Mahomes 'ready to get back after it' after NFL safety concerns were eased

Patrick Mahomes is ready to return after NFL protocol eased his concerns surrounding coronavirus, although he respects Kansas City Chiefs team-mate Laurent Duvernay-Tardif's decision to opt out.

Mahomes has returned to the Chiefs facility in preparation for the 2020 season after the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) approved plans for the year.

The Kansas City quarterback, who led his team to Super Bowl glory in February, is now eager to get going.

"My feeling is I'm ready to get back after it. That's the biggest thing," Mahomes told reporters. "Once you hit this first day, it's all starting all over again.

"It's been a different offseason - obviously starting with the Super Bowl win and being on a high level and then dealing with a pandemic and other movements that have gone on throughout our nation.

"You've tried to keep your head on straight and deal with it in the best way possible for you and the community around you.

"Now I'm glad to be back in the facility, back with the guys that are my team-mates, guys where we built this culture together. Now it's about restarting the process and doing it over again.

"We understand that's going to be hard, it's going to be every day a day-to-day process, but we're going to go out there with the mindset of being the best team that we can be every single day."

Let's get to work. pic.twitter.com/AnDXim74Qz

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) July 25, 2020

Mahomes acknowledged he did have some fears about returning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but he is happy with the agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA.

"I was a little concerned. You'd be lying to say you had no concern," he said.

"At the same time, as I've been throughout the facility and seen all the protocols, all the safety things that have been put forth, it's made me feel even better than I thought coming in, knowing how much the NFL and the NFLPA has really put in to make sure we can be as safe as we possibly can be.

"That's kind of put my mind at ease, knowing I'm going to be in the best possible situation given the time to be as safe and healthy as possible."

Chiefs guard Duvernay-Tardif - the only active NFL player with a medical doctorate - will not be joining Mahomes, however, after announcing his decision to opt out on Friday.

Mahomes said: "I think it surprises anyone, but at the same time, you respect his decision.

"He's the guy that's been on those frontlines, working with the people that are suffering from COVID day to day, putting in all that time and all that work.

"He understands it and his decision was he wanted to stay there, he wanted to keep helping in that capacity.

"And I know it's difficult for him, but you respect the decision to put his thoughts aside and do what he thought was best to help out his community and the world as he sees it."