Andy Reid's 28 seasons as an NFL head coach. The Chiefs drafted Johnson in 2026 with the 161st overall pick. He has played in four games so far. His college stats show he can handle a heavy workload, with 2,460 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns at Nebraska.
The 73-yard touchdown reception broke the longest catch record for a Chiefs player since Tyreek Hill scored in 2021. That play showed Johnson can turn a short pass into a massive gain. He broke tackles and made plays down the field. Mahomes noted that Johnson acts as a great change of pace for the offense. When Johnson is in, defenses cannot relax their focus on the running game.
Roster Drama and Future Moves
While Johnson shines, other parts of the team are dealing with tension. Suamataia was benched for the second time this season and replaced by Mike Caliendo. Reid addressed the benching but kept the details private. "As far as the Kingsley thing goes, before you guys ask, that's between Kingsley and I," Reid told reporters after the Denver game, according to Heavy.com .
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Smith posted a message about friends, and Suamataia reshared it with a comment about haters. "If u hating than u a distraction! Don't bother," Suamataia wrote, including a person walking emoji. The team has to figure out its offensive line while finding ways to keep Johnson involved. The Chiefs are not done with their moves either. Reports suggest they could look at trading for Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata to help the line. An NFL general manager told Jason La Canfora that acquiring Mailata "would be a blockbuster trade."
The Chiefs play the New York Jets next on Sunday, November 8, at Arrowhead Stadium.
