2025 Kansas City Chiefs season

The 2025 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 56th in the National Football League, their 66th overall, their ninth under the leadership of general manager Brett Veach and their 13th under head coach Andy Reid. The Chiefs entered the season as three-time defending AFC champions and hoped to avenge their third Super Bowl loss in franchise history against the Philadelphia Eagles the previous season. However, the season became a major disappointment, marred by injuries and close losses. The Chiefs failed to win the AFC West for the first time since 2015, missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and finished with a losing record for the first time since 2012.
The Chiefs failed to improve on their franchise-best 15–2 record from 2024 as they started 0–2 for the first time since 2014. The team only won consecutive games in Weeks 3–4 and Weeks 6–8, the first time under Reid they did not win at least 4 straight regular season games. Despite this, they managed a decent 5–3 start entering their Week 9 matchup at the [2025 2025 Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills], holding onto a wild card spot. However, the Chiefs proceeded to lose all but one game the rest of the season from week 9 onwards. To add insult to injury, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending ACL tear late in the team's Week 15 game, a loss to the [2025 2025 Los Angeles Chargers season|Los Angeles Chargers season|Los Angeles Chargers] that eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention. Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew injured his knee the following game, and the team started third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun in the final two games. All but one of the Chiefs' wins were by multiple possessions, but they lost nine of their games by one possession. The Chiefs went 5-4 at home but 1–7 on the road, which ultimately cost them a trip to the postseason.
The Chiefs' Thanksgiving game against the [2025 2025 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys] had a regular season record of 57.2 million viewers. The game was broadcast on CBS and streaming service Paramount+, and peaked with 61.4 million viewers by the game's conclusion.

Offseason

All transactions below occurred in the 2025 offseason.

Futures contracts

Futures contracts are signed beginning with the conclusion of the previous season. They typically consist of players who spent a portion of the previous season on the practice squad of a team.

Players lost

Below are players who were on the roster at the end of the 2024 season, but were either released or did not re-sign after their contract expired.

Trades

Trades below only are for trades that included a player. Draft pick only trades will go in draft section.

Draft

Name	Position	College	Ref.
Elijhah Badger	WR	Florida
Jake Briningstool	TE	Clemson
Will Brooks	S	[2024 2024 Tennessee Volunteers football team\|Tennessee Volunteers football team\|Tennessee]
Dalton Cooper	OL	Oklahoma State
Jacobe Covington	CB	USC
Eddie Czaplicki	P	USC
Mac Dalena	WR	Fresno State
Brandon George	LB	Pittsburgh
Coziah Izzard	DT	Penn State
Kevin Knowles	CB	Florida State
Justin Lockhart	WR	San Jose State
Glendon Miller	DB	Maryland
Esa Pole	OT	Washington State
Melvin Smith Jr.	CB	Southern Arkansas
Tre Watson	TE	Texas A&M
Elijah Young	RB	Western Kentucky
Jimmy Holiday	WR	Louisiana Tech
Cooper McDonald	LB	TCU
Major Williams	DB	Carson–Newman

'''Draft trades'''

Preseason

Defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who was drafted by the Chiefs in the first round in 2023, was placed on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury in the preseason.

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Sources
1		at Arizona Cardinals	L 17–20	0–1	State Farm Stadium
2		at Seattle Seahawks	L 16–33	0–2	Lumen Field
3		Chicago Bears	L 27–29	0–3	Arrowhead Stadium

Regular season

Schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Los Angeles Chargers

NFL International Series
Early in the game, receiver Xavier Worthy was knocked out of the game with an injury after an collision with Travis Kelce, which contributed to a sluggish first half that was capped off by a two minute drill to kick a field goal at the end of the half. Despite a strong second half performance, the Chargers were able to run the clock out on their final possession following a run from Justin Herbert. With the loss, the Chiefs lost their season opener for the second time in three seasons and lost to the Chargers for the first time since 2021, and the first road loss to the Chargers since 2013.

Week 2: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The game remained close throughout, until a game-deciding play occurred early in the fourth quarter. With the Chiefs in the Eagles' red zone, Patrick Mahomes threw a pass intended for Travis Kelce, but the ball bounced off Kelce’s hands and was intercepted by Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba. The turnover eventually led to a touchdown that put the game away for the Eagles.
With their 3rd loss to Philadelphia since 2023, the Chiefs started 0–2 for the first time since the 2014 season. Including their defeat in Super Bowl LIX, it also marked the first time Mahomes has lost three consecutive starts. Additionally, this was the Chiefs' first home loss since 2023 Christmas Day, ending a 12-game home winning streak.

Week 3: at New York Giants

With the win, the Chiefs avoided starting 0–3 for the first time since 2011. The Chiefs recorded their first-ever road victory against the Giants, snapping a seven-game road losing steak against them.

Week 4: vs. Baltimore Ravens

With the dominant win over the Ravens, the Chiefs improved to 2–2 on the season. They are now 6–1 against Baltimore since 2018.

Week 5: at Jacksonville Jaguars

With the loss, the Chiefs fell to 2–3 for the first time since 2021 and lost to the Jaguars for the first time since the 2009 season, snapping an eight-game winning streak against them. In addition, this loss also dropped the Chiefs to an 0–3 record in one-score games, after they went 11–0 in one-score games the previous season.

