With a healthy Patrick Mahomes returning from injury and Kenneth Walker III joining the backfield, the Kansas City Chiefs have Super Bowl hopes.
The Kansas City Chiefs' streak of 10 straight postseason appearances came to an end during the 2025 NFL season.
The Chiefs even had a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft, something they haven't had since they selected Patrick Mahomes.
Still, the future seems promising for Kansas City. Tight end Travis Kelce is back for likely his final season after he signed a new contract.
Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL toward the end of the season, but he is already throwing at OTAs and figures to be ready by Week 1, although it remains to be seen how effective he will be as he recovers from the injury.
The question is this: Can the Chiefs get back to a Super Bowl?
Dan Parr of NFL.com named eight teams that could dethrone the Seattle Seahawks as Super Bowl champions, and the Chiefs landed at No. 8 on the list.
The Chiefs hit big by adding Seahawks RB and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency. On the other hand, the Chiefs saw key players such as Isiah Pacheco, Jaylen Watson, Bryan Cook and Leo Chenal leave, as well as others, and cornerback Trent McDuffie get traded to the Los Angeles Rams.
As Parr notes, however, the most pressing concern is Mahomes' recovery. While he figures to play in Week 1, the question remains about how effective he can be and when - or if - he can get back to playing his brand of football.
Having Eric Bieniemy back as the Chiefs' offensive coordinator should be exciting for both sides, and that is already an upgrade over the days of Matt Nagy calling the offense.
The Chiefs success, unsurprisingly, hinges on Mahomes' shoulders, and that is ever more evident entering the 2026 season.
"It feels like asking a lot of the Chiefs to get back to playing title-caliber football, but I do believe there is value in knowing what it takes to win in the NFL, and this franchise is only a year removed from playing in three consecutive Super Bowls. We’ll get a great look at how they measure up to the Seahawks when the teams meet on a Sunday night in Seattle in Week 7," Parr wrote.
Just one season ago, the Chiefs were in the Super Bowl and lost to Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles. But, the AFC has improved, and the AFC West has two other playoff contenders with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers in the same division.
With all of that said, the Chiefs have a legitimate chance to win the AFC and win the Super Bowl, as long as Mahomes is healthy and can find a way to get back to playing his superstar brand of football.
