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[Kansas City Chiefs]

4 things the Chiefs need to do in the 2026 offseason

The Kansas City Chiefs’ season is over — and after finishing with a disappointing 6–11 record, they enter the offseason facing a long list of questions.

This year looks nothing like the championship standard established during the Andy Reid era, and a devastating injury to the team’s most important player only adds to the uncertainty ahead.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ ACL tear means a full offseason of rehabilitation, with the hope that he will be ready when the season begins. It also raises the stakes for every decision this offseason. The strain he endured throughout the year was, in part, a reflection of the supporting cast around him. And the way the team performed in his absence served as a stark reminder of how fragile things can look in Kansas City without him.

Here are four areas the team must address this offseason.

1. Move on from expensive veteran contracts​

The Chiefs need to be aggressive this offseason, and that may require difficult decisions involving veteran starters. These players have not necessarily underperformed, but the financial savings gained by moving on from their contracts could outweigh their on-field value.

The most likely cap casualties include right tackle Jawaan Taylor, linebacker Drue Tranquill and defensive end Mike Danna.

Taylor is scheduled to make $27 million in 2026, but releasing him would leave only $7 million in dead cap, creating $20 million in savings. His tenure in Kansas City has been uneven, and with Jaylon Moore returning in 2026, moving on may be the prudent choice.

Danna carries a cap hit north of $11 million in 2026, but releasing him would result in just $2 million in dead cap. While he has been a solid role player, his production no longer aligns with the cost of his contract.

Tranquill is set to earn more than $7 million in 2026, with roughly $1 million in dead cap. Given his age and the team’s broader needs, the Chiefs may be better served reallocating those resources.

2. Draft impactful playmakers with the first two picks​

The Chiefs will hold their best draft position in years, owning the ninth and 40th overall picks. That level of draft capital offers a rare opportunity to add a true difference-maker.

Getting the first-round pick right is essential. The ninth pick should allow the team to select from the very top tier of prospects. Wide receivers and defensive ends remain premium positions, and rookie contracts at those spots can reopen championship windows.

The 40th pick should also produce a player capable of contributing early while developing into a long-term contributor. The second-round selection offers four years of team control, but it should still yield a player capable of playing meaningful snaps early.

There will be plenty of time for speculation, but the focus should remain on top-tier defensive linemen and wide receivers.

3. Adopt new offensive philosophies​

The offense has stagnated over the past two seasons, but upcoming staff changes could open the door for new ideas.

Wide receivers coach Connor Embree is already gone, while offensive coordinator Matt Nagy appears poised for another opportunity elsewhere, potentially leaving several key roles vacant.

If Nagy does depart, Reid faces a familiar question: stick with someone he knows, or look outside his circle.

Regardless of the title structure, bringing in an outside voice could help modernize the offense. Fresh perspectives across the league may offer solutions to unlock a better version of the unit in 2026.

4. Sign a running back in free agency​

Drafting a running back early should remain off the table, but this free-agent class offers intriguing options — especially if the team can open up some cap space.

The roster currently projects to include Brashard Smith and Dameon Pierce in 2026, but adding a proven veteran could elevate the offense.

The free-agent pool is deep, featuring Kenneth Walker, Breece Hall, Rico Dowdle, Javonte Williams, Travis Etienne, Kenneth Gainwell, Rachaad White and JK Dobbins.

Signing a veteran comes with risk, but it also provides clarity — and insurance if Mahomes is not ready for Week 1. As he returns from injury, a more run-heavy approach may be necessary. A reliable veteran leading the backfield would help stabilize the offense.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans.../4-things-that-must-be-done-in-2026-offseason

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs News 1/10: The NFL is investigating Rashee Rice

The latest​

The NFL is investigating Rashee Rice − here’s what happens next | USA Today

It is unclear whether Rice’s ex-girlfriend has filed a police report associated with the allegations. Police in Overland Park, Kansas told USA TODAY that they responded to a call at Rice’s home in 2024 but that no abuse report was filed. The Dallas Police Department, where Rice previously lived, told USA TODAY, “It is not our practice to look up individuals by name.”

That won’t stop the NFL from investigating.

In a statement provided to USA TODAY on Jan. 8, an NFL spokesman said, “We have been in contact with the club about the matter which will be reviewed under the league’s personal conduct policy.”

According to the 2025 personal conduct policy, NFL players will be subject to discipline by the league even if their conduct does not result in criminal charges or a conviction.

How do teams like Warriors, Chiefs address ‘fading dynasty’? Let it linger or break it up? | The Athletic

The Chiefs went 15-2 last season, but in the Super Bowl, they were manhandled by the Eagles 40-22, ending their three-peat hopes and alerting everyone that their run was likely ending. And now, like the Warriors, they will try and soldier on as a fading dynasty.

