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[Kansas City Chiefs]

Mike Pennel signs with the Bengals

According to a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, former Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Mike Pennel has been signed to the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad.

Veteran DT Mike Pennel is signing with the #Bengals, per source. Practice squad initially with active roster capabilities.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 1, 2025

Pennel, 34, was a surprise release during the team’s final roster cutdown on Tuesday. It was initially assumed that this was the first move in a maneuver that would put another player on the practice squad after the initial 53-man roster had been set — but speaking to reporters on Thursday, general manager Brett Veach put a different spin on it.

“I think with every position group, we’re trying to get better, and we’re trying to add competition,” he said, per Chiefs Digest. “I think that was one position group we were trying to continually get deeper, get younger, get more athletic.”

Toward that end, Veach revealed that the team had been in negotiations with the Cleveland Browns to acquire defensive tackle Jowon Briggs, who was ultimately traded to the New York Jets. So the Chiefs traded with the Jets to re-acquire 29-year-old defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi. That led to Pennel’s release.

“I think when it came to Derrick, [it was] probably [a] similar level of play [to] what we’ve seen [from Pennel] — but both those guys have, over the years, played and helped us out in games,” explained Veach. “But I do think you take in [the] consideration [of] just the length of the season.”

This appeared to suggest that Kansas City was concerned Pennel might no longer be able to handle a full season with the Chiefs. It seems likely that in such a situation, the team would have wanted to put Pennel on its practice squad. Social media posts that some have interpreted to mean Pennel is angry with the team could indicate that he refused an offer to be on the Chiefs’ practice squad — but if that were the case, why would the Topeka native then accept an offer to be on the Cincinnati practice squad? Being signed to the Chiefs’ practice squad is exactly how he returned to Kansas City two years ago.

On Thursday, Veach indicated the team would welcome Pennel back in the right circumstances.

“I think we’d always be open to that for sure,” said Veach. “Mike’s a guy that, I mean, he’s a special human being — and we love Mike. He’s one of those guys that I feel every time we’ve gotten him back in short spurts, it’s been the best he has.

“I mean, even at his age, he’s a juice guy [and] he’s an energy guy. We love him, so [we’re] certainly keeping that door open as well. I think all options are open for us at that position.”

Pennel’s signing with the Bengals doesn’t necessarily close the door on a return to Kansas City. As long as he hasn’t been activated to the Cincinnati roster, the Chiefs could poach him at any time. And let’s not forget: the defensive tackle had been on two other NFL teams before he returned to Kansas City in 2023.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kansas-city-chiefs-roster/180578/mike-pennel-signs-with-the-bengals

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Arrowheadlines: Sim of 2025 season has the Chiefs and Eagles missing the playoffs

The latest​

2025 NFL season sim: Predictions, surprises, playoff teams | ESPN

Both Super Bowl LIX teams miss playoffs
Eleven months after the Chiefs and Eagles squared off in Super Bowl LIX, both teams cleaned out their lockers following Week 18. Neither managed to make it back to the playoffs, easily the shocker of the 2025 campaign in this simulation.
The Eagles were actually done before the final week. Thought to be infallible heading into the season, the Eagles were 5-4 after Week 10 — a game behind the Cowboys but still seemingly in control of their postseason destiny. But that turned into a 6-8 record, leaving Philadelphia in pure panic mode. In the end, the Eagles couldn’t make up the gap, falling short in the NFC East and wild-card battle.
The Chiefs’ collapse was much more startling. Kansas City controlled its destiny in the AFC West after beating the Broncos on Christmas Day to improve to 9-7. It needed to only to beat the Raiders to secure its 11th straight playoff spot. But Patrick Mahomes‘ clutch gene was nowhere to be found as the Chiefs fell 28-19, allowing the Broncos — who won their Week 18 game — to win the division on a tiebreaker. No wild-card bid for the Chiefs either.
The two defending conference champions weren’t the only surprising teams to miss the playoffs in 2025. The Commanders, 49ers and Packers all missed the postseason, too.

Each NFL team’s ceiling and floor for 2025: Who can knock off Eagles, Chiefs? Teams with no shot at winning? | CBS Sports

Ceiling: 15-2, win Super Bowl

The expectation in Kansas City is a world championship. The Chiefs have won three Super Bowls in the past six years and have been to five of them in that span. They have the best head coach-quarterback duo in Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, never missing a conference championship game since Mahomes became the starting quarterback. Josh Simmons should solve the left tackle problem and Mahomes looks primed to have another MVP-caliber season. Let’s not forget the offense has more downfield playmakers and Travis Kelce appears ready for a bounce-back year. The Chiefs are going to be very good again.

Floor: 12-5, lose in conference championship game

A down year for the Chiefs is a conference championship game loss. That’s the standard Kansas City has set for itself in the Reid-Mahomes era. There are some cracks in the pipe for the Chiefs, as the left side of the offensive line has its flaws (even with Simmons) and the depth of this team will be tested. They also have won a lot of one-score games (11-0 last year), so a reversal of fortune may be in order. Regardless, the Chiefs are still one of the best teams in football. If Mahomes is on the field, they have an excellent shot at making a deep playoff run.

NFL Schedule 2025: Ranking Every Week 18 Option for ‘Sunday Night Football’ Flex | SI

10. Chiefs at Raiders

It seems fitting to have the Chiefs one spot ahead of the Cowboys, given the conversation in recent years about whether Kansas City has overtaken Dallas as the new king of television ratings. NBC similarly would be thrilled to have a bonus Chiefs game on the schedule in January. However, the schedule makers didn’t pair up K.C. with either of the AFC West teams that earned wild-card spots last season and are expected to contend. If Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly have the Raiders in the mix, this would be a great rivalry game to finish out the season. But in a world where the league really does prioritize playoff stakes over ratings for this time slot, this game has a ceiling.

