Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are celebrating one of the biggest surprises of the Kansas City Chiefs‘ undefeated start to the 2026 season.
Undrafted rookie offensive tackle Kahlil Benson has stepped into a major role for Kansas City and quickly made an impact. Benson has started all three games at left tackle and has yet to allow a sack while protecting Mahomes’ blind side.
His performance earned him AFC Offensive Rookie of the Month honors for September, making him just the eighth offensive lineman to receive the award.
Mahomes and Kelce both acknowledged Benson’s achievement on their Instagram stories. Mahomes reposted the Chiefs’ announcement without a caption, while Kelce sent a short message to his rookie teammate.
“🗣Yeahhhh Rook!!” Kelce wrote.
Patrick Mahomes & Travis Kelce Praise Kahlil Benson’s Rare NFL Honor
Benson became the first Chiefs player to earn Rookie of the Month honors since linebacker Nick Bolton received the award in October 2021. He is also Kansas City’s first offensive player to win it since running back Kareem Hunt in December 2017.
The recognition comes during a strong opening stretch for the Chiefs, who are 3-0 after winning just six games last season.
Mahomes has completed 67 of 98 passes for 812 yards and seven touchdowns after returning from the knee injury that ended his 2025 season early. Kelce has also been productive through three games, catching 14 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns.
Benson’s emergence has helped Kansas City navigate an injury at one of the most important positions on its offensive line.
Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy told reporters Thursday that Benson still has plenty to learn but praised the way the rookie has responded to challenges.
“Here’s the thing. Kahlil’s a rookie, and every day is a brand-new day. You’re going to have some good moments throughout the course of a game, and you’re going to have some bad moments. The beauty of it is that he has an opportunity to learn from that particular situation,” Bieniemy said. “And the thing that you learn about your team as you continue to grow throughout the season is how they handle those tough situations. How resilient is a person?”
Kahlil Benson Gets Opportunity as Josh Simmons Recovers From Back Injury
Benson’s opportunity came with starting left tackle Josh Simmons sidelined by a lower-back injury.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters Wednesday that Simmons is dealing with a bulging disc that has affected the strength in his leg. Reid said the 23-year-old is improving and is not expected to need surgery.
“He’s here every day grinding away,” Reid said. “And we didn’t have to make any roster moves, so we didn’t have to put him on IR or anything. So it’s all worked out good that way.
“But the positive is he is making progress and getting stronger, which is important with those backs, as we all kind of know. Backs can be a little tricky.”
Kansas City selected Simmons with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but the former Ohio State standout appeared in only eight games during his rookie season.
With Simmons still unavailable, Benson is expected to continue protecting Mahomes’ blind side as Kansas City prepares for its Week 4 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Bieniemy said the coaching staff has been encouraged by Benson’s approach even when everything does not go as planned.
“I’m proud of the kid because he keeps getting up and he’s finding a way to fight,” Bieniemy said. “And it’s not always going to be perfect, and I understand that. The only thing that we want is our guys to get up and play the next play and figure it out. And so, he’s continuing to chop that wood. He’s continued to grind. And he’s continued to work with Coach (Andy) Heck as much as he can to continue to improve.”
The undefeated 3–0 Las Vegas Raiders host the undefeated 3–0 Kansas City Chiefs in a major Week 4 AFC West showdown at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, October 4, 2026, with kickoff scheduled for 1:25 p.m. PT.
Patrick Mahomes & Travis Kelce Send Message After Chiefs Rookie Makes NFL History