We were all waiting for it. The three-peat. It was the only thing anyone talked about from the moment the confetti settled in Las Vegas the year before. Honestly, the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs season felt like a long, tense movie where you’re just waiting for the hero to pull off the impossible in the final scene. But as we saw in New Orleans at Super Bowl LIX, even Patrick Mahomes has his limits.
The Philadelphia Eagles didn't just win that game; they dismantled the dream. A 40-22 scoreline is a tough pill to swallow when history is on the line.
But if you only look at that final loss, you’re missing the weirdest, most resilient, and frankly most "Chiefs" season we've ever seen. They went 15-2. Think about that for a second. In a year where the offense looked "broken" half the time and Patrick Mahomes was throwing interceptions at a career-high rate early on, they still managed the best regular-season record in franchise history.
What Really Happened With the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs Season
People love to talk about the "Mahomes Magic," but the 2024 story was actually written by Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. It was a complete role reversal. For years, the defense just had to "hold on" while Mahomes scored 30 points. In 2024? The defense was the hammer.
They started 9-0. It wasn't always pretty. They beat the Bengals by one point. They beat the Falcons by five. They needed a blocked field goal to survive the Broncos in Week 10. You've probably heard the stat: they became the first team to win 15 games while never once scoring more than 30 points in the regular season.
It was stressful.
Every single week felt like a tightrope walk. But the defense kept them upright. Chris Jones was his usual wrecking-ball self, racking up 10.5 sacks and earning another first-team All-Pro nod. George Karlaftis matched him with 10.5 sacks of his own. Behind them, Trent McDuffie and Nick Bolton turned the middle of the field into a "no-fly zone."
💡 You might also like: Tonya Johnson: The Real Story Behind Saquon Barkley's Mom and His NFL Journey
The Offensive Struggle Was Real
Let's be real—the offense was frustrating to watch for long stretches. Mahomes finished with 3,928 passing yards and 26 touchdowns, but those 11 interceptions early in the year had fans panicking.
Injuries didn't help. Rashee Rice went down. Isiah Pacheco missed a huge chunk of time with a fractured fibula. Marquise "Hollywood" Brown never even got a real chance to shine because of that shoulder injury in the preseason.
Then came the savior: Kareem Hunt.
Picking up Hunt off the street in September felt like a desperate move, but it was a stroke of genius by Brett Veach. Hunt finished the regular season with 728 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns, providing the "grime" this team needed to move the chains when the deep ball wasn't there.
Xavier Worthy and the Future
If there was a silver lining in the Super Bowl loss, it was the rookie, Xavier Worthy. He caught two touchdowns in that 40-22 blowout.
Throughout the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs season, Worthy proved he wasn't just a track star. He finished second among all rookies with 9 total touchdowns (6 receiving, 3 rushing). He’s basically the replacement for the "gravity" Tyreek Hill used to provide, even if the offense overall was more methodical than explosive.
📖 Related: Tom Brady Throwing Motion: What Most People Get Wrong
Why the Buffalo Loss Mattered
The quest for a perfect season died in Week 11 in Buffalo.
Honestly, it was probably a blessing in disguise. The 30-21 loss to the Bills took the "17-0" pressure off. It forced Andy Reid to stop tinkering and start solidified his rotations. From that point on, Mahomes went on a tear of not throwing an interception for 237 consecutive attempts.
They entered the playoffs as the #1 seed, resting starters in Week 18 against Denver. They took care of the Houston Texans 23-14 in the Divisional Round. Then, they went back to Buffalo for the AFC Championship and broke the Bills' hearts again, winning 32-29.
The Super Bowl LIX Reality Check
The Philadelphia Eagles were just better on February 9, 2025.
There's no other way to put it. They sacked Mahomes six times. They hit him constantly. The offensive line, which had been the Achilles' heel all year, finally crumbled under the pressure of Jalen Carter and that Philly front.
Mahomes looked human. He threw two first-half interceptions. By the time the Chiefs started scoring late in the third, it was already 34-6. It was the first time in the Mahomes era where a game felt truly over by halftime.
👉 See also: The Philadelphia Phillies Boston Red Sox Rivalry: Why This Interleague Matchup Always Feels Personal
What Most People Get Wrong
Most national media will call this season a "failure" because they didn't get the three-peat. That’s nonsense.
Winning 15 games in the NFL is incredibly hard. Doing it while your top two receivers and your starting running back are on IR is nearly impossible. The 2024 Kansas City Chiefs season proved that the "dynasty" isn't just about a superstar QB; it’s about a culture that wins one-score games (they won 11 of them!).
What’s Next for the Chiefs?
Now we look toward 2026. The quest for the three-peat is over, but the "dynasty" tag isn't going anywhere.
Actionable Insights for the Offseason:
- Protect the Franchise: The tackle situation is a mess. Whether it's the draft or a big-name free agent, Brett Veach has to solidify the edges. Mahomes can't get sacked six times in a championship game and survive another five years.
- Youth Movement on the D-Line: Chris Jones isn't getting younger. While Karlaftis is a star, the depth behind them needs a boost. Look for the Chiefs to target an interior pass rusher early in the 2026 draft.
- The Rice Factor: With Rashee Rice expected to be fully healthy and Xavier Worthy having a year under his belt, the "dink and dunk" era might be over. The Chiefs need to get back to being a vertical threat to take the pressure off the defense.
The 2024 season was a masterclass in winning ugly. It showed us that even when the Chiefs aren't at their best, they are still better than 30 other teams in the league. They didn't get the trophy, but they proved they aren't going anywhere.
Keep an eye on the 2026 schedule—the revenge tour is going to be something else.