The silence at Arrowhead Stadium right now is honestly a bit eerie. After years of January being synonymous with the roar of the "Sea of Red" and the smell of smoked brisket wafting through the parking lot, the 2025-2026 season ended with a thud. No AFC Championship appearance. No Super Bowl parade in downtown KC. Just a 6-11 record and a lot of questions.
If you’re looking for live Kansas City Chiefs football today, you won’t find it on a broadcast schedule. The team missed the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era. It feels weird, right? But if you’re a real fan, you know that the "live" part of being a supporter doesn't stop just because the pads are in storage. The offseason is where the next trophy is actually won.
The Reality of the 2025 Season
Let's be real: it was a rough ride. The Chiefs started the year 0-2, which we haven't seen since 2014. While they managed to claw back to 5-3 by mid-season, the wheels basically fell off after their Week 9 trip to Buffalo. They lost nearly every game from that point on, ending the season on a brutal six-game losing streak.
Patrick Mahomes still put up numbers that most QBs would sell their soul for—3,587 passing yards and 22 touchdowns—but the magic wasn't quite there. He finished with a passer rating of 89.6, his lowest as a full-time starter. And Travis Kelce? He’s still the man, leading the team with 851 receiving yards, but at age 36, the "Father Time" conversation is getting harder to ignore.
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The defense, coordinated by Steve Spagnuolo, was actually a bright spot. They ranked 6th in the league for points against, giving up only 19.3 points per game. But when the offense is only scoring 21.3, you don't have much margin for error.
How to Follow the Chiefs in 2026
Since the 2025 season is officially in the books, your "live" fix comes from the front office moves and rehab updates. Patrick Mahomes is currently working through injury rehab, recently stating that it’s a "long process" but he's eyeing Week 1 of the 2026 season for his full return.
When the 2026 season finally kicks off in September, you'll have the usual suspects for watching:
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- Local Broadcasts: CBS remains the primary home for AFC games.
- Streaming: Paramount+ for CBS games, and Peacock for those exclusive NBC nights.
- Out-of-Market: NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV is still the gold standard if you aren't living in the 816 area code.
- International: NFL Game Pass via DAZN for the fans across the pond.
The 2026 Opponent Slate
We already know who they're playing next year. Because the Chiefs finished third in the AFC West, they get a "third-place" schedule, which might actually be the blessing they need to bounce back.
Home Games at Arrowhead:
- Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers (The usual AFC West suspects).
- San Francisco 49ers (A Super Bowl rematch that always brings the heat).
- Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals.
Away Games:
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- Denver, Vegas, LA Chargers.
- Buffalo Bills (Expect the "Mahomes vs. Allen" hype train to be at full speed).
- Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Slump
People love to say the dynasty is over. They said it after the Tyreek Hill trade. They said it after the 2023 mid-season struggles. They're definitely saying it now.
But look at the roster. General Manager Brett Veach has already started the "Reserve/Future" signings, bringing in guys like linebacker Kam Arnold and defensive lineman Marcus Harris. These aren't household names yet, but they represent the churn of a team that knows how to rebuild on the fly.
Creed Humphrey just notched his third All-Pro nod. Chris Jones is still a wrecking ball in the middle. The core is there. The 2025 season felt like a "perfect storm" of injuries and offensive stagnation, but counting out Andy Reid in an offseason where he has a high draft pick (thanks to that 6-11 record) is a dangerous game.
Actionable Steps for the Offseason
If you’re feeling the withdrawal from live Kansas City Chiefs football, here is how you stay in the loop during the "dark months":
- Mark March 11, 2026: That’s the start of the New League Year. This is when free agency officially kicks off. Expect Veach to be aggressive in finding Mahomes another reliable deep threat.
- Follow the Rehab: Watch the official Chiefs social channels for Mahomes' progress. His health is the single biggest factor for 2026.
- Draft Prep: The Chiefs will have a much higher pick than they're used to. Keep an eye on the NFL Combine in late February to see which wide receivers or offensive tackles the scouts are eyeing for KC.
- Check the Schedule Release: In May, the NFL will drop the exact dates and times. That’s when you book your flights to Arrowhead.
The 2025 season was a reality check. But for a franchise that has three rings in the last decade, a "down year" is usually just the setup for a comeback story.