When the NFL schedule was released in May, a unique stretch of December games appeared on a handful of schedules.

The Chiefs were among those raising an eyebrow at the slate that awaited them. They’ll play three games over an 11-day span, beginning with Sunday’s date with the Browns in Cleveland following by a game against the Texans on Dec. 21 and a Christmas Day game in Pittsburgh on Dec. 25.

“It’s not a good feeling,” Mahomes admitted on Wednesday, via The Associated Press. “You never want to play this amount of games in this short of time. It’s not great for your body. But at the end of the day it’s your job, your profession, you have to come to work and do it.”

The Chiefs could find some semblance of comfort in the fact they’re not the only team being asked to do it. Thanks to the inclusion of games on Christmas Day, the Ravens, Steelers and Texans also face a three-game stretch in 11 days.

These short turnarounds happen in other pro sports, but not football, a game that takes enough of a toll on players — as Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow even admitted on camera during a practice captured by HBO Sports’ Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North — to leave them feeling rather sore the next day.

Mahomes has been in this league long enough to understand how to manage his physical health effectively to get right in time for the next kickoff. This turnaround, however, will test him and every other player preparing for this gauntlet.

“All you can do is focus on the game. The practice you have that day,” Mahomes said. “I try to prepare my body all year long for this stretch. That’s tailoring my workouts, tailoring how you practice and prepare, and the coaches do a great job of taking care of us on the practice field. We practice as hard as anybody, but they know how to dial it back when needed.”