Dynasty shaken, questions loom. Will Mahomes' supporting cast evolve? Kelce retires? An offseason reset might define Kansas City's future.
The Kansas City Chiefs are facing a tough hill to climb with four games remaining in the year. Now holding a record of 6-7 after Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans, the Chiefs’ chances at making the postseason are looking bleaker than ever. It’s a tough pill to swallow for Chiefs fans, but the tougher pill to get down may be how things could change in Kansas City after the season.
In a recent Bleacher Report article, the biggest takeaway from Sunday’s loss is the uncertainty Kansas City will face heading into this offseason, with its dynasty taking a tumble.
While the Chiefs' dynasty may not be completely done, it will need a brand-new chapter with different faces around Mahomes,” the B/R NFL Staff wrote. “The [defensive] unit needs more impact playmakers… Will Travis Kelce retire in the offseason? … Does the Chiefs offense need a reset? Will head coach Andy Reid bring in a new offensive coordinator?”
There are many questions to be answered this offseason for the Chiefs, who haven’t had to look in the mirror as critically as they will in over a decade. It’ll be the first time in ten years that the Chiefs won’t be on top of the AFC West standings when the season comes to a close. Instead, Kansas City will likely be out of the postseason altogether.
It’s not certain, however. There is still a mathematical possibility that Kansas City finds its way into a Wild Card matchup at the season’s end if it wins out and gets blessed by the football gods with key losses to teams currently ahead of them in the AFC playoff picture.
It’s not an ideal place to be to rely on other teams’ performances to get you into the playoffs, but it’s where the Chiefs stand during a rocky 2025 season. With that said, the Chiefs do have control in the four remaining games on their schedule.
A Week 15 win against the Los Angeles Chargers could prove to be the most impactful. The Chargers take on the Philadelphia Eagles tonight on Monday Night Football, and Chiefs fans will be hoping it results in a loss for the Bolts. It would take their record to 8-5, just two games ahead of the Chiefs. If the Chiefs can come out of Week 15 with a win over Los Angeles, it’d mean they’d be only one game behind the Chargers.
Other remaining Kansas City opponents include the 2-11 Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders. They should be easy wins to boost their chances at squeezing into the playoffs, but a Week 17 bout against the Denver Broncos will push Kansas City to its limits.
Kansas City fans aren’t feeling the most optimistic in football right now, but there is still technically a chance. If the season concludes and the Chiefs aren’t among the AFC playoff teams, there will certainly be things shaken up in Kansas City in the offseason. For a dynasty that’s been dominant over the past decade, it’s hard to imagine what that could look like, but the team has many questions to answer after a lackluster 2025 season.