Mahomes just turned 30 in September. Maybe Kansas City can reinvent itself.

The Chiefs’ goal, of course, should be to emulate the Patriots, who kept their run going for nearly two decades behind a quarterback (Brady) and a coach (Belichick). Despite all of their success, the run ended abruptly. Belichick pushed out Brady (who went on to win a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay) and then Belichick was fired by owner Robert Kraft.

Now, two years after that unceremonious ending, and with a new coach and a new young QB, the Patriots are rising again. They are one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl.

The Blitz: We Picked an All-22 Team … and it’s Stacked with Stars | Fox Sports

Creed Humphrey, C, Kansas City Chiefs

The fifth-year pro has been an elite performer for the Chiefs as a pivot from Day 1. Humphrey is an exceptional communicator and technician who controls the game at the line of scrimmage. Though the Chiefs’ offensive woes kept them from making another Super Bowl run, the veteran’s standout performance at the point of attack continues to earn rave reviews from evaluators.

Wild-Card Saturday Features 5 Potential Chiefs Free Agents | Sports Illustrated

Romeo Doubs, Packers wide receiver: Doubs is big and fast and – something Mahomes will love – sure-handed. Especially if Kansas City loses JuJu Smith-Schuster and Hollywood Brown, Doubs could be a great addition in Kansas City. He just set career highs in both receiving yards (724) and average per reception (13.2). And, he dropped only three passes all year. Plus, because he comes from the Packers, he’s a selfless and scrappy wide receiver who’ll block when Kansas City needs him.

Around the NFL​

Chargers RB Omarion Hampton (ankle) to play vs. Patriots | ESPN

Hampton, the Chargers’ first-round rookie, has seen his season hindered by injuries. He was placed on injured reserve after the Chargers’ Week 5 loss to the Washington Commanders with a fracture in his left ankle. He returned in Week 14 against the Eagles, only to sustain an injury to his other ankle in Week 17 against the Houston Texans.

“It’s definitely been different, but it’s something I’ve just got to keep getting treatment on and bounce back from,” Hampton said of the injuries.

Hampton said he wasn’t sure about the severity of his injury, but it occurred early in the fourth quarter against Houston when he was tackled by linebacker Henry To’oTo’o. Despite the injury, Hampton stayed in the game, finishing with 29 rushing yards, a touchdown, and 31 receiving yards.

Ravens OC Todd Monken says he could have coached Lamar Jackson better | The Athletic

Monken is not expected to return as the Ravens’ play-caller next year after the team fired head coach John Harbaugh. Baltimore is now hunting for a new leader.

“I didn’t have as good of a relationship as I could have. I didn’t do the things we needed to do this year to win enough games to give ourselves a chance. I believe that,” he said. “Lamar and I, to me, had a good relationship … Could it have been better? Of course. I never, Lamar and I, never had an issue.”

The passing game failed to find a groove down the stretch; big plays were rare, yet the Ravens still ranked 11th in the NFL in scoring. Jackson struggled in November with a three-turnover game, and Baltimore lost four of his final six starts. A 1-5 start almost doomed them completely, though a late-season clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers offered a chance at the AFC North. A missed field goal in the final seconds ended that hope.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride​

Top 5 takeaways from the Chiefs’ 2025 season

5. The offense needs to get bigger

The Chiefs need bigger body types.

The receivers need to be bigger and capable of playing on the outside, but the tight ends also have to be more physical players. We’ll see what happens with Kelce, but regardless of his decision, the Chiefs need to bring in tight ends who can block. When the offense uses multiple tight ends, those players need to make a bigger difference in blocking. Backup tight end Noah Gray has utility, but he’s not a stout blocker and it limits the play calling.

When the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII and had the best offense in the NFL in 2022, it was because the unit got bigger. The offense used more sets with three tight ends that season and had Blake Bell to block. Wide receivers Juju Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling weren’t perfect, but they were bigger body types that could block. Their run game was sized up as a more downhill run game.

Social media to make you think​

Dug into this over the last few days…

The Chiefs were 30th in passing yards on PA throws, 30th in first downs, 26th in PA completion percentage and 21st in EPA per dropback. They threw just one PA TD all season. Every other team had at least two. Rams had 19!
[Data from FTN] https://t.co/IRqXwUA0HH

— Sam McDowell (@SamMcDowell11) January 9, 2026

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Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...ews-1-10-the-nfl-is-investigating-rashee-rice

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

PFF mock draft has Chiefs valuing offense over defense in first round

There are over three months until the 2026 NFL Draft, but with the Kansas City Chiefs’ offseason underway, it’s time to consider what draft prospects the Chiefs could select with the ninth overall pick.

