It's Saturday, January 17, 2026, and if you’re frantically refreshing your phone or flipping through channels looking for the kansas city chiefs score today on tv, I have some tough news for you.
The Chiefs aren't playing.
Honestly, it’s a weird feeling for fans who have spent the last several years watching Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce cruise through the postseason. But today, the TV schedule for the NFL Divisional Round features the Buffalo Bills at the Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers at the Seattle Seahawks. Notice a name missing? Yeah. Kansas City.
The Reality of the Kansas City Chiefs Score Today on TV
For the first time since 2014, the Kansas City Chiefs are watching the playoffs from home. Their season officially ended back on January 4, 2026, with a heartbreaking 14-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. That game was a microcosm of their entire year: a struggle to find the end zone, relying on Harrison Butker’s leg, and ultimately falling short in the closing seconds when Daniel Carlson nailed a 60-yarder for Vegas.
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Because of that loss, and a season that saw them finish third in the AFC West, there is no kansas city chiefs score today on tv.
It feels surreal. Usually, by mid-January, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is vibrating with cold air and playoff energy. Instead, the team is currently in "evaluation mode." Andy Reid and Brett Veach are likely already looking at tape for the 2026 NFL Draft rather than prepping a game plan for Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.
What happened to the 2025-2026 season?
If you're wondering how a dynasty hits a wall this hard, it wasn't just one thing. It was a perfect storm of aging veterans, injuries to key playmakers, and a division that finally caught up. The Broncos, who are actually playing today on CBS, managed to leapfrog the Chiefs in the standings.
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- The offensive slump: For large stretches of the season, the explosive "Chiefs Kingdom" offense looked stuck in second gear.
- The turnover bug: Patrick Mahomes had some uncharacteristic games, including a rough outing against the Rams where he threw three interceptions.
- The AFC West gauntlet: Losing the season finale to a Raiders team that had previously lost ten games in a row was the final nail in the coffin.
Watching the "Replacement" Games Today
Since you can't watch the Chiefs, what is on? If you still have the itch to watch football, the Divisional Round is actually stacked.
- Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos (4:30 PM ET on CBS): This is the game taking the slot many expected the Chiefs to occupy. It’s a bitter pill for KC fans to swallow, seeing the Broncos host a playoff game at Mile High.
- San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (8:00 PM ET on FOX): An old-school NFC West rivalry that will likely be more physical than anything we saw in the regular season.
If you’re still searching for a kansas city chiefs score today on tv out of habit, you might see some "Madden Sims" or old highlights on YouTube, but don't be fooled. The live NFL action today belongs to the teams that survived the Wild Card round last weekend.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The silver lining? The Chiefs are already "on the clock" for next year. We actually already know who they will play in the 2026-2027 season because of the NFL's scheduling formula. Since they finished third in the division, they get a "third-place schedule," which ironically might be the easiest path back to the top.
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They’ll face the usual AFC West suspects twice, but they also draw the AFC East (Patriots, Bills, Dolphins, Jets) and the NFC West (Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Cardinals). They also have a date with the Atlanta Falcons, which will be their 17th game.
Final Score Summary (Wait, What Score?)
To be crystal clear: the kansas city chiefs score today on tv is non-existent because their season is over. The final score of their last game was Raiders 14, Chiefs 12.
If you want to stay productive while the playoffs happen without KC:
- Check the 2026 Opponent List: Start planning your road trips now, especially for that game in Atlanta.
- Scout the Draft: The Chiefs will have a much higher pick than usual this April. Keep an eye on top-tier wide receivers or offensive line depth.
- Monitor the Coaching Staff: With a disappointing season, there might be some shifts in the assistant ranks.
The dynasty isn't necessarily dead, but it’s definitely taking a nap this winter. Catch the Bills and Broncos today if you want to see who might be representing the AFC in the Super Bowl, but for the Chiefs, the lights are off at Arrowhead until the preseason.
Check your local listings for Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026, to see who eventually takes the crown the Chiefs held for so long.