If you’re checking the scores to see who won Kansas City Chiefs game today, the answer is actually nobody. The Chiefs didn't play. For the first time in what feels like a lifetime—specifically since the 2012 season—Kansas City is watching the NFL playoffs from the couch. It’s weird, right? We’re so used to seeing Patrick Mahomes sprinting toward a podium in mid-January that a quiet Arrowhead Stadium feels like a glitch in the Matrix.
The Chiefs officially wrapped up their 2025-26 campaign on January 4, 2026. It wasn't exactly a fairytale ending. They went into Allegiant Stadium to face the Las Vegas Raiders and walked out with a 14-12 loss. That defeat put the final nail in a 6-11 season. Honestly, it’s been a rough ride for a team that was once considered invincible.
What Happened in the Chiefs Last Game?
That Week 18 matchup against the Raiders was a microcosm of their whole year. Low scoring. Frustrating penalties. A lack of offensive rhythm. Las Vegas won the game thanks to a monster 60-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson with only eight seconds left on the clock.
Think about that for a second. 60 yards.
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Kansas City’s Harrison Butker had actually put the Chiefs ahead 12-11 just a minute earlier with a 41-yarder of his own. For a brief moment, it looked like they might end the year on a high note. But the Raiders marched down, Carlson found his range, and the Chiefs' six-game losing streak became the official story of the winter.
A Season of Missing Pieces
Why did it go so wrong? You can’t point to just one thing, but injuries and a lack of depth at wide receiver certainly didn't help. By the time that final Raiders game rolled around, the quarterback room looked different too. Shane Buechele and Chris Oladokun took the snaps while the team tried to figure out what their future looks like. Mahomes, who has carried this franchise on his back, spent the tail end of the season dealing with the reality of a roster that just couldn't keep pace with the rest of the AFC West.
The Broncos and Chargers both finished with double-digit wins. The Chiefs finished third in the division. It’s a total role reversal from the last decade.
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Who Won Kansas City Chiefs Game Today? (The Playoff Picture)
Since the Chiefs are out, the games happening "today"—Wednesday, January 14, 2026—are actually non-existent. We are currently in the gap between the Wild Card round and the Divisional playoffs.
If you’re looking for who did win recently in the slots where we usually see the Chiefs:
- The San Francisco 49ers took down the Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 in a Wild Card thriller on January 11.
- The Buffalo Bills managed to eliminate the Jaguars, which is ironic because Chiefs fans usually count on Mahomes to be the one to send Josh Allen home.
- The Denver Broncos are sitting pretty with a first-round bye after a 14-3 season. Seeing "DEN" at the top of the AFC West standings is a bitter pill for Kansas City fans to swallow.
Mahomes Still Holds the Records
Even without playing today, Patrick Mahomes is still making headlines. His playoff touchdown record is so massive that despite the Chiefs sitting out this postseason, he’s still second on the all-time list. Aaron Rodgers had a chance to gain some ground during the Wild Card round but went scoreless through the air. Mahomes’ legacy is safe for another year, even if his Super Bowl ring collection isn't growing this February.
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What’s Next for the Chiefs?
Now that the "who won" question is settled (it was the Raiders, ten days ago), the real question is "what now?"
The Chiefs are heading into an offseason with more questions than they’ve had since Andy Reid arrived. They have the 2026 NFL Draft to look forward to, where they’ll likely have a much higher pick than they’re used to. Rumors are already swirling about whether they’ll go after a premier veteran receiver or if the focus shifts entirely to rebuilding a defense that looked gassed by November.
- Check the Draft Order: The Chiefs are looking at a mid-teens pick, a prime spot to snag a playmaker.
- Salary Cap Watch: Keep an eye on the "dead cap" numbers. The front office has some hard decisions to make regarding aging veterans.
- Rest and Recovery: For Mahomes, this is the longest offseason of his career. That might actually be a scary thought for the rest of the league. A healthy, rested, and "annoyed" Mahomes usually leads to a revenge tour.
If you were hoping to see a Chiefs win today, you’ll have to wait until the 2026 preseason starts in August. For now, the Kingdom has to sit back and watch the rest of the AFC fight over the throne they’ve occupied for years.
The most important thing to do right now is keep an eye on the AFC Divisional round starting this Saturday, January 17. The Bills and Broncos are the teams to watch if you want to see who will represent the conference in the Super Bowl—a spot that used to belong to Kansas City by default.