Chiefs Patrick Mahomes Affirms His Trust in Rookie After Preseason Debut Despite Loss to Cardinals

Glendale, AZ — The scoreboard didn’t flatter Kansas City in its preseason opener, but the film offered something the locker room can actually use: a rookie linebacker who looked like he belonged. Jeffrey Bassa, a fifth-round pick out of Oregon, flashed the kind of play speed and poise that translate beyond August — enough for Patrick Mahomes to tip his cap after the game. 

Mahomes : “Losing one preseason game doesn’t tell the story; what matters to me are the positive signs from our rookies tonight. With what Jeffrey Bassa showed — play speed, discipline, and the way he closed to finish plays — I believe he’ll grow quickly and become an important piece for the Chiefs.”

The takeaway that matters

Kansas City fell to Arizona, but Bassa kept showing up on the broadcast: sorting traffic, triggering downhill, and finishing plays in space. Multiple outlets noted he was active and around the ball throughout, with his closing burst popping late in the game. On the stat sheet, he led the team with six tackles, validation for what the eyes suggested. 

This wasn’t empty-calorie production, either. Bassa’s best snaps featured quick key-read steps, clean angles, and controlled strikes that stopped extra yardage. Those are the habits coordinator Steve Spagnuolo can trust on Sundays — and the ones that usually earn sub-package work before the leaves turn. (If you’re looking to relive it, the team’s highlight reel captured plenty of the rookies’ night, even in a losing effort.) 

Why Bassa fits what the Chiefs need

Kansas City’s defense asks its second-level players to wear a lot of hats: play fast against the run without overrunning gaps, match routes in underneath zones, and close screens before they breathe. Bassa’s college tape promised range and urgency; his first pro outing delivered a similar profile — not perfect, but purposeful and repeatable. That’s how rookies carve a lane on this roster: stack reliable, low-error snaps and let the responsibilities grow. 

The rookie class context

The Chiefs’ youth movement was on display all night — from new faces in the secondary to fresh legs at wide receiver and the offensive line — and Bassa’s energy fit right in with that wave. If he keeps stacking days like this, he becomes more than a preseason storyline; he becomes an answer when injuries, game plans, or matchups force Spagnuolo to reach deeper into the depth chart. 

What comes next

Preseason is a three-week audition. For Bassa, the assignment is clear: repeat the eye discipline, keep the angles clean on perimeter runs, and show he can carry routes when the call asks him to. Do those things, and the August tape will age well into September roles.

Kansas City didn’t get the result in Glendale, but in a month built for evaluation, the Chiefs got what they came for — confirmation that a fifth-rounder with a Ducks pedigree can play fast, play smart, and play himself into the plans.