For the first time in a decade, January in Kansas City feels a little unfamiliar - and not in a good way. The Chiefs, long a fixture in the postseason, are watching the playoffs from home after a 6-11 finish in 2025. It's their first time missing the dance since 2014, snapping one of the most consistent runs in the NFL.
But don’t mistake this stumble for a full-on collapse. Team chairman and CEO Clark Hunt made that clear during an appearance on Good Morning Football, laying out a confident, forward-looking message: the Chiefs expect to be back - and soon.
“We’re excited about the challenge that we have now of getting back,” Hunt said. “We still have a great roster.
We still have Andy Reid and a really outstanding coaching staff. We are going to work very hard in 2026 to make sure that we are part of the playoffs and hopefully part of the Super Bowl.”
It’s a message of belief, not just in the infrastructure that’s brought Kansas City so much success, but in the people who built it - starting with Andy Reid. Even after a down year, Reid’s résumé speaks for itself, and there’s no sign the Chiefs are ready to hit the reset button. If anything, this feels more like a pit stop than a rebuild.
Of course, a big piece of the puzzle is Patrick Mahomes. The star quarterback suffered a torn ACL in December, a gut punch to a season that was already teetering.
His recovery will be one of the biggest storylines of the offseason - not just in Kansas City, but across the league. Hunt offered a cautiously optimistic update, praising Mahomes’ dedication and mindset in rehab.
“I was with Patrick a couple of days ago in our training room,” Hunt said. “Watching him go through the work that he’s doing to get back onto the field with the rehab.
Nobody works harder than Patrick. He certainly has a goal of being back for the beginning of the season.
I wouldn’t put it past him.”
That last part is key. Mahomes has already built a reputation for bouncing back quickly - remember the high ankle sprain in the 2022 playoffs?
He gutted through that and still led Kansas City to a Super Bowl title. While an ACL tear is a different beast, Mahomes’ work ethic is the kind of intangible that gives the Chiefs hope.
If he’s ready for Week 1, the entire outlook shifts.
Then there’s the Travis Kelce question. The 36-year-old tight end has long been Mahomes’ go-to guy and one of the emotional leaders of the team.
Whether or not he returns for a 14th season could play a major role in how the Chiefs retool the offense. Hunt made it clear the team wants him back - but also that they’re giving him space to make the call on his own terms.
“As an organization, we certainly hope that he will come back,” Hunt said. “He had another great year. Maybe not on par with where he was four or five years ago, but he still had over 800 yards and was really one of the leaders on the offensive side of the ball for us.”
That’s not just lip service. Kelce may not be putting up the same jaw-dropping numbers as in his prime, but he’s still a matchup nightmare and a tone-setter for the offense.
His leadership, especially in a season that tested the locker room, remains invaluable. And with a wedding to global superstar Taylor Swift on the horizon, the offseason will be a busy one - and not just for football reasons.
“We want to be respectful and give him the time he needs to make a decision,” Hunt said. “But we certainly hope that he’ll be back.”
So where does that leave Kansas City heading into 2026? At a crossroads, yes - but not a crisis.
The foundation is still there: Mahomes, Reid, a front office that knows how to build, and a culture that’s been one of the best in football for a decade. The 2025 season may have been a detour, but if Mahomes gets healthy and Kelce returns, this team won’t be down for long.
The Chiefs have spent the last 10 years setting the standard. Now, they’re looking to remind everyone why.