Are the Chiefs Just Out of Juice? A Closer Look at Kansas City’s Stunning Slide
It was a quiet July morning in St. Joseph when Patrick Mahomes stepped into the first huddle of Chiefs training camp. Before calling the play, he dropped a phrase that’s become synonymous with his leadership.
“Let’s go be great.”
That was 2022. Back then, the Chiefs were still licking their wounds from a gut-punch AFC Championship Game loss to the Bengals - arguably the toughest of Mahomes’ career.
But that heartbreak turned into fuel. They rallied, went 14-3, and capped it off with a Super Bowl win.
That team had purpose. That team had an edge.
Fast forward a year, and the mission shifted: become the first team in nearly two decades to repeat as Super Bowl champs. Another carrot, another climb, another ring.
Then came the next challenge: a chance to make NFL history with a three-peat. The Chiefs responded with a dominant 15-2 regular season (15-1 with starters), only to fall just short of the final step.
But now, here we are in December, and the Chiefs are 6-7. For the first time in Mahomes’ career, he’s leading a team with a losing record this late in the season.
And the question hanging over Kansas City isn’t about talent, or even effort. It’s about edge.
What’s the carrot this time?
Because whatever it is, it hasn’t been enough.
A Team Running on Empty?
Let’s start with the obvious: the Chiefs have been through the wringer. Since Mahomes took over in 2018, they’ve played 21 playoff games - that’s a full extra season’s worth of high-stakes football.
For comparison, the Broncos have played just one in that span. The Chargers?
Four. That’s a staggering difference in workload for the Chiefs’ core.
And while the physical toll is real, the mental grind might be even more punishing. It’s hard to convince yourself that a September game against a struggling opponent is life or death when you’ve played in five Super Bowls.
That’s where the motivational edge comes in. The rallying cries.
The revenge tours. The legacy goals.
But this season? That edge feels dulled.
The Chiefs have looked like a team searching for a spark - and coming up empty.
The Details Are Where It’s Falling Apart
When Mahomes says “let’s go be great,” he’s not talking about no-look passes or 70-yard bombs. He’s talking about the little things - the margins. The stuff that doesn’t always make the highlight reel but wins games.
And that’s exactly where this team is falling short.
This isn’t about effort. Not really.
Sure, Week 1 in Brazil raised eyebrows - Mahomes himself tried to light a fire by lowering his shoulder into a defender, and Andy Reid openly questioned the team’s energy. That was one week into the season.
But the real issue has been the accumulation of missed opportunities. Seven losses, many of them defined by fourth-quarter breakdowns, missed kicks, costly penalties, and dropped passes.
These aren’t just bad breaks. They’re self-inflicted wounds.
Take the loss to the Chargers. That game now looms large.
Had they shown up with more urgency, they’d be in position to tie the Chargers in the standings this week - with the tiebreaker in hand and a favorable closing stretch. Instead, they’re staring at a narrow playoff path that requires perfection and a little help from the “football gods,” as special teams coordinator Dave Toub put it.
The Veteran Paradox
This team isn’t losing because it’s old. It’s losing despite its experience.
Guys like Travis Kelce and Chris Jones have been through the wars. They should be the ones thriving in the fine print of the game.
But the Chiefs haven’t been that team this year. Last season, they won with field goal blocks, clutch fourth-down stops, and two-minute mastery.
This year? They’ve lost games because of penalties, drops, and missed field goals.
That’s the difference.
It’s not about being outplayed. It’s about not playing clean.
Not playing sharp. Not sweating the small stuff.
And when you’ve spent years believing there’s always another opportunity - another drive, another game, another playoff run - it’s easy to take those details for granted. But this year? Those little things have added up to something big: a losing record.
What’s Left to Play For?
It’s wild to say, but this team might still be as talented as the two that won back-to-back titles. The difference is in the margins.
Those teams played every snap like it mattered. This one hasn’t.
And now, with four games left, the Chiefs need to run the table and hope for help just to get in. It’s a steep climb, and the clock is ticking.
Andy Reid’s message this week was simple: “Let’s go to work.”
Chris Jones talked about making history.
Maybe that’s enough to rally around. Maybe that becomes the new carrot.
But with the way this season has gone, the Chiefs are running out of time - and chances - to chase it.