On Monday, Pro Football Focus posted a first-round mock draft with the order updated after a weekend of Wild Card playoff games. Here is the author’s prediction for how Kansas City will handle the first-round selection:

9. Kansas City Chiefs: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Both Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco are unrestricted free agents this offseason, and it seems likely that the Chiefs will part ways with one or both of them. Kansas City instead finds its future at running back with Love here. After posting a 91.1 PFF grade as a sophomore in 2023 (fifth), he followed that up with a nation-leading 93.1 grade this season.

My takeaway​

The top running back in the draft class has been a popular match with the Chiefs for obvious reasons. Not only are the Chiefs projected to lose the team’s top two rushers from 2025, but the running game also needs serious reinvigoration.

In this mock draft, the choice to bolster the offense comes at the expense of a worthwhile pick on defense. With the following pick, the Cincinnati Bengals selected edge rusher David Bailey from Texas Tech. According to PFF, Bailey led all FBS defenders in pressures (81) and sacks (15) in 2025.

Two picks later, the Dallas Cowboys were given edge rusher Kedric Faulk from Auburn. The large, stout defensive end seems to fit the physical criteria the Chiefs desire for defensive linemen under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

There are multiple paths Kansas City could take with the first-round pick in this year’s draft. If the answer is Love over impactful players in the defensive trenches, it may indicate how desperate the Chiefs are for a difference-making weapon for quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...ock-draft-chiefs-valuing-offense-over-defense

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs keep tight end Tre Watson as practice squad contracts expire

According to Monday’s official NFL transactions report, the Kansas City Chiefs have re-signed practice squad tight end Tre Watson to a reserve/future contract. The agreement will become official at the start of the new league year on March 11.

Watson joined the Chiefs in April as an undrafted free agent. Although he has combined for 77 receptions for 872 yards over four college seasons spent between Fresno State and Texas A&M, tantalizing athletic testing numbers at the Aggies’ pro day put him on the fringes of the draft radar.

Watson was placed on Kansas City’s non-football injury list at the start of training camp for undisclosed reasons. After being activated on July 27, he appeared in all three of the team’s preseason games and caught a single pass for four yards before being waived at the final roster deadline. Watson was on the Chiefs’ practice squad for the entire season.

Presumably, the tight end will get another look over the 2026 offseason and training camp — though the Chiefs should be expected to make multiple higher-profile moves at the position.

Also on Monday, practice squad contracts officially expired for non-playoff teams. The Chiefs have thus far not signed guard Nick Brocker, wide receiver Jason Brownlee, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, defensive end Malik Herring, fullback Carson Steele and defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu for 2026.

After ending the season on Kansas City’s practice squad, these players are now free agents and eligible to sign with any team, including those remaining in playoff contention.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...tre-watson-as-practice-squad-contracts-expire

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

4 defensive stats that tell the story of the Chiefs’ 2025 season

As we review the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2025 season, four statistics help explain how the defense performed. Each number highlights a specific issue — and the broader takeaway that followed.

1. Chiefs earned sacks on 6% of third-and-longs​

Despite generating pressure on 51% of third downs that required seven or more yards, the Chiefs’ defense recorded sacks on just 6% of third-and-long pass attempts. That figure ranked 29th in the NFL, per NFL Pro.

The inability to finish on critical downs proved costly in losses to the Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys, and it remained an issue throughout the season. Kansas City finished with 35 sacks, tied for the seventh-fewest in the league, while the defense allowed conversions on 44% of third downs, ranking 29th overall.

Even with aggressive blitzing — the Chiefs sent more than four pass rushers at the third-highest rate in the NFL — the pressure rarely disrupted quarterbacks. The defense lacked a consistent, difference-making blitzer in the secondary, a role previously filled by former safety Justin Reid.

2. Chiefs allowed 4 yards per rush on first down​

Kansas City’s run defense delivered when it mattered most in 2025, particularly at the start of drives. On first down, the Chiefs allowed just four yards per rush, the sixth-lowest mark in the NFL.

That early-down success helped keep games competitive. In a 23-20 overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City held running back Jonathan Taylor to 58 rushing yards by consistently stacking the box. In a win over the Detroit Lions, the Chiefs limited Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery to 89 combined rushing yards, repeatedly forcing second-and-long situations.

While Kansas City did not always close out drives after winning first down, stopping the run provided a stable foundation for a defense that kept many games within reach.

3. Chiefs allowed 3.7 yards of separation per target​

NFL Pro measures the distance between a receiver and the nearest defender at the moment of the catch or incompletion. The Chiefs finished with the seventh-highest average separation allowed per target at 3.7 yards.

Steve Spagnuolo’s blitz-heavy approach naturally increases exposure in coverage, but Kansas City struggled to disrupt passing games regardless of scheme. Linebackers frequently failed to tighten throwing lanes over the middle, and the safety group covered less ground than in previous seasons.

