The Kansas City Chiefs are in unfamiliar territory-and not in a good way.
After a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Chiefs find themselves at 6-6, teetering on the edge of playoff elimination. For a team led by Patrick Mahomes, who has never missed the postseason since taking over as the starter, this is uncharted and unsettling ground.
And if you ask Fox Sports analyst Michael Strahan, the future isn’t looking bright. When asked point-blank on FOX NFL Kickoff whether Mahomes would miss the playoffs for the first time in his career, Strahan didn’t hesitate: “Yes.”
That one-word answer landed like a punch. But it also reflects a growing sentiment around the league-Kansas City is in crisis mode.
Let’s be clear: the Chiefs aren’t mathematically out of it. But the margin for error has vanished.
Mahomes himself acknowledged the uphill climb after Thursday’s loss, saying, “If we are going to make the playoffs, we have got to win them all. You've got to win every game now and hope that's enough.”
That’s not exactly the kind of quote you expect from the reigning Super Bowl MVP. But that’s where this team is right now-backed into a corner, needing perfection just to stay alive.
Mahomes didn’t sugarcoat the situation. “We can beat anybody, but we've shown we can lose to anybody,” he said. And that’s been the story of their season-flashes of brilliance overshadowed by inconsistency, penalties, and injuries.
The road ahead doesn’t get any easier. It starts next Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium against a surging Houston Texans squad. Then it’s a short turnaround to face the Chargers on December 14-another home game, but against a division rival that already beat them once this season, all the way back in Week 1 in Brazil.
After that? A trip to Nashville to face the Titans, who may be struggling with the worst record in the league, but nothing can be taken for granted at this point. Then comes a Christmas Day showdown with the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos, followed by a regular-season finale against the Raiders.
That’s five games. Five must-wins. And even that might not be enough.
Beyond the playoff picture, there are looming questions about the long-term outlook of this team-starting with Travis Kelce. Rumors have swirled all season that this could be his final year in the NFL.
And while he’s still producing-five touchdowns and 674 receiving yards through 12 games-there’s a growing sense that the end might be near. Chiefs reporter Pete Sweeney noted on X that many within the organization believed this was going to be Kelce’s swan song.
Yet, the veteran tight end has looked anything but finished on the field.
But even Kelce’s contributions haven’t been enough to steady a ship that’s taken on more than its fair share of water.
Injuries are piling up. Offensive lineman Josh Simmons left AT&T Stadium with his wrist in a cast.
Turns out, he dislocated and fractured it. Jawaan Taylor exited in the third quarter with an elbow issue.
And Trey Smith didn’t even suit up-he was inactive with an ankle injury. That’s three key pieces of the offensive line either out or banged up, and that’s a problem when your entire offense is built around giving Mahomes time to work his magic.
Chris Jones, always a vocal leader on the defensive side, summed it up plainly: “A few guys got banged up, it was a short week. These next games are going to be critical to us as a team. It's about honing in, coming closer together, relying on each other, pushing each other and making sure we have emphasis on these last few games.”
The Chiefs have been here before-backs against the wall, needing to dig deep. But this time feels different.
The margin is razor-thin, the schedule is unforgiving, and the injuries are piling up. Mahomes is still Mahomes, and that gives Kansas City a puncher’s chance.
But if they’re going to keep their playoff streak alive, it’s going to take more than just elite quarterback play. It’s going to take a full-team reset, a commitment to execution, and a little bit of that championship DNA they’ve relied on in the past.
The clock is ticking. And for the first time in a long time, the Chiefs are fighting just to get to the dance.