Kansas City Chiefs Announce Partnership with Cheez-It as They Launch in Germany | The Mothership

Cheez-It, a fan favorite in the United States for more than a century, officially launched in Germany in August 2025 and is now available in more than 40,000 locations nationwide, including supermarkets, gas stations, and vending machines. Like the Chiefs, Cheez-It stands for excitement, entertainment, and loyal fans – making the two a natural fit.

“Cheez-It is one of America’s most beloved snack brands, and this partnership is a great way to share that tradition with fans in Germany,” said Kellen Begnoche, Chiefs Vice President of Partnership Strategy. “With Cheez-It making its debut, we’re thrilled to give fans another way to experience the thrill and flavor of NFL game day.”

Andreas Billker, Senior Marketing Activation Manager Salty Snacks for Kellanova adds: “Cheez-It is more than just a snack – it’s a cultural icon with deep roots in American fandom. Partnering with the Kansas City Chiefs, one of the most iconic franchises in American sports, is a natural fit for us. As we expand into Germany, we’re excited to bring the energy, passion and game-day spirit of both our brands to a whole new fanbase.”

2025 NFL projected win totals: Floor & ceiling for each AFC team | NFL.com

11.2 wins

Kansas City Chiefs

AFC WEST CHAMPIONS

Ceiling: 13.4

Floor: 9.5

Even with Rashee Rice suspended to start the season, I think we’ll see Patrick Mahomes bounce back near the top five of the passing leaderboards; he ranks in the top five in passing TDs in just over 35 percent of simulations. (For context, Joe Burrow has the highest odds to be in the top five, doing so in 57 percent of simulations.) Mahomes is my QB6 in fantasy (and Travis Kelce is my TE6).

Around the NFL​

Rams’ Matthew Stafford expected to start opener against Texans | ESPN

Stafford missed nearly the first month of training camp while dealing with the injury but has been a full participant in practice since his Aug. 18 return. McVay said Monday that Stafford will participate in the full week of practice leading up to the Rams’ Week 1 game against the Texans.

McVay also said left tackle Alaric Jackson, who is dealing with lower leg blood clots, participated in Monday’s practice. McVay said that although the blood clots will “always [be] something that you have to manage,” the plan is for Jackson to play against Houston.

“I do believe that we’ll be at our best with him out there,” McVay said.

Steelers starting RB Jaylen Warren signs 2-year extension | ESPN

The deal includes $12 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The deal also includes a $5.95M signing bonus, upping Warren’s pay to $7-plus-million in 2025 (he was due $5.346M on a restricted tender), a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Warren gets $5.05M in 2026 and $5.15M in 2027 for a total of $17.25M over three years, a source told Fowler.

Warren, who initially made the Steelers’ roster as a rookie undrafted free agent in 2022 after turning heads in his first training camp, enters the 2025 season as the team’s starting running back after three seasons as a complementary player to former first-round pick Najee Harris. The Steelers declined Harris’ fifth-year option and let him walk in free agency earlier this year, leaving Warren leading a position group that also includes rookie third-round pick Kaleb Johnson and former Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride​

Chiefs Roster: GM Brett Veach gives clarity wideouts, Mike Pennel cut

Without Rice — who is clearly the team’s top wideout — there will be more pressure on other wide receivers to produce during the opening weeks of the season. Veach believes rookie wideout Jalen Royals has a similar skill set, but he’s presently battling tendonitis. Still, Veach thinks there’s another wideout who can pitch in — and as long as veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster is on the team, Veach isn’t worried.

“I think both of those guys have a similar skill set,” said Veach. “Obviously JuJu’s been here for a while, and JuJu — to his credit — I think he looked better with this camp than he did the last camp he was here. He’s really taking care of his body, so that’s a good thing because we’re getting JuJu fresh and at the beginning of the season.”

Veach also addressed the situation with 34-year-old defensive tackle Mike Pennel — a fan favorite who was released at final cutdown. There was immediate speculation that Pennel would be brought back after another player had been placed on the Reserve/Injured list — a common tactic among GMs working to get their rosters to 53 men — but Veach said there is more to the story than that.

“I think with every position group, we’re trying to get better, and we’re trying to add competition,” he said, per Chiefs Digest. “I think that was one position group we were trying to continually get deeper, get younger, get more athletic.”

Social media to make you think​

Keep this in mind about the Chiefs during Prediction Week…. pic.twitter.com/OaVHyNqOsW

— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) September 1, 2025

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Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...as-the-chiefs-and-eagles-missing-the-playoffs

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs-Chargers Tuesday injury report: Only Jalen Royals is held out

Each practice day of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs release an official injury report leading up to the next game. This week, the Chiefs will be in São Paulo, Brazil to play the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday at 7 p.m. Arrowhead Time.

Here is the Chiefs’ first official injury report of the week:

Chiefs​

Player	Ps	Injury	Tue	Wed	Thu	Status
Jalen Royals	WR	Knee	DNP	–	–	–
Omarr Norman-Lott	DL	Ankle	LP	–	–	–
Jared Wiley	TE	Knee	FP	–	–	–
Hollywood Brown	WR	Ankle	FP	–	–	–
Jawaan Taylor	T	Knee	FP	–	–	–
Jack Cochrane	LB	Knee	FP	–	–	–
Drue Tranquill	LB	Back	FP	–	–	–
Kristian Fulton	CB	Knee	FP	–	–	–

Chargers​

Check back soon for the Chargers’ official injury report.

Some notes​

• Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid said that only rookie wide receiver Jalen Royals (knee) had been held out of that day’s practice.
• “Everybody else practiced [and] had a good day today,” said the coach, adding that the team will fly to Brazil on Wednesday and do a walkthrough practice (which the team would do on Saturday for a Sunday game) on Thursday.
• Reid didn’t mention that second-round rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott (ankle) was a limited participant in Tuesday’s practice. We’ll see if he improves enough to play on Friday.
• It appears that all the other players who have been struggling with injuries in the last couple of weeks will be good-to-go for the game — including cornerback Kristian Fulton (knee), right tackle Jawaan Taylor (knee), linebacker Drue Tranquill (back) and wide receiver Hollywood Brown (ankle).
• Asked how he was feeling, Brown had a direct answer for reporters. “Feeling good,” he said. “Blessed. Real good.”