Week 6: vs. Detroit Lions

With the win, the Chiefs improved to 3–3, and their record improved to.500. Patrick Mahomes recorded his 302nd career touchdown pass, including the postseason, becoming the fastest player in NFL history to reach 300 touchdown passes. He accomplished the feat in just 139 games, eight fewer than the previous record holder, Aaron Rodgers.
At the end of the game, Mahomes attempted to give a high-five to Lions safety Brian Branch as they met near midfield. However, Branch walked past Mahomes without acknowledging him. Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster confronted Branch over that. In response, Branch threw a right hook that knocked Smith-Schuster to the ground, sparking a fight. The NFL later announced that Branch would be suspended one game for his actions.

Week 7: vs. Las Vegas Raiders

This was the Chiefs' first shutout win since defeating the Houston Texans 30–0 in the AFC Wild Card round of the 2015–16 NFL playoffs, and their first regular season shutout victory since coincidentally beating the then-Oakland Raiders 28–0 during the 2011 season.

Week 8: vs. Washington Commanders

The Chiefs extended their winning streak against the Commanders to nine with the win. They also continued their streak of never having lost to Washington at home.
With the win, the Chiefs improved to 5–3.

Week 9: at Buffalo Bills

Patrick Mahomes struggled against the Bills’ defense, finishing with a career-worst 44.1% completion rate while completing 15 of 34 passes for 250 yards and an interception. It marked the first time in his regular-season career that he completed fewer than 50% of his pass attempts. With their fifth straight regular season loss to the Bills, the Chiefs fell to 5–4.

Week 11: at Denver Broncos

After a close game, Broncos kicker Wil Lutz kicked a 35-yard field goal on the final play to defeat the Chiefs, giving Denver revenge and reversing the outcome of the teams’ meeting in Kansas City the previous season, when Lutz’s potential game-winning field goal as time expired was blocked. With their second straight loss to Denver, the Chiefs lost 3 straight and fell to 5–5 while 1–2 against the AFC West.
Tight end Travis Kelce caught his 84th career touchdown, becoming the Chiefs’ all-time franchise leader in touchdowns and surpassing running back Priest Holmes’s previous record of 83.

Week 12: vs. Indianapolis Colts

Although the Colts led 20–9 entering the fourth quarter, the Chiefs rallied. Kansas City's defense forced the Colts to go three-and-out on each of their final four possessions, and the Chiefs eventually kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime. Patrick Mahomes threw for a season-high 352 yards.

Week 13: at Dallas Cowboys

Thanksgiving Day games
With the loss, the Chiefs fell to 6–6 for the first time since 2017 and finished 2–2 against the NFC East and 3-2 against the NFC.
The game was watched by 57.2 million viewers, becoming the most watched NFL regular season game ever, shattering the previous record by more than 15 million viewers.

Week 14: vs. Houston Texans

In a game-deciding sequence, the Chiefs, facing 4th-and-1 at their own 31, decided to go for it, but Mahomes’ pass fell incomplete with just over 10 minutes remaining. Six plays later, Texans running back Dare Ogunbowale rushed for a 5-yard touchdown to give Houston the lead that they would not relinquish. This marked the Chiefs first loss to the Texans since 2019, officially snapping a six game win streak against them.
With the loss, the Chiefs' streak of nine straight AFC West division titles was snapped. It was Kansas City's first loss of the season by more than one score.

Week 15: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

With two minutes left in the game and the Chiefs driving into Chargers territory with a chance to tie, Patrick Mahomes suffered a non-contact injury to his left knee and was quickly ruled out. Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew took over and, on a game-deciding play, threw an interception to Chargers safety Derwin James, sealing the loss.
With the upset loss, the Chiefs were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2014. They were also swept by the Chargers for the first time since 2013 and swept by an AFC West rival for the first time since the 2014 Broncos.
It was later revealed through an MRI that Mahomes suffered a torn ACL in his left knee and would miss the remainder of the season.

Week 16: at Tennessee Titans

Gardner Minshew was knocked out of the game, forcing the Chiefs to start their third-string quarterback, Chris Oladokun.
With the upset loss, the Chiefs were guaranteed their first losing season since 2012 and they finished 1-3 against the AFC South.

Week 17: vs. Denver Broncos

Christmas Day games
Although the Chiefs were down to their third-string quarterback, Chris Oladokun, and several starters were out, and entered the game as double-digit underdogs, they remained competitive against the Broncos. However, a game-deciding play occurred late in the fourth quarter when the Broncos faced fourth-and-2 inside the 10-yard line and did not intend to snap the ball. Chris Jones jumped offsides, giving Denver a fresh set of downs, which eventually led to a go-ahead touchdown that sealed a Broncos victory.
With the loss, the Chiefs’ nine-game home winning streak against the Broncos came to an end, marking their first home defeat to Denver since the 2015 season. Additionally, the Chiefs were swept by the Broncos for the first time since the 2014 season.

Week 18: at Las Vegas Raiders

With the upset loss, their first road loss to the Raiders since 2017, the Chiefs finished out their season on a 6-game losing streak, close out 6–11, 1–5 against the AFC West and 1–7 on the road.