A more consistent pass rush would help cover those issues, but improved anticipation and instincts in the secondary remain necessary to limit space downfield.

4. Chiefs totaled the second-fewest missed tackles in the NFL​

Only the New England Patriots (71) recorded fewer missed tackles than the Chiefs (75) in 2025. For context, the Cincinnati Bengals led the league with 170 missed tackles, according to Pro Football Reference.

Kansas City consistently limited yards after contact, an important trait for any defense. However, reducing the need for tackles altogether proved just as important. The Chiefs forced only 14 takeaways, the fourth-fewest in the NFL, and broke up the seventh-fewest passes in the league.

Reliable tackling remained a clear positive, but without more disruption and takeaways, the defense fell short of elite status.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...that-tell-the-story-of-the-chiefs-2025-season

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs’ Andy Reid moves to top of NFL’s seniority list: Good or bad?

After 19 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Mike Tomlin decided to step down after losing his seventh straight playoff game — a 30-6 beatdown at the hands of the Houston Texans. That came after the Baltimore Ravens fired head coach John Harbaugh following his 26-24 Week 18 loss to Pittsburgh, ending his 18th season at Baltimore’s helm.

With those changes, there is now just one NFL head coach who has been with his team for at least 10 seasons: Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who has served as the team’s head coach since the 2013 season.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Reid has been there four years longer than Sean McDermott, Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan, who took their jobs with the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers in 2017. Two other coaches — the Cincinnati Bengals’ Zac Taylor and the Green Bay Packers’ Matt LeFleur — debuted in 2019.

Reid led the Chiefs to the NFL championship game in five out of the six seasons from 2019 through 2024 — winning the title game three times — but even that wasn’t enough for some fans, who found themselves annoyed at the team’s 6-11 finish.

Still, Reid’s job seems pretty safe. Or is it?

That’s what we’re about to find out in Kansas City.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...ves-to-top-of-nfls-seniority-list-good-or-bad

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

USA Today mock draft has Chiefs drafting game-changing defender

There are over three months until the 2026 NFL Draft, but with the Kansas City Chiefs’ offseason underway, it’s time to consider what draft prospects the Chiefs could select with the ninth overall pick.

On Wednesday, USA Today published a mock draft with the Chiefs predicted to select the top safety in the 2026 NFL Draft.

9. Kansas City Chiefs: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

The Chiefs have maximized plenty of talent on defense but Downs would be a different story. The Ohio State safety is a force multiplier who can do anything you’d want from the position thanks to his impressive football IQ. It’s not a big-name position but could make this Chiefs secondary frightening.

My takeaway​

The selection of Downs would be an exciting one, despite the unique position. When safeties are drafted towards the top of the draft, it usually works out well. Here are the most recent examples:

• 2022: Kyle Hamilton was selected by the Baltimore Ravens at 14th overall
• 2018: Minkah Fitzpatrick was selected by the Miami Dolphins at 11th overall
• 2018: Derwin James was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers at 17th overall

Of course, Chiefs Kingdom was the beneficiary of one of the two highest-drafted safeties in NFL history. In 2010, Kansas City drafted Tennessee safety Eric Berry with the fifth overall pick — and a three-time All-Pro career followed.

The hype is building around Downs to become the next great NFL safety. With the Chiefs, he would follow in the footsteps of former safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Justin Reid as defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s Queen piece on his chessboard of pass defense.

In this scenario, the top two wide receivers in the draft, along with Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, were drafted before the ninth pick. Kansas City does pass up on Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey for Downs, but the overall impact a game-changing safety could have on the defense may be worth it.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...takes-safety-caleb-downs-usa-today-mock-draft

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

3 lessons from the Wild Card round from which the Chiefs could learn

For the first time since 2014, the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t make the playoffs and watched Wild Card weekend from home just like the rest of us. Hopefully, there are lessons to learn from this year’s postseason that the Chiefs can apply to their in-house philosophies.

Here are three takeaways I had from the first round of the NFL postseason.

1. The importance of heavier personnel on offense​

Over the last few years, heavier personnel for NFL offenses has been a trend. The best units have found more personnel packages to utilize multiple tight ends or physical running backs to counter defenses built on pass coverage.

The Chicago Bears drafted tight ends Colston Loveland 10th overall in last year’s draft. The offense also features tight ends Durham Smythe and Cole Kmet. Loveland is talented enough to split wide and play receiver, while Smythe and Kmet can play in-line and block. They are key players to Chicago’s elite run game.

The Los Angeles Rams have four viable tight ends: Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, Colby Parkenson and Terrance Ferguson. To help the running game, head coach Sean McVay has introduced more multi-tight end sets. With wide receivers Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, the Rams always have a viable No. 1 receiver on the field while the tight ends block or get open downfield from play action.