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...y-injury-report-only-jalen-royals-is-held-out

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs open 2025 season against Chargers: Everything we know

• Chiefs-Chargers Wednesday injury report: Jalen Royals staying home
• Dave Toub: ‘We’ll see’ about potential field issues against Chargers in Brazil
• Chiefs-Chargers Tuesday injury report: Only Jalen Royals is held out
• Rookie Josh Simmons is ready for first NFL test in Brazil
• Chiefs open as favorites over the Chargers in Week 1
• NFL power rankings Week 1 roundup: Chiefs near the top
• Steve Spagnuolo: It takes a while before you know what you have on defense
• Chargers WR Ladd McConkey has the Chiefs’ attention
• Chiefs preparing to see familiar — but highly respected — Chargers squad
• Chiefs may have to count on JuJu Smith-Schuster to fill Rashee Rice’s role

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...25-season-against-chargers-everything-we-know

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs-Chargers Wednesday injury report: Jalen Royals staying home

Each practice day of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs release an official injury report leading up to the next game. This week, the Chiefs will be in São Paulo, Brazil to play the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday at 7 p.m. Arrowhead Time.

Here is the Chiefs’ second official injury report of the week, which is an estimated statement:

Chiefs​

Player	Ps	Injury	Tue	Wed	Thu	Status
Jalen Royals	WR	Knee	DNP	DNP	DNP	OUT
Omarr Norman-Lott	DL	Ankle	LP	LP	–	–
Jared Wiley	TE	Knee	FP	FP	–	–
Hollywood Brown	WR	Ankle	FP	FP	–	–
Jawaan Taylor	T	Knee	FP	FP	–	–
Jack Cochrane	LB	Knee	FP	FP	–	–
Drue Tranquill	LB	Back	FP	FP	–	–
Kristian Fulton	CB	Knee	FP	FP	–	–

Chargers​

Check back soon for the Chargers’ official injury report.

Some notes​

• Since the Chiefs are spending the day traveling to Brazil, there was no Wednesday practice. So this week’s second injury report is estimated; today’s entries are the same as yesterday’s.
• The team has announced that rookie wide receiver Jalen Royals is not making the trip to São Paulo. He has officially been declared out for Friday’s game.
• Second-round rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott (ankle) was a limited participant in Tuesday’s practice. We’ll see if he improves enough to play on Friday.
• It appears that all the other players who have recently been struggling with injuries will be good-to-go for the game — including cornerback Kristian Fulton (knee), right tackle Jawaan Taylor (knee), linebacker Drue Tranquill (back) and wide receiver Hollywood Brown (ankle).
• The team will do a walkthrough practice (which the team would do on Saturday for a Sunday game) on Thursday. The final injury report will be issued after that session.

For the Tuesday injury report, click here.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...eek-1-injury-report-jalen-royals-staying-home

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Let’s Argue: There is little to complain about

In our “Let’s Argue” series, our Mark Gunnels considers the hot takes, wacky predictions and unpopular opinions of Kansas City Chiefs fans from all over the world.

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The Chiefs’ defense has a lower ceiling in 2025​

I think the defense has a lower ceiling this season.

— Squabb Tonyan  (@emceereach) August 25, 2025

I actually believe the opposite.

With the losses of Justin Reid, Turk Wharton and Mike Pennel, it’s clear general manager Brett Veach and company are going with the youth movement — although the unit’s core with Chris Jones, Nick Bolton and Trent McDuffie remains intact.

But it’s going to come down to players like George Karlaftis, Leo Chenal, Jaden Hicks, and others to determine how good or bad this unit will be. That’s why I believe the ceiling is higher, while the floor is probably lower.

At the end of the day, I trust defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

The Chiefs should have kept Justin Reid​

Shoulda never let J Reid go.

— Rx13yz (@Rx13yz) August 26, 2025

This ties into what I just said.

While they aren’t exactly equivalent players, Justin Reid played Tyrann Mathieu’s defensive role during the past three seasons. Reid brought tenacity, physicality and leadership to the back end.

Now, it’ll be up to Bryan Cook and Jaden Hicks to take over that role.

The Chiefs should lock up Isiah Pacheco​

I think the Chiefs should lock up Pacheco now while his 4th year still offers much cap flexibility.

— Mr.Brownstone (@FFBallAppraiser) August 26, 2025

The Pacheco discussion has been flying under the radar.

All the talk — and deservedly so — has been about the future of two-time All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. According to reports, the two sides are holding off on contract discussions until after the season. There’s no doubt in my mind that both want to get a deal done.

Chris Jones has been the defensive anchor for the last seven years. As he grows older, it would make sense for McDuffie to start assuming his role as the unit’s leader.

There’s even been some whispers of a potential Rashee Rice contract in 2026.

But as far as Pacheco goes, we haven’t really heard much. Before the 2026 season, he’ll turn 27. That isn’t old by any means, but it’s trending toward the running back’s dreaded thirtieth birthday.

While he clearly wasn’t the same after returning from injury last season, Pacheco has now had a full offseason to recover — and after seeing him run in the preseason, it looks like he’s got his juice back.

Considering how thin the team is at running back — and assuming Pacheco stays healthy — I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Chiefs bring him back on a two or three-year deal.

There is little to complain about​

There is little to complain about.

— Reagan’s America (@ReaganGOP8084) August 26, 2025

I absolutely love this response.

If you’ve been a Chiefs fan before this run, you should have a great appreciation for what we’ve witnessed over the last seven years.

