The Kansas City Chiefs shocked the football world by failing to make the playoffs this year, but they had a lot of company in this department. Start with the obvious: the Chiefs had plenty of company in that regard, but a rebound to get back into the playoffs is very much in play in 2026.
Mike Jones of The Athletic did a ranking of the list of teams most likely to get back into the postseason fray after missing the playoffs this year, and he had the Chiefs at fifth. That’s probably not as high as the fan base would like so let’s do a dive into the points he made and the other teams he selected above them and see what kind of logic he employed.
Start with an intriguing point about the injury to quarterback Patrick Mahomes: Even before he went down, the Chiefs “were long shots to make the playoffs because of inconsistencies at wide receiver and running back, poor offensive ground depth and a drop-off in production along the defensive front,” according to Jones.
He also cited the Chiefs’ ability to free up some money despite their negative cap situation at the moment, and Jones expects an aggressive offseason from GM Brett Veach to capitalize on what’s left of Mahomes’ prime years.
The teams he listed above the Chiefs are just as intriguing. The Baltimore Ravens led the list, and they’re a sexy pick to get back into the playoffs based on the unique skill set of quarterback Lamar Jackson and the addition of new coach Jesse Minter.
The Detroit Lions are another popular pick, and they ranked right behind the Ravens. This one feels more problematic; it sure looked like Chicago Bears coach was the brains behind the brawn when he was in Detroit, and coach Dan Campbell has a lot to prove this year. GM Brad Holmes will draft well, according to Jones, so that part makes sense.
But it’s hard to take Jones’ third pick seriously. The Cincinnati Bengals have become the Bungles again, and it’s pretty obvious that quarterback Joe Burrow is more or less running the show in Cincinnati, which would be fine if he could stay on the field. Playing in a relatively weak division makes sense, but we’re not sold on this one.
It’s almost as hard to be sold on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who ranked fourth on this list just ahead of the Chiefs. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has become the definition of a front-running QB who fails down the stretch, and coach Todd Bowles had his patience stretched to the limit. The Chiefs probably should have been rated third on this list, but the uncertainty about Mahomes’ status going forward probably has a lot to do with this ranking.