Honestly, looking at the kc chiefs schedule 2025-26, it’s a bit of a whirlwind. If you've been following the Kingdom for a while, you know the drill: we expect dominance, but the NFL's scheduling formula basically exists to make life hard for the top dogs. This season felt particularly experimental. Between the international trek to South America and a brutal stretch of short weeks, the path through the AFC West was anything but a cakewalk.
Most folks just look at the wins and losses, but if you actually dig into how these games were structured, you see a team that was constantly living out of a suitcase.
The Brazil Opener and the Jet Lag Hangover
The season kicked off with a massive historic moment on Friday, September 5, 2025. The Chiefs headed to São Paulo, Brazil, to face the Los Angeles Chargers. It was the NFL’s first-ever live broadcast on YouTube, which felt kinda weird but actually looked great. Unfortunately, the vibe didn't match the result. Kansas City dropped that one 27-21. Starting 0-1 isn't the end of the world, but coming back from South America to face a Super Bowl LIX rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles just nine days later? That’s rough.
That Week 2 home opener at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium was supposed to be a party. Instead, the Eagles managed to eke out a 20-17 win. For a second there, the talk radio shows in KC were starting to panic. Two games in, zero wins. But then the team found a rhythm.
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Finding the Groove in October
September ended with a solid bounce back. They handled the New York Giants 22-9 on Sunday Night Football and then stomped the Baltimore Ravens 37-20. That Ravens game was vintage Patrick Mahomes—just carving up the secondary while Steve Spagnuolo’s defense looked like a brick wall.
October was basically the "NFC East and Friends" tour.
- Oct 6: A tough 31-28 loss in Jacksonville.
- Oct 12: Beat the Lions 30-17 at home.
- Oct 19: Shut out the Raiders 31-0 (you love to see it).
- Oct 27: Handled the Commanders 28-7 on Monday night.
By the time the bye week hit in Week 10, the Chiefs were sitting at 5-4. Not the usual 8-1 or 7-2 we’re used to, but they were right in the thick of the AFC playoff race. The problem? The back half of the kc chiefs schedule 2025-26 was a gauntlet of elite quarterbacks and holiday games that would test anyone's depth.
The Brutal Holiday Stretch
Whoever made this schedule must have a grudge against family dinners. The Chiefs ended up playing on both Thanksgiving and Christmas. That is a lot of prep time lost.
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On Thanksgiving Day (Nov 27), they went to Arlington to face the Cowboys. It was a shootout, basically a "whoever has the ball last wins" situation. Dallas took it 31-28. Then, after a few rocky weeks—including a disappointing home loss to the Houston Texans—the Chiefs had to lace them up for a Christmas Day showdown against the Denver Broncos.
Playing on a Thursday (Christmas) after a Sunday game is a four-day turnaround. It showed. The team looked gassed, and Denver walked out of Arrowhead with a 20-13 win. That loss was part of a late-season slide where the team dropped five of their last six games.
Why the 2025-26 Results Looked Different
It's easy to blame the players, but look at the SOS (Strength of Schedule). Because the Chiefs won the AFC West the previous year, they were locked into games against the Bills and Ravens. Plus, they drew the entire NFC East and AFC South.
The travel was the silent killer.
- São Paulo, Brazil (Week 1)
- East Rutherford, NJ (Week 3)
- Jacksonville, FL (Week 5)
- Buffalo, NY (Week 9)
- Arlington, TX (Week 13)
That is a lot of air miles. When you're constantly changing time zones and playing on short weeks (Thursday games, Monday games, Friday games), the body eventually rebels.
Sorting Out the Record
People were shocked to see the Chiefs finish 6-11. It's the first time in the Mahomes era things truly looked "human." But if you look at the margins, they were losing one-score games left and right.
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- 3 points to Philly.
- 3 points to Jacksonville.
- 3 points to Dallas.
- 3 points to the Chargers in December.
Basically, a couple of bounces the other way and this is a 10-win team. That's football. It’s a game of inches, or in this case, a game of "did the kicker have a bad day?"
Looking Ahead to 2026-27
The silver lining of a 6-11 season? A much easier schedule for the following year. Since the Chiefs didn't win the division, they won't be forced into the "First Place" gauntlet against the heavy hitters of the AFC North and East in 2026.
If you're planning for next season, expect the schedule release in mid-May 2026. Usually, it's a Wednesday or Thursday night. That’s when you’ll want to book those flights to Vegas or Denver before the prices triple.
Next Steps for Chiefs Fans:
- Review the 2026 Opponents: Check the NFL's rotating division matchups; the Chiefs are slated to face the AFC North and NFC South in 2026.
- Monitor Roster Changes: With the 2026 NFL Draft approaching, keep an eye on how the front office addresses the offensive line depth that struggled during the late-season 2025 slump.
- Update Your Calendar: The 2026 schedule will be officially released in May; sign up for team alerts now to get the jump on tickets.
The 2025-26 season was a reminder that even the best dynasties have "down" years where the schedule just beats you up. But with a healthy squad and a more balanced slate of games on the horizon, the bounce-back is almost certainly coming.