Far too often, Kansas City fans complain about the organization’s front office and coaching decisions. I’m not going to say that Brett Veach, Andy Reid and the rest are above criticism.

Nonetheless, 31 other fanbases would gladly trade places with Chiefs Kingdom.

We should never forget that.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...-hots-takes-there-is-little-to-complain-about

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

The Chiefs’ 3 biggest questions against the Chargers

Throughout the season, I’ll be looking at three questions I have for each of the Kansas City Chiefs‘ upcoming opponents. For Week 1, Kansas City faces a familiar foe: its AFC West rival, the Los Angeles Chargers. Here’s what I’ll be looking for when the game starts.

1. Can the Chiefs’ pass rush overwhelm the Chargers’ offensive line?​

Season-ending injuries are terrible — particularly when they happen before it gets underway. During the offseason, the Chargers’ Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater tore his patellar tendon. He will not play in 2025.

But even before the injury, there were some question marks about the Los Angeles offensive line. While Slater and Joe Alt looked elite at tackle, the interior of the offensive line wasn’t even close to that level. And despite being bad in 2024, the Chargers didn’t do much about it for 2025.

Los Angeles did sign Mehki Becton from the Philadelphia Eagles — but while he had a great 2024 season, he has health concerns. He missed three weeks of training camp with an undisclosed injury. But aside from him, the Chargers have the same interior players who struggled last year.

And with Slater out, they must now deal with a concern at right tackle, because Alt has moved to the left side. Going into the season, this might be a bottom-5 offensive line. This allows Kansas City to get its pass rush going early. If I’m to believe the defensive line can improve from a subpar 2024, I’ll need to see the Chiefs impact the pocket throughout the game.

2. Can the Chiefs’ offense be explosive against Jesse Minter’s defense?​

One of last season’s surprises was how well the Los Angeles defense played. In the Brandon Staley era, the unit was a disaster. The team didn’t make any meaningful personnel moves before defensive coordinator Jesse Minter took over, so it was unclear whether the former Michigan coach could make a big improvement.

But in his first season, the Chargers’ defense dramatically exceeded expectations. Even with some shaky performances against top offenses, Los Angeles finished seventh in total success rate — fourth in passing and 15th against the run. Considering his personnel limitations, Minter did a tremendous job — and his defense played a big role in getting the Chargers into the playoffs.

Minter’s defense got the job done by keeping a lid on explosive downfield plays, relying on deep zone coverage to protect it over the top. This allowed defenders to rally to the ball. Since it didn’t have the bodies for it, the unit didn’t blitz or use man coverage. Instead, it forced opposing offenses into long drives — and made enough stops to make it a top-10 defense.

So for the Chiefs, the challenge will be to find explosive plays against Minter’s defense. Throughout the offseason, we’ve heard about Kansas City taking more deep shots — but against the Chargers’ defense, those might not be available. How can the Chiefs create some explosive plays?

Los Angeles plays with very light boxes, so there should be opportunities for the Chiefs to be explosive on the ground. If Isiah Pacheco is going to have a great year, we should be able to see him get into space on Friday night. This will also be a great test for Kansas City’s wide receivers. Will they be able to break tackles — something they couldn’t do often enough in 2024? The wideouts are clearly more dynamic. Will that translate to success?

3. What can we expect from the Chiefs’ run defense?​

During the preseason, we saw Kansas City’s run defense struggle — especially against the Seahawks, who gained 268 yards on the ground. I try not to take much away from any preseason game — but in Seattle, the run defense looked pretty shaky.

Besides… we know the Chargers are going to run the ball. Even with their bad offensive line (and poor running backs) in 2024, they were committed to establishing that identity — because that’s what any team with Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman will do. While the offensive line is still an issue for this season, Los Angeles did invest a first-round pick into running back Omarion Hampton — and signed Najee Harris in free agency, too.

In this game, Hampton will probably be the main rusher. His combination of power and explosiveness reminds me of Joe Mixon — and I think the Chargers will feed him touches to limit what their offensive line has to do in pass protection.

For the Chiefs, I’m primarily interested in seeing how the safeties will do against the run. In 2024, Justin Reid played a key role in the run defense. He could target and tackle running backs one-on-one, which allowed the team to have a great run defense — even while using a quarters-based coverage scheme. Will the guys replacing Reid be able to do that? Hampton is a home-run threat on any play, so Kansas City’s safeties will be the last line of defense. I’ll be interested to see how they perform.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...5/3-biggest-questions-against-chargers-week-1

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

5 things to watch as the Chiefs play the Chargers in Week 1

On Friday night, the defending AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs will open up the 2025 season against the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil. After a long offseason, the Patrick Mahomes era continues — giving Kansas City another chance to compete for an NFL Championship in Super Bowl LX.

Entering their second season under head coach Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles hopes to build upon a strong 2024 campaign in which it made the postseason, but was eliminated by the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round.

This early AFC West showdown could end up being an important factor in the 2025 season.

1. Field conditions​

In last season’s inaugural NFL game in Brazil — a matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles — the headlines weren’t about the Eagles’ victory. Instead, they were dominated by the field conditions — which appeared to have played a role in an injury sustained by Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love.

The NFL has assured both teams that field conditions have been improved, but it will be worth watching whether this poses an issue to either team.

2. Defensive tackle rotations​

The Chiefs made headlines by releasing veteran defensive tackle Mike Pennel at the 53-man cutdown. After being a key piece on the 2019 and 2020 teams, Pennel rejoined the team in 2023, adding another Super Bowl ring and playing a crucial role on the defense’s running downs.

Pennel then signed with the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad, which effectively ended his second Kansas City stint. Since he had been in the team’s starting rotation for most of training camp, Pennel’s release was surprising — even though right before his release, the Chiefs had made a trade to bring defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi back to the squad. In March, the team had allowed Nnadi to walk after seven seasons with the team.

