Patrick Mahomes has continued to put up impressive numbers despite the Kansas City Chiefs adopting a more run-heavy approach this season. But one ESPN analyst’s assessment of the quarterback’s passing game has not gone down well with Chiefs fans, who were quick to challenge her claim.

During a segment on ‘First Take’, Kimberly A. Martin claimed that Mahomes had not completed a single pass traveling more than 20 yards downfield this season. The comment quickly drew criticism on social media, with fans questioning her research and accusing the show of pushing a misleading narrative about the three-time Super Bowl MVP.

Chiefs Fans Call Out Kimberly A. Martin Over Patrick Mahomes Mistake

Through the first half of the season, Mahomes had thrown for 2,037 yards and 14 touchdowns against four interceptions, ranking fifth in Pro Football Network’s Quarterback Impact Score with a grade of 82.3.

However, with the Chiefs leaning more heavily on the running game, the nature of their offense has changed. The absence of Tyquan Thornton, their primary deep threat, after he suffered a dislocated ankle has also contributed to a more conservative passing approach.

With the addition of Josh Downs at the trade deadline, Kansas City could have another option to stretch the field in the coming weeks.

But Martin’s assessment of Mahomes’ deep passing game during First Take sparked an entirely different conversation after she claimed, “Patrick Mahomes hasn’t completed a pass over 20 yards downfield this season.”

Martin may have misstated an ESPN-reported statistic that Mahomes had not completed a pass traveling more than 20 air yards since Week 4. He had connected on several such throws earlier in the season.

But the statement did not take long to attract criticism from Chiefs fans, who were quick to point out that the numbers contradicted her assessment. They weren’t willing to let her go easy.

“Kimberley A. Martin: ‘Patrick Mahomes hasn’t completed a pass over 20 yards downfield this season,'”Brad Henson Productions directly quoted her. “What are you talking about?”

One fan wrote, “Has there ever been a sports show more devoid of knowledge than this one?” Another fan countered Martin’s numbers, stating, “Blatantly false. Mahomes has multiple 20+ air yard completions this year. Does she just not research?”

Others brought up the exact numbers, as one fan revealed, “@ByKimberleyA With all due respect, Patrick Mahomes has 19 completed passes of 20+ yards down the field this season. One has to do research before giving a stat in an attempt to push a false narrative.”

While that fan’s figure does not align with the available deep-ball data, Mahomes has completed multiple throws traveling at least 20 yards through the air, making Martin’s broader point inaccurate.

Chase Snyder, too, added, “Patrick Mahomes completed 7 passes that *TRAVELED* more than 20 yards downfield alone when Tyquan Thornton was healthy, weeks 1-4. Let alone the other ones that came after the catch.”

One fan had a problem with the overall discourse surrounding the Chiefs in the segment, as he argued, “They are a serious contender any season that Patrick Mahomes quarterbacks that team. Stop being lazy, First Take, you can just talk about things without clickbait titles.”

Martin and ESPN have yet to address the criticism surrounding the segment.

Regardless of the debate over Mahomes’ deep passing numbers, the Chiefs remain firmly in the AFC playoff race. The addition of Downs also gives their offense another pass-catching option as they look to build momentum through the second half of the season.

It will be interesting to see how quickly the former Indianapolis Colts receiver settles into Kansas City’s offense. If he can make an immediate impact, the Chiefs could have another dimension to their passing game alongside Mahomes.