Dan Marino Backs Chiefs After 0-2 Start, Cites Patrick Mahomes as Reason for Optimism

Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino said Sunday he expects the Kansas City Chiefs to recover after the team opened the 2025 season 0-2, citing quarterback Patrick Mahomes' leadership and talent as the primary reason for confidence.

Kansas City fell to 0-2 for the first time since 2014 following a 20-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 14. Marino, speaking to Fox News Digital, said the early slump is not a reason for alarm and praised Mahomes as "probably the best quarterback in the league." "He’s shown it over the last few years. He’s an incredible athlete, incredible talent. He’s a positive guy, a leader. I think he’s going to bring those guys back around," Marino said.

Statistically, teams that start 0-2 have long odds of reaching the playoffs: since 2020, 42 teams have begun 0-2 and only five proceeded to postseason play. Still, Marino and many observers note the Chiefs have repeatedly overcome long odds in the Mahomes era, with 15 regular-season games remaining to change course.

The early struggles have been compounded by roster availability and production issues on offense. Wide receiver Rashee Rice is serving a six-game suspension, and second-year receiver Xavier Worthy — expected to step into a larger role — dislocated his shoulder on the third snap of the season. The Chiefs' running game has been limited as well; through two weeks Mahomes led the team with 123 rushing yards while running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt each had 47 yards.

"If you don’t have all your great players with you, I don’t care who’s telling you otherwise—it’s going to affect your offense," Marino said. "But you’ve got to find a way to overcome that. You overcome it in a way of playing mistake-free football and figuring out how you’re going to score points. That’s kind of the situation they may be in right now, but I’ve got a feeling Patrick will be OK."

The Chiefs have not been routed in their losses. In Week 1, Kansas City dropped a 27-21 decision to the Los Angeles Chargers in a game played in São Paulo, Brazil, while Week 2 featured a low-scoring contest in which the Eagles' defense held firm despite a quieter offensive showing than in their Super Bowl LIX victory.

Kansas City coach Andy Reid and his staff have acknowledged that missing key contributors hurts the offense but emphasized the immediate need to find consistent production and limit errors. The Chiefs travel to MetLife Stadium on Sunday night to face the New York Giants, another team that opened the season 0-2, giving Kansas City an opportunity to register its first win.

Marino, who discussed his own health journey while addressing the Chiefs' situation, framed the early setbacks as surmountable and urged patience. With Mahomes at quarterback and experienced coaching, the former Miami Dolphins star said the franchise's history of late-season pushes makes an early collapse unlikely.