But even with Nnadi back in the fold, Kansas City is thin at the position. All-Pro Chris Jones headlines the group, which also includes new veteran Jerry Tillery and rookie Omarr Norman-Lott. We’ll probably see defensive end Mike Danna rotate inside on some passing downs, too.

In 2024, the Chargers were one of the league’s best rushing teams — and with first-round rookie Omarion Hampton poised to take most of the carries, stopping the run will be a major priority for the defensive line.

3. The left side of the offensive line​

Rookie left tackle Josh Simmons and left guard Kingsley Suamataia will have their work cut out for them against a solid Charger defensive front — one that includes future Hall of Famer Khalil Mack. One of the league’s fiercest pass rushers, he’ll be facing a rookie in his first career start.

Early on, the Chargers will probably challenge both Simmons and Suamataia with a combination of blitzes and line stunts that use Mack and edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, who finished 2024 with 8.5 sacks. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has also shown exotic looks on third down. We should watch for him to give the inexperienced part of the Kansas City’s line lots of different tricks.

Simmons and Suamatia will need to remain true to their training, finding a way to balance the highs and lows they might face.

4. When will the Chiefs go deep?​

Ever since the offseason began, the Chiefs have been emphasizing pushing the ball downfield — getting back to the explosive offense that was the hallmark of quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ early years. With star receiver Rashee Rice suspended for the first six games of the season, the Chiefs could try to make up for his absence by going downfield.

Former first-round pick Xavier Worthy is primed for a breakout season. Alongside Hollywood Brown and Tyquan Thornton, he should provide the downfield speed the team hasn’t had since trading Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.

Throughout training camp, Mahomes threw the ball downfield with confidence. Watch to see how quickly Kansas City will turn to its downfield passing game — and how well it works. Given time, the Chiefs could transform an offense that has played pretty conservatively over the last couple of seasons.

5. Trent McDuffie against Ladd McConkey​

The matchup between these two Macs — the Kansas City cornerback and the Los Angeles wide receiver — will be important. McDuffie is emerging as one of the NFL’s best slot defenders, while McConkey is becoming one of the top slot receivers. Both are key cogs in their teams’ systems, and the matchup between the two players could be one of the game’s deciding factors.

In 2024, McDuffie made his second All-Pro team — while McConkey finished his rookie season with over 1,000 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

While McConkey didn’t play against the Chiefs in last season’s Week 14, he caught five passes for 67 yards and a touchdown in the Week 4 matchup. Now established as a favorite target for quarterback Justin Herbert, McConkey could see a big 2025 — but in the season opener, he will have to face one of the league’s best.

It should be quite a show.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...2/chiefs-chargers-5-things-to-watch-in-week-1

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs-Chargers 5 questions with the enemy: How good is LA’s reshuffled offensive line?

On Friday, the Kansas City Chiefs face the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil. We welcome Michael Peterson of Bolts from the Blue — our sister SBNation site covering the Chargers — for Five Questions with the Enemy.

1. While Ladd McConkey is among the league’s best young receivers, he needed some postseason help. How are the players the Chargers have put around him?​

I think they’ve done a phenomenal job of rounding out the receiver room with other young talent (Tre’ Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith) and a legitimate veteran presence: Keenan Allen. As a rookie early on, McConkey was really forced into leading that group — and he obviously thrived despite the circumstances. And with Allen back, the Chargers can move McConkey around without sacrificing a threat in the slot. Both Harris and KLS looked good on the outside during the preseason; when isolated, each hauled in their fair share of contested catches. I can’t predict the ceiling for this group — but I do feel strongly that in the years to come, they will end up being one of the league’s best.

2. With the injury to Rashawn Slater, the Chargers have been dealt a huge blow. They are lucky to have Joe Alt to slide over, but how strong is the offensive line?​

If everyone was healthy, this might be a top-8 unit — or somewhere in the top 10. But without Slater — and with left guard Zion Johnson and center Bradley Bozeman back this season — I do not have all that much confidence in the group. Slater and Johnson were the weakest links — and the Bolts did not do enough to try and upgrade more on the interior. With Slater out, Alt and Mehki Becton must play above themselves to raise the level of the guys between them.

The addition of Omarion Hampton may make the whole group look a lot better, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team struggle to establish the run better than they did a year ago.

3. Fans know Khalil Mack and Derwin James. Football junkies are already in on Tuli Tuipulotu. Who is a Chargers’ defensive standout who will make a big mark in 2025?​

I think if the Chargers’ defense wants to be dominant again in 2025, second-year cornerback Tarheeb Still will have to put together another strong season after leading the team in both pass breakups (10) and interceptions (4) as a rookie. The team added veteran Donte Jackson (5 interceptions in 2024) and Benjamin St-Juste in free agency, but only Jackson won a starting job next to Still. Jackson’s interceptions total last year looks good, but he was still open to being exploited at a clip higher than we’d like to see. Without any marquee names at cornerback, players like Still will have to hold the group up — or out of nowhere, the position could easily become one of the roster’s weak spots.

4. The Chiefs signed cornerback Kristian Fulton. How do you expect the former Charger to fit into Steve Spagnuolo’s defense?​

I think the best way to get the most out of Fulton is for the Chiefs’ front seven to force quick passes via pressure. In coverage last season, Fulton allowed the most touchdowns — and had a very rough end to his short tenure in Los Angeles. That unsurprisingly led to not being re-signed. Spags is a very good defensive coordinator. He will need to put as little as possible on Fulton’s plate, hoping he can become a ball-hawking, opportunistic defender. But if you asking him to cover an opposing WR1, it may not end up going very well.

