The Kansas City quarterback couldn’t shake off the effects of flu-like symptoms

Patrick Mahomes showed up to the stadium feeling ill and out of sorts. It only got worse after kickoff.

The Kansas City quarterback couldn’t shake off the effects of flu-like symptoms or shake free from a buzzing Denver defense as he turned in one of the most pedestrian performances of his career in a 24-9 loss to the Broncos on Sunday.

“Worst I felt walking out of the stadium,” Mahomes said after his first loss in seven starts in Denver and the Chiefs’ first loss to the Broncos since 2015. “Obviously, it wasn’t our day.”

He doesn’t have many off days, especially on the road against AFC West teams. Mahomes was 16-0 away from Arrowhead in divisional games until a bitterly cold Sunday afternoon in the Mile High City.

He was a late entrant on the injury report due to being under the weather. It was nothing but downhill from there. Mahomes was out of sync (first game without a passing TD in nearly two years), off target (throwing two interceptions, lost a fumble), and never found his rhythm (a paltry 59.2 passer rating).

On top of it all, Mahomes suffered cuts on his non-throwing hand (he guesses he got stepped on after one of the many times he ended up on the ground) and had to hear the stadium blast Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” as the Chiefs (6-2) trudged toward their tunnel. It was obviously a troll of tight end Travis Kelce and his relationship with the pop star, who didn’t make the trip to Denver as she prepares to resume her hugely successful “Eras Tour.”