With the Kansas City Chiefs officially out of the playoff picture, the conversation around the team has already started shifting toward 2026. But don’t expect the locker room to start looking that far ahead just yet. Inside the building at 1 Arrowhead Drive, the focus remains firmly on the final three games of the season - a season that, for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, won’t include postseason football.
While some fans might be eyeing a better draft position and quietly rooting for a softer finish, that mindset isn’t taking hold inside the Chiefs’ facility. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo made it clear on Thursday: this team isn’t wired to mail it in.
“Our guys aren’t built that way,” Spagnuolo told reporters. “I don’t think there’s a coach or a player in that locker room who thinks like that.
I always say this - if we had a basketball court outside and you told six of our guys to play three-on-three for a dollar, they’d be knocking each other over to win. That’s just how they’re built.”
That competitive fire - even in a season that didn’t go according to script - is still burning. And for veterans like Chris Jones, it’s about more than just pride. It’s personal.
“Unfortunately, plans didn’t go as planned this season,” Jones said Thursday. “But there’s still a name on the back of your jersey you’ve got to play for.”
For Jones, that’s all the motivation he needs. He’s not looking for reasons to play hard - stepping onto the field is reason enough.
“It’s still an opportunity to showcase what you can do,” he said. “To finish strong, both as an individual and as a team. I don’t ever need to be motivated when I step on the field.”
That mindset is echoed across the defensive line. George Karlaftis and rookie Ashton Gillotte both emphasized the hunger that still exists in the locker room - especially among players who’ve been waiting for their shot.
“I know one thing about this team,” Karlaftis said. “Whoever gets the opportunity is going to step up and make the most of it.
There are guys who haven’t seen the field all year that are hungry. They want to prove what they’re made of.”
Gillotte added: “We just want to make people proud going into these last games.”
Now, with the postseason off the table, the silver lining is that the Chiefs can start to evaluate some of those younger players in real game situations. Injuries have forced the coaching staff to get creative with the depth chart, and that trend is likely to continue over the final stretch.
“We’ve dealt with some injuries, and we’re dealing with more this week,” Spagnuolo said. “We want to finish strong.
We’re going to take it one game at a time and put guys out there who can help us do that. But yeah, some young guys will probably get in there and play.”
That approach is expected to carry over to the offensive side of the ball as well. Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy acknowledged that while the situation isn’t ideal, it does open the door for growth.
“For some of the younger guys on this team who maybe haven’t played much, this could be a chance to get more time,” Nagy said. “Maybe there’s a silver lining for somebody. That’s how you have to approach it.”
Still, no one in Kansas City is comfortable with how this season has played out. This isn’t a new normal - it’s a reminder of just how tough it is to stay on top in the NFL.
“It’s not a fun spot,” Nagy admitted. “But it reminds all of us in this building how hard it is to do what we’ve done - and that you can’t take it for granted. When we get to training camp next year, this is a feeling we have to remember.”
For Jones and his teammates, the message is simple: finish strong, set the tone for 2026, and earn back what wasn’t earned this year.
“Next year is still around the corner,” Jones said. “I want to finish strong - make sure the D-line finishes strong - with momentum going into next year.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t make it where we wanted to this year. But that gives us room to improve. Success is rented every year - and every year, you’ve got to go out and earn it.
“Sometimes life doesn’t give you what you deserve. You get what you earn. And we didn’t earn it this year.”
The Chiefs may be out of the playoff race, but they’re not out of fight. And that says something about the culture that’s been built in Kansas City - one that doesn’t quit, even when the scoreboard says the season’s over.