The Kansas City Chiefs fell back down to Earth in 2025. After a dynastic run that included five Super Bowl appearances and three championships in Patrick Mahomes’ first seven seasons, the team finished 6-11 in 2025, their worst mark since Andy Reid took over as head coach in 2013.
In order to get back into contention in 2026 and beyond, the Chiefs will have to make some serious adjustments. The upcoming offseason will be full of questions, from roster decisions to injury issues, and we take a look at the three most important issues facing Kansas City in the coming months:
Q1: What If Mahomes Misses Time?
During the Hall of Fame-worthy start to his career, Mahomes has been one of the most durable QBs in the NFL. But he suffered a torn ACL toward the end of the tumultuous Chiefs’ season, and there is no definitive timetable for his return. Depending on the recovery process, there is a chance that he won’t be ready to go by Week 1, making Kansas City’s backup quarterback spot an important aspect to the offseason.
As it stands at the start of January, the only other quarterback on the team’s payroll is Chris Oladokun, who got the first two starts of his NFL career in relief of Mahomes at the end of 2025. The free agent market is thin, especially for backup caliber players, so the star plater returning to form as soon as possible is imperative for 2026 success.
Q2: Will The Coordinators Need To Be Replaced?
Thanks to their names being on the list of head coaching candidates this offseason, both of the Chiefs’ coordinators may need to be replaced ahead of 2026. Steve Spagnuolo has been leading Kansas City’s defense since 2019, but is already scheduled for interviews for head coaching gigs around the league. Matt Nagy has been with the organization for 10 of the last 13 seasons, and has been the offensive coordinator since 2023, and he too is garnering interest on the open market.
Both of them leaving would be a tough blow for the Chiefs. The consistency of the coaching staff and leadership has been one of the strong points in Kansas City during their recent successful run, and bringing in new coordinators could have an adverse effect on both sides of the ball.
Q3: What Are They Doing About The Skill Positions?
It is no secret that the Chiefs have failed to surround Patrick Mahomes with the weapons necessary to be successful. Since Tyreek Hill’s departure in 2022, Kansas City hasn’t had a receiver top the 1,000 yard mark in any season, and they haven’t had a 1,000 yard rusher since Kareem Hunt’s rookie season in 2017. Add in the likely retirement of Travis Kelce, and the situation remains dire for Mahomes and the offense.
How will they improve in that aspect? There are only a handful of free agent wide receiver options that would give the Chiefs a clear #1 option, so they may have to go the route of a trade to improve at the position. But there are some attractive running backs that should be available, including Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker III.