5. Everything is weird about this Week 1 game — from the country to the day of the week. How do you see it playing out?​

I think it’s going to be competitive from start to finish. I think both teams will take their lumps — and each side will see momentum swing away (and back) quite a bit. But until proven otherwise, this one is likely to end with the Chiefs having the ball at the end — walking off with a win. We’ve all seen this movie many, many times. If the Chargers want things to end differently, they’ll have to make it happen. Until then, this is Kansas City’s game.

You can see the answers I gave to the Chargers’ questions by clicking here.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...ions-with-the-enemy-reshuffled-offensive-line

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

5 winners and 5 losers from the Chiefs’ loss to the Chargers in Brazil

Already short on wide receivers as they opened the season against the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil, the Kansas City Chiefs lost Xavier Worthy to a shoulder injury on the game’s third offensive play. Then they lost the Chargers’ receivers in coverage. Then they lost containment against Justin Herbert to seal their 27-21 loss.

What a way to start a season, huh?

It could have been worse — and without quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ hero-ball performance, it likely would have been.

It’s a long flight to Brazil. With emotions high after such a frustrating outcome, the flight home must have been even worse.

Here are a few who stood out as the Chiefs stumbled out of the gate to begin the 2025 season.

Winners​

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes: There were plenty of missed opportunities — including some long passes that were just off target. But the two-time MVP did his best to put the team on his back and drag it down the field — and Mahomes’ best is quite a lot. He led the team in rushing, scoring on the ground (and through the air) as he accounted for 315 total yards. Had the Chiefs been able to get the ball back at the end of the game, perhaps we’d remember the spectacular passes Mahomes was able to complete on Friday night, like the horizontal throw and the throw on the run while getting hit. Mahomes Magic is alive and well.

Tight end Travis Kelce: While Ms. Swift’s fiancée only had two catches, one was a beautiful 37-yard touchdown. The broadcast cameras caught what might have been an equally impactful moment where the veteran held the team’s right tackle accountable for his mistakes. This was the type of game we always want Kelce to have: a couple of catches and some veteran leadership.

Linebacker Drue Tranquill: On a night where the linebackers didn’t play very well, Tranquill stepped up — showing fire and leadership against his former team. Recording five tackles (two for a loss) and two sacks, Tranquill was the defense’s most impactful player. And like Kelce, Tranquill did what he could to hold teammates accountable, letting Chris Jones hear it when the All-Pro defensive tackle made a critical mistake.

Cornerback Trent McDuffie: The defense’s other All-Pro was great against the Chargers. He may have been the only member of the secondary who was able to cover anyone. He batted down a pass and had five tackles.

Special teams coordinator Dave Toub: It was one of the best moments in an otherwise forgettable game: the “fire drill” 59-yard field goal at the end of the first half. Getting the right squad on the field and lining it up in time for a snap as time expires isn’t easy, but the special team’s execution and timing were perfect. Of course, it’s also impressive that Butker was able to drive home such a long field goal in that situation. Still, the success of the whole unit on this play served to remind us that Toub is still one of the best in the business.

Losers​

Right Tackle Jawaan Taylor: His blocking wasn’t perfect, but it would have been good enough. The five penalties, however, are another matter. That’s not going to cut it.

The passing defense: Whom should I call out when the entire defense managed so little pass rush, left open receivers on every play and allowed the opposing quarterback to have one of his best games ever? There were struggles at all three levels. If this was a personnel issue, it should have already been solved. If it was just an off game, we should expect to see a huge bounce-back performance against the Philadelphia Eagles on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium next Sunday.

Running back Isiah Pacheco: On the plus side, he gained five yards per attempt. But on the minus side, he only had five carries; the Chiefs couldn’t get anything going on the ground. As a receiver, Pacheco turned three targets into two catches for only three yards. For teams to respect any threat of a running game, Pacheco will need to step up — and the team needs to give him the opportunities to do so. If not, Mahomes might be in for a long year.

Head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo: When motivation and emotion look inconsistent and execution is rough — and the same issues pop up over and over again — that’s on the coaches. They have to adjust their plans, make sure players are ready and put them in a position to win. While Friday’s matchup wasn’t as lopsided a loss as Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles, it had some of the same problems: a lack of pass rush, no running game… and no answers.

Note: Applying the labels “winners” and “losers” is not intended to be a judgment on the talent or character of any of these players or coaches. It’s just a simple way to grade their performance in a single game. No disrespect should be inferred.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...-chargers-5-winners-5-losers-from-week-1-loss

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

5 things we learned from the Chiefs’ loss to the Chargers in Brazil

Well, that wasn’t a very fun way to start the season.

During Friday night’s early going, the Kansas City Chiefs looked jet-lagged and sluggish against a rejuvenated, hungry Los Angeles Chargers team that at last looks prepared to give the Chiefs a run for their money in the race for the AFC West crown. Playing on an international stage, the Chiefs had an opportunity to make this a statement game. But instead, they left São Paulo with more questions than answers after losing their season opener 27-21.

Here are five other things we learned in the Week 1 loss.

1. The Chiefs are suddenly thin at wide receiver​

With Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals on the field, the Chiefs’ receiving corps looked potent and ready to make some noise. But with all three out of the mix, the Kansas City offense suddenly looked a whole lot less explosive. It wasn’t until late in the first half that we began to see some chunk plays from the team’s offense, but even these were few and far between.

For much of the game, the Chiefs’ passing attack looked like it was pulling teeth to move down the field. Luckily, we have a firm date for Rice’s return — and hopefully, Worthy and Royals will be back as well. Because here’s the unfortunate truth: Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton are fine role players. But if they are the team’s starting wideouts, there’s a problem.

2. They are who we thought they were​

Take your pick: Jawaan Taylor, Kingsley Suamataia or Chamarri Conner.

I don’t want to continue to harp on how poorly these three continue to play, because it’s just not fair to expect them to be more than they are. At this point, we have enough evidence to know they just don’t have the skills to perform their duties as NFL players.

