The Kansas City Chiefs head into 2026 with plenty of questions, and Patrick Mahomes is right at the center of them after coming back from an ACL tear late last season. But there’s also a clear case for optimism around the quarterback, especially if the pieces around him fall into place.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano pointed to four specific reasons Mahomes could put together a strong comeback year for Kansas City. The biggest shift starts on the sideline, where the Chiefs moved from Matt Nagy to Eric Bieniemy at offensive coordinator. Graziano noted, "They replaced Matt Nagy with Eric Bieniemy at offensive coordinator, which doesn't seem like a big change given Bieniemy's history there, but they also changed out several other offensive assistants," Graziano writes.
That reunion with Bieniemy matters because the Mahomes-Chiefs offense has already done plenty of damage with him in the past. Even beyond the coordinator switch, the staff changes give Kansas City a different look entering the season.
The other three reasons all come down to personnel. Graziano wrote, "And they are counting on a fully healthy Xavier Worthy, a (hopefully) fully healthy and engaged Rashee Rice, and newly signed running back Kenneth Walker III," Graziano writes.
Worthy and Rice both had disrupted seasons a year ago. Worthy was hurt almost immediately in Week 1, while Rice’s year was complicated by a mix of on- and off-field issues. If both are healthy and productive in 2026, Mahomes should have a much better set of targets to work with.
Then there’s Walker, who gives Kansas City a different kind of threat in the backfield. Instead of leaning on a veteran Kareem Hunt or other stopgap choices, the Chiefs are expecting Walker to be a major part of both the run and pass game after winning Super Bowl MVP for the Seattle Seahawks in 2025.
Put it together, and the blueprint for a rebound is pretty clear: Bieniemy back in place, Worthy and Rice available, and Walker added to the mix. For Mahomes, that could be enough to turn 2026 into a very different season than the one that came before it.
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Chiefs Suddenly Have A Massive Week 1 Concern On Defense
The Chiefs defensive plans for Week 1 took a late hit Friday when Chris Jones popped up on the injury report with a calf issue after not appearing there the day before. Jones was listed as limited in practice, which is enough to raise eyebrows given how central he is to Kansas Citys front and how much the unit leans on him in big divisional games.
Kansas City now has to wait until Saturdays practice to get a better read on where he stands before finalizing his game status for the season opener against the Broncos. For a defense already trying to set its tone early, any uncertainty around Jones is the kind of development that changes the conversation fast. [Read more 🡒]
Taylor Swift May Miss Kelces Opener As Bigger Chiefs Question Looms
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A Hollywood insider also reported that Swift has decided not to move to Kansas City, despite having no current tour or event obligations, a choice that suggests she will keep some distance from Kelce during the NFL season. There is still the possibility she could travel for some games, but for the Chiefs, it adds another layer to a year in which the off-field storyline will follow the on-field one wherever it goes. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Left Tackle Worry Just Grew With Latest Veteran Twist
The Chiefs left tackle situation was already a concern, and the latest move around D.J. Humphries only adds another layer to it. Washington released the veteran tackle just two weeks after signing him, a reminder of how quickly the veteran market can shift for a position group that is already thin and hard to stabilize.
Kansas City is still expected to turn to rookie Kahlil Benson on the blind side because of injuries and roster moves, even with the obvious questions that come with asking a newcomer to handle that job. Humphries had previously been tried out by the Chiefs without sticking, and with his injury history still part of the evaluation, he does not look like an easy fix for a problem that keeps hanging over the offense. [Read more 🡒]