The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into one of their most pivotal offseasons in recent memory. After a stunning 6-11 finish capped by a six-game losing streak-and a devastating ACL injury to Patrick Mahomes in Week 15-this once-dominant franchise finds itself at a crossroads. And when Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez speaks on the state of the team, people listen.
Gonzalez didn’t sugarcoat it. He sees a tough road ahead for Kansas City, especially with the financial hurdles looming over the organization.
“It’s gonna be tough this offseason,” Gonzalez said. “Who are they going to bring back with the cap money they got?
They got to re-sign some players. They’re gonna have to cut some good players.”
And he’s not wrong. The Chiefs are currently a staggering $54.53 million over the 2026 salary cap.
That’s not just a budgeting issue-it’s a structural challenge. Before Kansas City can even think about adding talent, they have to find a way to get under the cap.
That likely means tough decisions on veterans, potential restructures, and saying goodbye to some familiar faces.
Among the names Gonzalez mentioned is cornerback Trent McDuffie, who’s emerged as one of the premier defensive backs in the league. The question now: do the Chiefs lock him in with a massive contract, or do they roll the dice on developing talent elsewhere?
Then there’s Chris Jones, still anchoring the defensive line and still commanding a significant chunk of cap space. These aren’t just players-they’re foundational pieces.
But in a cap-tight league, even cornerstones can become cap casualties.
Gonzalez also made it clear where he’d prioritize spending: the offensive line. And that’s a sentiment that resonates deeply with Chiefs fans who watched Mahomes take hit after hit last season.
“I always like offensive line,” Gonzalez said. “I think if you give Patrick time, he’ll give you the world, he will dominate.
You want to keep him healthy so he doesn’t have to scramble that much. He got hurt when he was out there running around.”
That last point hits especially hard. Mahomes’ torn ACL didn’t just derail the season-it exposed the fragility of a team that’s leaned heavily on his mobility and improvisation.
Gonzalez’s message is simple but powerful: protect your franchise quarterback at all costs. Because when Mahomes has time, he doesn’t just make plays-he elevates everyone around him.
Average receivers start looking like Pro Bowlers. Good receivers start looking like Hall of Famers.
Beyond the trenches, Gonzalez sees this offseason as a natural inflection point for the franchise. “There’s a lot of things they have to address,” he said.
“This is going to be an interesting offseason for the Chiefs. I think it’s time.
It’s that rebuilding time.”
That word-rebuilding-can be a tough pill to swallow, especially for a team that’s been a mainstay in the postseason for the better part of a decade. But Gonzalez isn’t calling for a teardown.
He’s pointing to a transition-a reset, not a retreat. And with GM Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid steering the ship, he’s confident Kansas City can navigate this storm.
“I couldn’t think of a better duo to get that job done and still put out a really competitive team next year,” Gonzalez added.
So here we are. The Chiefs are over the cap, coming off a disappointing season, and facing massive decisions on key players.
But they still have Mahomes. They still have Reid.
And they still have a front office that’s proven it knows how to build a contender.
This offseason won’t be easy. But if Kansas City plays its cards right, it won’t be long before they’re right back in the thick of the AFC race.