Taylor and Conner’s shortcomings were especially on display on Friday night. Both were routinely smoked by the competition. I think it’s fair to say that if they had played even 50% better, the Chiefs would have been in a position to win the game.

3. The coaching staff needs to find a way to motivate the team​

The Chiefs came out flat on both sides of the ball. If it were just the offense or defense, then the team have could overcome the lack of energy by holding on until the rest of the team decided to wake up.

But in the first half, the Chiefs looked utterly absent.

It’s the coaching staff’s job to make sure their players are prepared — and up — for the game. This time, head coach Andy Reid and his staff dropped the ball. The team looked disjointed, slow and sloppy. The NFL’s margin for error is just too small. If the Chiefs continue to play as they did Friday, they’re in real trouble.

4. The Chiefs have a problem with their pass rush​

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense was unable to generate pressure against the Chargers without dialing up exotic blitzes that were disguised at the line of scrimmage. These plays are fine in small doses — and can lead to big defensive plays, too. But they lose their effectiveness when they are overused. So the team must figure out how to generate pass rush with only four down linemen.

Otherwise, we’re going to continue to see the same result: opposing quarterbacks getting as much time as they want to make plays.

5. Mahomes still has it​

While missing his top weapons (and running for his life), quarterback Patrick Mahomes showed that he still has that Magic Mahomes lurking down inside him. Whether he was throwing the ball while being 100% horizontal in the air or scrambling outside the pocket to gain additional yardage, Mahomes’ Friday night performance was nothing short of sorcery.

He played well enough to keep his team in contention until the very end. Even with everything else that went wrong on Friday, Mahomes still nearly willed his team to victory.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...chiefs-chargers-5-things-we-learned-in-week-1

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Week 1 Sunday games discussion

For the NFL’s Week 1, there’s a full slate of Sunday action:

Early games​

• Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Jets (CBS, locally on KCTV/5)
• Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots (CBS)
• Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns (FOX)
• Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts (CBS)
• Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars (FOX)
• Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints (CBS)
• New York Giants at Washington Commanders (FOX)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons (FOX)

Late games​

• Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos FOX, (locally on WDAF/4)
• Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers (CBS, locally on KCTV/5)
• Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams (CBS)
• San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (FOX)

Sunday Night Football​

• Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills (NBC, locally on KSHB/41)

Let’s talk about Sunday’s action!

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kansas-city-chiefs-discussions/181049/week-1-sunday-games-discussion

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Arrowheadlines: Teair Tart taunts Travis Kelce on social media following slap

The latest​

Biggest remaining need for each NFL team ahead of Week 1: Lions edge rushers, Jets WRs problem spots | CBS Sports

Kansas City Chiefs: Cornerback

The Chiefs signed Kristian Fulton, which allowed Trent McDuffie to move back to the slot. Jaylen Watson is the other projected starter. A lot could go wrong with that plan. It would not be a surprise if McDuffie moves back outside before season’s end.

Kansas City has added some competition along its offensive line by signing Jaylon Moore and drafting Josh Simmons after trading away Joe Thuney. The left guard spot vacated by Thuney is currently filled by Kingsley Suamataia. There has been cautious optimism regarding his capacity to fill that role.

2025-26 Super Bowl Predictions: Experts Pick Who Will Play in and Win SB LX | FOX Sports

Chris Fallica
Kansas City Chiefs (+850) over Detroit Lions

As much as people hate to admit it, the road to the Super Bowl still goes through Arrowhead in the AFC. Expect to see a very motivated Chiefs team this year after the Super Bowl embarrassment to end last season. Remember when coordinator changes were supposed to affect the Eagles adversely? Well, all they did was win the Super Bowl. Fast-forward to this season and the Lions, who were ripped apart by injuries late last year, couldn’t get back to the NFC Championship Game, then lost both coordinators Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson this offseason. The schedule is tough, but the Lions still have loads of talent on the offensive side of the ball. With the bandwagon less full, they may achieve their Super Bowl dream this year.

Chiefs vs Chargers winners and losers: Patrick Mahomes let down by KC | USA Today

Travis Kelce

To be fair, there might have been no better offseason winner than the 10-time Pro Bowl tight end, who got engaged to Taylor Swift a little more than a week before his 13th pro season began. But this shouldn’t be a satisfying output for Kelce in his team’s time of need. A 37-yard touchdown connection helped ignite a comeback bid that was eventually stamped out, but Kelce otherwise only had one catch for 10 yards on the night. On a second-and-goal late in the fourth, he and Mahomes couldn’t get on the same page on a look that could have led to a touchdown, leaving the Chiefs to settle for a field goal. There’s no cause for panic, but Kelce still has a long way to go to prove that the talk of his slimmed-down physique amounts to anything more than a summer trope.

Teair Tart has no regrets about slapping Travis Kelce and sends him a message that will leave Swifties ‘hurt’ | Marca

Officials ultimately penalized Tart with unnecessary roughness, but no ejection followed with mitigating circumstances due to the fact that he chose to use an open palm instead of a closed fist.

The incident quickly spread online, where many Kansas City supporters, and Taylor Swift‘s fan base, demanded harsher punishment as messages directed at Tart flooded social media, though the player refused to step back.

Hours after the Chargers’ 27-21 win, Tart turned the attention back onto Kelce and his critics as he posted on Instagram: “I’m too swift with it even in Brazil… not all hero’s wear capes.”

Teair Tart (the dude who punched Travis Kelce last night) on IG:

“I’m too swift with it even in Brazil” pic.twitter.com/Jy9jA84GFl

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 6, 2025

Chiefs’ emotions boiled over in season-opening loss. Here’s what they said about it | The Athletic

“Emotions are just high,” Tranquill told The Athletic. “We’re all competitive. We all want to win. And so we were just discussing what happened on the play, and emotions were just high.”

Tranquill followed up by saying that he didn’t believe the exchange would have a long-term impact.