The San Francisco 49ers lost tight end George Kittle this weekend, but the team has mastered the blend of run and pass out of 21 personnel (two running backs, one tight end) with Kittle and fullback Kyle Juszczyk.

The Buffalo Bills finally unlocked the tight ends this year, with Dalton Kincaid breaking out and rookie Jackson Hawes being an impactful blocker immediately. Buffalo deserves credit for adjusting to using the tight ends with a lack of wide receiver talent.

Kansas City needs to get bigger on offense — and starting at tight end makes the most sense. To force teams into base defense and exploit them through the passing game, the team needs a stronger tight end room.

2. The advantage of size and strength at receiver​

Size at the wide receiver position is important in playoff games. Unless you have a unicorn like former Chiefs’ wide receiver Tyreek Hill — who can excel at the catch point despite his height — you need receivers that can win in traffic.

That ability gives the quarterback a margin for error when throwing; a bigger body can be trusted more to secure an inaccurate throw.

Los Angeles has the best example of this with Nacua and Adams; both are physical receivers who are coordinated when going up for a pass. Wide receiver Jauan Jennings — an option for the Chiefs in free agency this spring — was huge in the 49ers’ win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Carolina Panthers almost pulled off the upset over the Rams; their two receivers Jalen Coker and Tetairoa McMillan were a part of that. The duo was able to muscle Los Angeles’ small cornerbacks and come back to the ball for most of the offense’s explosive plays.

This doesn’t mean the Chiefs need 6-foot-5, 230-pound pass-catchers, but the team’s receivers do need to be able to catch through contact.

On the flip side, the Chargers were an example of lacking physical receivers. Los Angeles’ offensive line, play-calling and the play of quarterback Justin Herbert were shaky — but the offense was also missing that ball-winning receiver.

The New England Patriots played tight, aggressive man coverage and basically shut down the Chargers’ downfield passing. Wide receiver Quentin Johnston was unable to win in traffic despite his bigger build, and veteran Keenan Allen is past his prime in creating separation. Ladd McConkey is an awesome receiver, but his lack of size showed in the 16-3 loss.

3. Depth is just as important as an ace pass rusher​

Playoff teams have found a counter to the lack of an ace pass rusher. Traditionally, Super Bowl teams had the star pass rusher, then decent options around him. Here’s the problem: it’s hard to acquire that player because it typically requires premium capital.

To overcome that, teams are employing three or four No. 2 pass rushers. The Rams are an example: the defense does not have a superstar pass rusher, but defensive linemen Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Byron Young and Kobie Turner are all impactful on passing downs. Each can make a disruptive play on their own.

The Chargers are similar: outside linebackers Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipolotu, and Odafe Oweh were key to a low-scoring effort in New England. Mack crushes the pocket, Oweh is the speed rusher and Tuipolotu fills in the gaps.

The Patriots make up for not having a No. 1 pass rusher with defensive tackles Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, then edge rusher Harold Landry on the outside.

The Houston Texans are not an example of this theme with two superstars on the edge — Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson — but the NFL’s top defense gets contributions from its depth. Defensive tackles Sheldon Rankins and Tommy Togiai can penetrate the line of scrimmage themselves.

One reason teams succeed without a No. 1 pass rusher is the rise of scheming pressures and disguising intentions. Now, more slants and stunts mitigate having top-tier rushers. The coordinators who dial that up effectively give defenses a schematic advantage even if the group is outmanned by talent.

Of course, the superstar makes a world of difference, exemplified by the Green Bay Packers without the injured All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons. If that’s impossible, then building the defensive line with as many capable bodies as possible is the way to go.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...essons-from-wild-card-round-chiefs-learn-from

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs fire second offensive assistant coach of the offseason

The Kansas City Chiefs have yet to clarify whether or not offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will move on from Kansas City, but the offensive coaching staff will be different in 2026.

There are four changes to the Chiefs coaching staff so far, per sources:

They have fired RBs coach Todd Pinkston and WRs coach Connor Embree.

Louie Addazio chose to move on for the OL job at UNLV. Alex Whittingham has joined the Michigan staff.

Could be more after the carousel…

— Sam McDowell (@SamMcDowell11) January 15, 2026

On Thursday, Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star reported the Chiefs have fired running backs coach Todd Pinkston and wide receivers Connor Embree. The latter’s dismissal was reported last week, but now McDowell has confirmed the expulsion of both assistant coaches.

The 2025 season was Pinkston’s third as the running backs coach in Kansas City, joining the staff when Nagy assumed the offensive coordinator role in 2023. The former NFL wide receiver coached a backfield that mainly consisted of running backs Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Kareem Hunt over three years.

In Pinkston’s first season, Pacheco rushed for 935 yards, but no Chiefs player rushed for over 750 yards in the two years since.

