The Chiefs' dynasty is on life support and 2026 has the potential to be worse than 2025
Kansas City's road in 2026 is not for the faint of heart
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4 min read
The Kansas City Chiefs are on the ropes. Following Sunday's home loss to the Houston Texans, Patrick Mahomes and Co. are firmly at risk of missing out on the playoffs entirely. K.C. dropped to 6-7 on the season, which triggered some statistics that you would've found jaw-dropping had we told you they'd unfold before the 2025 campaign.
- Most losses (7) in a season since Patrick Mahomes became the full-time starter in 2018.
- Latest the Chiefs have been under .500 since 2012, the season before hiring Andy Reid.
- Already eliminated from winning the AFC West, snapping a nine-season streak as division champions.
According to SportsLine's projections, Kansas City has just a 10% of making the playoffs at this stage with four games to go in the regular season. On top of winning out, the Chiefs will need extraordinary external help in order to squeak in. As those projections indicate, however, those hopes are dwindling in a hurry.
If/when the Chiefs are officially eliminated from playoff contention, it'll mark a seismic moment for their dynasty and the NFL landscape as a whole. And it could be just the top of the iceberg, as the road forward through 2026 could be even worse for Kansas City.
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Looking ahead to next season, we already know most of their opponents as the AFC West is slated to play the AFC East and NFC West in 2026. That's arguably an even tougher division draw than what they were dealt during this trying 2025 season, squaring off against the NFC North and AFC South.
Here's a look at who the Chiefs are slated to play in 2026, and where (Not including their AFC West rivals: Broncos, Chargers, and Raiders).
| Home | Away |
|---|---|
AFC South (TBD) | AFC North (TBD) |
NFC South (TBD) |
Those teams that have yet to be determined will only be known at the end of the 2025 regular season, as the Chiefs will face whichever teams finish in the same spot as them in the standings. With Kansas City sitting in third place in the AFC West at the moment, these are the teams they are currently slated to face if the season ended today:
- Cincinnati Bengals (road)
- Indianapolis Colts (home)
- Atlanta Falcons (road)
Specifically, Kansas City's road schedule in 2026 is projected to be a gauntlet with trips to Buffalo, Los Angeles, and Seattle on deck, with the possible addition of Cincinnati. Collectively, their road opponents (excluding the rest of the AFC West) are 43-35 this season through Week 14. Their home opponents (excluding the rest of the AFC West) are 34-31. While the home schedule is a touch lighter, hosting the Patriots and 49ers won't be gimmies whatsoever.
Of course, the "when" piece of Kansas City's schedule won't be revealed until the spring, which is a key element still looming. Nevertheless, the opponents are slated to be just as, if not more, daunting in 2026, creating the potential for this stumble to continue through next year if they don't rectify some of their issues.
And addressing some key needs may not be the easiest endeavor, as they are currently projected to be $42.7 million over the salary cap, which is the second-lowest amount of space in the league (via Over the Cap). While they can do some cap gymnastics to under the threshold through restructures and releases, it'll be a process. But let's look at a couple of key areas they need to address this offseason to better gear up for this upcoming slog of 2026 opponents to avoid the disaster that has been the 2025 season.
How can the Chiefs fix issues this offseason?
Bolster the backfield
One thing that stands out when watching the Chiefs is the lack of an explosive ground attack. Sure, Kareem Hunt has been good in short-yardage situations, but neither Hunt nor Isiah Pacheco has shown us the ability to break off an explosive run. Through Week 14, Kansas City has just three rushes for 20-plus yards, which is tied for the second-fewest in the NFL. Bringing in someone like New York Jets running back Breece Hall -- a pending unrestricted free agent -- could give the Chiefs the type of dynamic back they've been sorely missing. Hall has seven runs of 20-plus yards this season, and would give Patrick Mahomes a trusted option as a pass-catcher out of the backfield as well.
Find a Travis Kelce replacement
Father Time is ticking when it comes to Travis Kelce, who has looked a step slower in recent years. After mulling retirement last offseason, it's fair to wonder if this will be it for the future Hall of Fame tight end. Regardless of whether it's this offseason or some point down the line, Kansas City needs to bring in his replacement. And that doesn't just mean a tight end; they need to identify the next go-to target for Patrick Mahomes in the passing game. Could that simply be Rashee Rice? Sure. That said, K.C. may want to add as many playmakers as possible. Pending free agent tight ends like David Njoku, Kyle Pitts, and Isaiah Likely could be intriguing options to fill Kelce's shoes at his position and be another weapon for Mahomes.
Refresh the secondary
Kansas City's secondary could go through an overhaul this offseason, with corner Jaylen Watson and safety Bryan Cook slated to hit free agency. Meanwhile, corner Trent McDuffie has just one year left on his rookie deal after the Chiefs picked up his fifth-year option for 2026, so he could be due an extension as well. Kansas City is allowing a 92.7 passer rating against this season, which ranks 18th in the NFL. The secondary is allowing quarterbacks to complete 67.7% of their passes against them, which is 28th in the league. Something needs to change there, maybe with the infusion of some young talent via the NFL Draft, especially with the group of elite quarterbacks they are slated to play in 2026.