“Chris is a great player. I’m not sure what happened. I haven’t seen the tape over there,” Tranquill said. “But we’re teammates, man. We’re brothers. It’s just an emotional moment. We’ve had it before in the past. That’s my guy. We’ll be all right. We’ll get better from it.”

Around the NFL​

Josh Allen, Bills stun Ravens 41-40 in Sunday night thriller | ESPN

Josh Allen led Buffalo to three scores in the final four minutes, the last a 32-yard field goal by Matt Prater as time expired, and the Bills rallied from 15 points down to stun the Baltimore Ravens 41-40 in a season-opening Sunday night thriller.

Buffalo scored 16 points in the last 3:56, with Prater’s kick capping a nine-play, 66-yard drive over the final 1:26.

The Bills became the first team in NFL history to overcome a 15-point deficit in the final four minutes of the fourth quarter to win a season opener. And they became the fourth team since 2000 to win after trailing by 15 or more points in the last four minutes of the fourth quarter.

Aaron Rodgers’ four TDs lead Steelers past Justin Fields, Jets in QB’s return to New York | NFL.com

Glenn and Rodgers are both highly competitive and not short on self-confidence, and perhaps, they were never destined to see eye to eye. But even after Rodgers produced a four-touchdown performance in his first game for the Steelers — a 34-32 victory — after he had been escorted off the field by Mike Tomlin and Cameron Heyward, after the Terrible Towel waving faithful had overwhelmed MetLife Stadium, Rodgers let his pique at Glenn and how his two-year experiment with the Jets had ended show through.

“There are probably people in the organization who didn’t think I could play anymore,” he said, a likely allusion to Glenn. “It was nice to show that I still can.”

And then, when asked if it was especially meaningful to have defeated the man who cut him loose, Rodgers delivered a dagger: “I was happy to beat everybody associated with the Jets.”

Colts’ Daniel Jones quiets critics by scoring on every drive of season opener vs. Dolphins | CBS Sports

The Indianapolis Colts will be one of the major storylines to come from NFL Week 1, as they defeated the Miami Dolphins, 33-8. This was the first season opener the Colts have won since 2013, as they went 0-10-1 from 2014-24, snapping the longest active streak in the NFL.

The Colts got impressive play out of their new quarterback, Daniel Jones. He completed 22 of 29 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown, and rushed seven times for 26 yards and two more scores. In fact, Jones put together the best start of his career on Sunday, and one of his best NFL games ever.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride​

Chiefs-Chargers: 5 things we learned in Week 1’s loss

2. They are who we thought they were

Take your pick: Jawaan Taylor, Kingsley Suamataia or Chamarri Conner.

I don’t want to continue to harp on how poorly these three continue to play, because it’s just not fair to expect them to be more than they are. At this point, we have enough evidence to know they just don’t have the skills to perform their duties as NFL players.

Taylor and Conner’s shortcomings were especially on display on Friday night. Both were routinely smoked by the competition. I think it’s fair to say that if they had played even 50% better, the Chiefs would have been in a position to win the game.

Social media to make you think​

Mahomes making history in Brazil @PatrickMahomes | #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/UbZt6OzNJl

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) September 6, 2025

Follow Arrowhead Pride on Social Media​

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Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...s-travis-kelce-on-social-media-following-slap

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Andy Reid expects more from his team — and believes he will get it on Sunday

We tend to think of Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid as a kind, grandfatherly figure. In ESPN’s “The Kingdom” series, we learn that Reid has a card displayed in his office that reads, “Don’t judge” — and that he tries to live by that idea when dealing with his young players.

“I’m not judging anybody in here,” he explained to a curious reporter in São Paulo before Friday night’s International Series game against the Los Angeles Chargers, “other than we’re all good folks and we’re shooting for the best for this game tomorrow for both teams; it should be a heck of a football game. But I always try to live by that… yes.”

But after the team’s flat performance led to a 10-0 deficit on Friday night — and ultimately, a rare 27-21 season-opening loss — Reid has been uncharacteristically terse about the team’s performance.

“I expect more than that,” he told reporters in Brazil after the game. “I need to make sure we come out with better emotion. It’s a nice, big stage for us against a good football team. They made a couple of plays early, got things going. And we weren’t able to do that. And I thought [the Chargers] did a better job in that area.”

While Reid did — as he always does — continue to accept the ultimate responsibility for having his players physically and emotionally prepared for game days, it was still possible to read his dissatisfaction between the lines.

“Listen, I’m on the sidelines,” he said on Friday night. “I expect there to be emotional support there. I also expect the players to fly around and do things that I’ve seen us do. Again, it’s my responsibility to get them in that frame of mind to do that, whether you have an injury [or] a turnover, whatever it is. You fight through that and you make yourself better, whatever situation you’re in.”

Reid even did something that was, for him, very unusual: call out position groups.

“I always expect more from ‘the bigs’ on both sides of the ball,” he said of his men in the trenches. “So we can do better in those two areas, for sure. That’s where it all starts, right? So we can do a better job. We will do a better job.”

After more than two full days to reflect upon Friday’s loss, Reid was a bit more of his old self when he did his customary Zoom call with reporters on Monday, as the team began its preparations to host the world champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

“There were some good things mixed in there,” he said of Friday’s loss, “but there are some things we’ve got to fix. I think the players are aware of that — and the coaches are aware of it. So we’ll get busy on that. We’ve got a good Eagles team coming in here.”

Still, he spoke like a man who had just spent a couple of days giving directions to people like defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo — and expected those instructions to be followed.

“Listen, there are things that we’ve got to work on,” he noted. “Spags has a great grasp of it — and the players know. We’ve got to fix few things.”

And the head coach believes that his messages have been heard.

“I think the guys will be fired up to play against a real good football team at home,” he declared. “I wouldn’t expect anything less than that.”

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...expects-more-from-team-blieves-he-will-get-it