Pinkston was hired as an assistant after working with head coach Andy Reid through a coaching internship in 2022. He had experience as the wide receivers coach at Austin Peay State University before becoming the associate head coach at Stockbridge High School in Georgia.

His 11-year career as an NFL wide receiver — and his experience coaching that position at lower levels — did not translate to coaching the running backs impactfully in Kansas City over three years.

Embree coached the position Pinkston played, while Pinkston coached the position Embree was seemingly more familiar with. Despite playing quarterback his senior year at Blue Valley West High School, Embree was a two-star running back recruit, according to 247sports. He was listed as a running back during his playing days at the University of Kansas.

It will be interesting to see how the Chiefs’ offensive coaching staff shapes up from here — and if the new hires are more traditional fits in each position room.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...cond-offensive-assistant-coach-this-offseason

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs News 1/16: Chiefs shouldn’t worry over coaching changes

The latest​

3 Reasons Chiefs Shouldn’t Worry About Losing OC Matt Nagy | Sports Illustrated

2. Andy Reid is still here

Nagy isn’t even the real offensive architect in Kansas City. Andy Reid calls the plays on that side of the ball, and he’s heavily involved in constructing the scheme anyway. Getting some new blood in could actually breathe life back into an offense that’s been on life support for years, despite employing the NFL’s No. 1 quarterback and a host of viable weapons. If the Chiefs can find a younger, or at least more contemporary, offensive mind to replace Nagy, they would be better off.

NFL running back rankings, 1-64: How does every starting RB from the 2025 season stack up? | NFL.com

33. Kareem Hunt – Kansas City Chiefs, Year 9
2025 stats: 17 games | 163 att | 611 rush yds | 3.7 ypc | 8 rush TDs | 18 rec | 143 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 1 fumble lost

The Chiefs didn’t have much of a run game in 2025 as the team shuffled through backs frequently. An injury to Isiah Pacheco led to Hunt gaining a bigger role, and he ended up leading the team in carries, rush yards and rush TDs. Hunt is a free agent and so is Pacheco. This backfield needs a reset.

47. Isiah Pacheco – Kansas City Chiefs, Year 4
2025 stats: 13 games | 118 att | 462 rush yds | 3.9 ypc | 1 rush TD | 19 rec | 101 rec yds | 1 rec TD | 0 fumbles lost

A knee injury sidelined Pacheco in late October and he never was able to really get going when he returned nearly a month later. It was a forgettable season for the fourth-year pro, who failed to rush for more than 60 yards in any game. The soon-to-be free agent could be headed elsewhere.

Ex-Chiefs WR Justyn Ross Now on Potential Path Back to NFL | KC Kingdom

Justyn Ross Drafted by Stallions 6 Months After Chiefs Release

Ross now has an opportunity not only to play meaningful snaps but to breathe life back into his NFL career. There are teams badly in need of receiver depth that will be willing to take a chance on Ross if he can put together a consistent resume in the UFL. He showed promise with 158 catches for 2,379 yards and 20 touchdowns in 39 collegiate games, and if he’s still capable of being that player, maybe the Stallions can drag it out of him.

Another ex-Chief and Clemson product followed the same UFL path to give himself a second chance. After four years with Kansas City and another with the Seattle Seahawks, Cornell Powell spent parts of 2025 with the DC Defenders. The Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers ended up bringing him in during August and November, respectively, and while those runs didn’t last long, they may not have happened at all if it weren’t for the UFL.

Around the NFL​

John Harbaugh hired in a New York minute: Giants score an ‘A’ for moving fast in new head coach pursuit | CBS Sports

CBS Sports HQ NFL analyst Danny Kanell echoed many of those sentiments.

“I will give it an ‘A+’,” Kanell said. “This was the only coach that would come in and have us talking about this Giants organization as potentially a playoff team. And I don’t think it’ll only be me. With the young nucleus of talent that the Giants have on this roster, with the track record of success in building a winning culture, with the coordinator that he’s most likely going to bring in with him, I think this is a home run hire for the Giants.”

You’re not going to find very many people out there who don’t think this hiring is one of the better hirings of the cycle, no matter who lands the other available jobs. Harbaugh was sought after for a reason, and the Giants were able to land him before anyone else had a chance. Even if it doesn’t work out, the process that led here was likely solid, even if it seemed somewhat predetermined that the Giants would zero in on Harbaugh if he ever became available.

Seahawks-49ers final injury report: Sam Darnold suddenly questionable to play | Field Gulls

Yes, out of nowhere there is some doubt that Darnold will be able to play this weekend. Darnold hurt his left oblique during practice, and now he’s questionable. Don’t totally fret, for Darnold believes that he’s much more likely than not to be out there.

Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak confirmed that backup Drew Lock took some first-team reps with Darnold limited. Lock’s first Seahawks start, coincidentally, came against the 49ers back in 2023. Any injury notes will be addressed by head coach Mike Macdonald on Friday.

Howie Roseman downplays A.J. Brown trade talk, says Eagles WR is ‘great player’ | ESPN

“It is hard to find great players in the NFL, and A.J. is a great player,” Roseman said Thursday during his end-of-season news conference with coach Nick Sirianni.

“I think from my perspective, that’s what we’re going out and looking for when we go out here in free agency, in the draft, just trying to find great players who love football, and he’s that guy.”

Brown finished with 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025 — the fourth time he has eclipsed 1,000 yards in as many seasons since coming to Philadelphia.

Brown also showed his frustration at various points over the last couple of seasons, however, including cryptic social media posts in the early part of this season. He declined to speak to the media in the latter stages of the year, coinciding with his on-field meeting with CEO Jeffrey Lurie in mid-November when he promised he would stop complaining publicly.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride​

The Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes is working to be ready for Week 1

The league’s biggest star confirmed reports that his rehab is taking place exclusively in Kansas City with familiar team trainer Julie Frymyer. While he is not ready to definitively announce his return date, Mahomes is working to be ready to start the 2026 season.

He also hopes to participate in the spring’s organized-team-activities (OTAs) in some fashion while taking on a bigger workload at training camp.

“Obviously,” he said, “I think [in] the long-term, I want to be ready for Week 1. The doctor said that I could be, but I can’t predict what’s going to happen throughout the process. But that’s my goal, and so I’ll try to prepare myself to be ready to play in that Week 1 and have no restrictions. You want to be out there healthy and giving us the best chance to win. So, obviously, I’ll hopefully be able to do some stuff in OTAs and get to training camp and hopefully be able to do a lot there.”

Chiefs fire second offensive assistant coach of the offseason

Pinkston was hired as an assistant after working with head coach Andy Reid through a coaching internship in 2022. He had experience as the wide receivers coach at Austin Peay State University before becoming the associate head coach at Stockbridge High School in Georgia.

His 11-year career as an NFL wide receiver — and his experience coaching that position at lower levels — did not translate to coaching the running backs impactfully in Kansas City over three years.

Embree coached the position Pinkston played, while Pinkston coached the position Embree was seemingly more familiar with. Despite playing quarterback his senior year at Blue Valley West High School, Embree was a two-star running back recruit, according to 247sports. He was listed as a running back during his playing days at the University of Kansas.

Social media to make you think​

Since we putting in request I want to go home https://t.co/2708WBsrUE

— Ty Hill (@cheetah) January 15, 2026

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Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...-16-fans-shouldnt-worry-over-coaching-changes

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Tiering the Chiefs’ roster ahead of offseason movement

Before the Kansas City Chiefs can decide what players to acquire in free agency or the draft this offseason, it’s important to identify the pillars of the team and their statuses for the short and long term. The current strengths and weaknesses of the roster will guide the Chiefs’ choices.

To do this, I broke down the 51 current rostered players for 2026 and tiered them based on their status with Kansas City moving forward. Enjoy!

Tier 1: Locked-in stars​

Players: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, right guard Trey Smith, center Creed Humphrey, left tackle Josh Simmons and defensive tackle Chris Jones

The five players I listed above are, in my opinion, the five best players on the team and should factor into the Chiefs’ plans for the next three years at least. Mahomes, Smith, and Humphrey are all firmly in their primes on long-term deals.

Simmons was not always on the field in 2025, but his long-term projection is exciting. He played like a top-10 left tackle as a rookie and has All-Pro upside. As long as he avoids injuries, he’ll be a star for the next decade.

There will be some disagreement about Jones’s inclusion here. There is a possibility the Chiefs could look into trading Jones. The Chiefs would save around $15 million in cap space by trading him.

However, Jones is still a top-5 defensive tackle capable of destroying offenses when it matters most. Jones had a slow start to the year, but after the bye week, he was playing fantastic football. The potential compensation for Jones would likely not be enough to outweigh what he brings to Kansas City’s defense. The Chiefs’ pass rush could not afford such a loss.

Tier 2: High-end starters for the foreseeable future​

Players: linebacker Nick Bolton, defensive end George Karlaftis, left guard Kingsley Suamataia and kicker Harrison Butker

As important cogs to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s machine of a defense, Bolton and Karlaftis signed contracts with the team last offseason. Bolton is the team’s signal caller, and Karlaftis is a dependable, versatile player up front.

The surprising inclusion is Suamataia, but his 2025 play warranted it. Over the course of the season, he continued to improve, smoothly transitioning from tackle to guard by utilizing his unique physical traits. He also made significant improvements to his technique compared to his rookie season.

