Turbulence in Kansas City: Chiefs Eliminated, Mahomes Injured, and Relocation Rumors Swirl
This isn’t the season Kansas City envisioned - not by a long shot. After years of dominance, playoff runs, and a quarterback who redefined the modern NFL offense, the Chiefs are suddenly on the outside looking in.
Their playoff hopes were officially extinguished in Week 15 following a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. But the scoreboard wasn’t the only gut punch that day - it was the sight of Patrick Mahomes going down with a season-ending ACL injury that truly shook Chiefs Kingdom.
Mahomes, the face of the franchise and arguably the most gifted quarterback of this generation, is done for the year. At 30, he’s undergone surgery and is already eyeing a return for the start of next season.
That’s the competitor in him. Still, there are concerns about whether that timeline is realistic.
Some within the organization have reportedly urged him to take the entire 2026 season off to fully recover. But if you know anything about Mahomes, you know he’s not wired that way.
While the injury to their superstar is a massive blow, it's far from the only storm cloud hanging over the franchise. For months now, the team has been locked in a tense standoff with the Kansas City, Missouri city council - and now, those tensions may be coming to a head.
There’s growing chatter that the Chiefs could be preparing to make a seismic announcement: a move across state lines to Kansas.
According to a report from Sportsradio 810 WHB’s Soren Petro, Chiefs officials are expected to attend a meeting in Topeka, Kansas on Monday. The Royals - Kansas City’s MLB team - reportedly won’t be in attendance, which only adds fuel to the speculation that this meeting is specifically about the Chiefs. Petro suggested that, barring a last-minute change, the team could announce its intention to relocate shortly after that meeting.
For fans in Missouri, the thought of losing their NFL team is more than just disappointing - it’s devastating. The Chiefs aren’t just a football team here; they’re a cultural institution. And the idea of them packing up and heading across the border has sparked outrage, confusion, and heartbreak across the fan base.
One fan voiced a concern that’s been echoed by many: the financial and civic blow that Kansas City, Missouri would suffer if the Chiefs leave. “People don’t understand the financial ramifications that will occur in Kansas City, MO if this happens,” the fan wrote.
“Let alone if the state of Missouri loses another NFL team. They won’t get another one.”
Another fan, identifying as a Chargers supporter from San Diego - a city that knows a thing or two about losing a team - weighed in with a more cynical take: “The rich guys are gonna do what makes them the most money. They don’t care about homefield advantage if it means less money.”
And then there’s the emotional toll. One longtime fan, who stuck with the team through its darkest days, said a move would be a deal-breaker: “Can’t call yourself the Kansas City Chiefs if you’re not in Kansas City limits.
Traitors if they move. I won’t be a fan anymore.
Was a fan when they were 2-14 and believed each year they would turn it around. But won’t be if they move.”
This is more than just a relocation rumor - it’s a moment of reckoning for one of the NFL’s proudest franchises. The Chiefs are at a crossroads, both on and off the field.
Their season is over. Their quarterback is sidelined.
Their future home is uncertain.
And while nothing is official yet, the tension is real. The fear is real.
And for fans in Missouri, the idea of losing Patrick Mahomes and the team in the same stretch feels almost unthinkable. But in today’s NFL - where stadium deals, tax breaks, and political battles often carry as much weight as wins and losses - nothing is off the table.
The next few days could be pivotal. Chiefs Kingdom is holding its breath.