The vibe around GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium right now is... weird. You’ve probably seen the headlines. The Kansas City Chiefs finished the 2025 season with a 6-11 record. Yeah, you read that right. Six wins. For a fan base that’s basically been living in a perpetual Super Bowl parade for the last half-decade, this feels like a glitch in the simulation.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a shock to the system.
The latest kansas city chiefs football news isn't about playoff seedings or championship runs for once. Instead, it's about rehab schedules and salary cap gymnastics. People are already trying to write the eulogy for the Reid-Mahomes era, but if you're actually paying attention to the details, the panic might be a little premature.
The Mahomes Injury and the 2026 Comeback Trail
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Patrick Mahomes’ knee. Losing him in Week 15 to a season-ending ACL tear was the final blow in a season that was already spiraling.
Watching the Chiefs start Chris Oladokun and Shane Buechele in the final weeks was a reminder of how quickly things can go south when #15 isn't under center. Mahomes recently shared an update on his rehab, calling it a "long process" but basically saying he's eyeing Week 1 of the 2026 season.
He's 30 now. That's not old for a quarterback, but coming off a major ligament tear changes the math on his mobility.
The stats from 2025 were a bit "human" by his standards too. He finished with 3,587 passing yards and 22 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. Still decent? Sure. But it wasn't the scorched-earth Mahomes we're used to seeing. Part of that was the rotating door of receivers and an offensive line that, frankly, looked gassed by November.
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Kansas City Chiefs Football News: Why the Cap Space is the Real Enemy
If you think the losing record was bad, wait until you look at the balance sheet. General Manager Brett Veach is currently staring at a $58 million hole.
That’s how much the Chiefs need to clear before the new league year kicks off in March. You can’t just "restructure" your way out of that kind of debt without some painful goodbyes.
Right tackle Jawaan Taylor is the name everyone is whispering about. He’s been a lightning rod for penalties, and moving on from him could save the team roughly $20 million. It's a move that feels inevitable at this point.
Then you’ve got the defensive side. Mike Danna is another candidate for the chopping block to save about $9 million. It sucks because these are the guys who helped build the dynasty, but the NFL is a "what have you done for me lately" business.
The Travis Kelce Record Nobody Is Celebrating
In the middle of that depressing 14-12 season-finale loss to the Raiders, Travis Kelce actually did something incredible. He passed Terrell Owens for the eighth-most catches in NFL history.
He also became the fastest tight end ever to hit 13,000 career receiving yards.
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But nobody cared. Why? Because the Chiefs lost their sixth straight game to end the year. It’s wild to see a future Hall of Famer still putting up 75+ receptions for a 10th straight season while the team around him is struggling to find the end zone.
The roster is aging. That's just the truth. Kelce is still elite, but he can't carry a broken offense by himself anymore, especially when the run game (led by Kareem Hunt’s 611 yards) was more "fine" than "ferocious."
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2026 Schedule
There’s a silver lining here that most national pundits are ignoring. Because the Chiefs finished third in the AFC West, they get a "third-place schedule" in 2026.
That is massive.
Instead of facing the gauntlet of every other division winner, they’ll draw teams like the Patriots, Jets, and Falcons.
The 2026 home slate at Arrowhead looks like this:
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- Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Las Vegas Raiders
- San Francisco 49ers
- New England Patriots
- New York Jets
- Arizona Cardinals
- Indianapolis Colts
It’s not an "easy" road—there’s no such thing in the NFL—but it’s a far cry from the nightmare schedules they’ve navigated during their Super Bowl runs.
The "Futures" Gamble: Who Are These Guys?
Veach is already tinkering. He signed a handful of guys to "reserve/future" contracts this month. Names like Kam Arnold (a speedy LB from Boston College) and Marcus Harris (a DT who’s bounced around the league).
Are they going to save the franchise? Probably not.
But these are the types of depth moves the Chiefs missed last year. When the injury bug hit the defensive line, they didn't have the bodies to hold the point of attack. Chris Jones still got his 7 sacks, but he was double-teamed on basically every snap because there was no secondary threat to keep offenses honest.
Actionable Steps for Chiefs Fans This Offseason
If you're trying to keep up with the chaos, here’s what you actually need to watch over the next few months:
- Monitor the March 15th Deadline: This is when the roster bonuses kick in. If Jawaan Taylor is still on the team on March 16th, he's likely staying. If not, expect a flurry of moves right before this date.
- Track the "Mahomes Progress" Videos: Don't just look at the team PR. Keep an eye on independent trainers. If we see him dropping back and planting that lead leg by May, the 2026 outlook changes instantly.
- The Draft Positioning: The Chiefs aren't used to picking in the top 15. They have a rare chance to snag a blue-chip tackle or a true WR1 without having to trade the farm. If they go "Best Player Available" instead of reaching for a need, it’s a sign they’re playing the long game.
The dynasty isn't dead, but it's definitely in the shop for repairs. The kansas city chiefs football news might be grim right now, but a healthy Mahomes and a cleared-out salary cap can fix a lot of problems in a hurry.
Go ahead and mark your calendars for the NFL Draft in April. That’s where the real rebuilding of the Kingdom begins. Until then, keep an eye on the medical reports; they're more important than the scoreboard right now.
Data Sources & References:
- Chiefs.com Official Injury Reports & Transactions (January 2026)
- NFL.com Team Standings and Statistics
- Over The Cap (OTC) Salary Cap Projections
- Associated Press (AP) Game Recaps: Chiefs vs. Raiders, Jan 4, 2026