Tier 3: Young players with contract decisions​

Players: Cornerback Trent McDuffie and wide receiver Rashee Rice

McDuffie could have been extended and put into Tier 1, but Kansas City didn’t reach an agreement with the All-Pro cornerback last offseason. He will be on the fifth-year option in 2026, which means the Chiefs could trade him and have no dead money. If this team decides it needs more draft capital, a potential trade of McDuffie is the easiest path to getting that. The decisions surrounding him could be the first domino to fall this offseason.

Rice is complicated. In my opinion, there is no circumstance where the Chiefs should extend him rather than making him prove himself further. Considering how the last two years have gone, Rice is unlikely to be valued in a potential trade, so we will just see how it goes in 2026.

Tier 4: Rookie-deal players who haven’t emerged yet​

Players: Wide receiver Xavier Worthy, cornerback Nohl Williams, defensive end Ashton Gillotte, defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott, safety Jaden Hicks and safety Chamarri Conner

Worthy being on this list after his rookie year is disappointing, but this is the level his career is currently at. The 2025 season was a poor one for Worthy. He battled through injuries, but he struggled to make plays by beating man coverage. He aligned more on the outside once Rice came back, and it was ineffective. For Worthy to reach his ceiling, his role needs to change.

To bring youth and depth to the defense, the Chiefs drafted Gillotte, Norman-Lott, and Williams on Day 2 last year. Williams looks the most promising of the three and will probably start next year. Gillotte and Norman-Lott have not proven enough to cement a role in 2026.

Hicks and Conner will likely start next year, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Chiefs brought in different safeties this spring.

Tier 5: Veteran players who might not be back​

Players: Right tackle Jawaan Taylor, tight end Noah Gray, linebacker Drue Tranquill, swing tackle Jaylon Moore, defensive end Mike Danna and cornerback Kristian Fulton

The easiest decision here is Taylor, who absolutely should not play on a $27 million cap hit. However, he could return on a restructured deal that lowers his cap hit.

The decision on Moore will depend on what the Chiefs do with Taylor. My best guess: Moore is the starting right tackle for training camp, and Kansas City addresses right tackle in the draft for depth.

Gray saves around $4 million by cutting him, but if tight end Travis Kelce retires, it would further justify retaining Gray. Cutting Tranquill saves $6 million, but if linebacker Leo Chenal leaves, he has a strong chance at avoiding a release. It felt like Fulton secured a 2026 roster spot with a strong finish to 2025, but it’s worth noting the Chiefs would save $5 million by cutting him.

Tier 6: Fighting for a 2026 roster spot​

This tier is for everyone else on the roster who will have to fight for spots. Here is the breakdown by position:

• Tackle: Esa Pole, Wanya Morris, Mike Waletzko, Chu Grodrick
• Interior offensive linemen: C.J. Hanson, Hunter Nourzad, Ethan Driskell
• Tight ends: Jared Wiley, Jake Briningstool, Tre Watson
• Running backs: Brashard Smith, ShunDerrick Powell
• Wide receiver: Jalen Royals, Jimmy Holiday, Andrew Armstrong
• Quarterback: Chris Oludakon
• Defensive line: Zacch Pickens, Ethan Downs, Marcus Harris, Tyreke Smith
• Linebacker: Jeffrey Bassa, Cooper McDonald, Brandon George, Kam Arnold
• Defensive Back: Chris Rolland-Wallace, Kevin Knowles, Melvin Smith Jr.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...192236/tiering-chiefs-roster-before-offseason

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

In Divisional Round’s ‘Reacts’ poll, Chiefs’ fans are rooting for Bills

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged-in Kansas City Chiefs fans. You can see all of the recent survey results here.

And be sure to check out FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

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Which AFC team are Chiefs fans rooting for?​

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It’s no surprise that Chiefs Kingdom will be on the side of Bills Mafia on Saturday, when the Denver Broncos host the Buffalo Bills to kick off the weekend of NFL Divisional Round matchups.

However, most of the Chiefs fans polled are rooting for the Bills to win the Lamar Hunt trophy and represent the AFC in Super Bowl LX. The Houston Texans finished in a close second ahead of a battle with the No. 2 seed New England Patriots on Sunday.

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What running backs should the Chiefs be eyeing?​

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Among the four unrestricted free agents listed, running back Breece Hall was the overwhelming pick for Chiefs fans’ wish list on the open market. The polled fans have good taste, because Hall is projected to be the highest-paid player of this group as well.

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Click here to see other recent survey results.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/nfl-...ional-round-results-chiefs-fans-rooting-bills

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs News 1/17: Safety Caleb Downs is ‘not a great fit’ for Chiefs

The latest​

Chiefs mock draft reaction: Caleb Downs a ‘difference-maker’ — but not a great fit | The Athletic

General manager Brett Veach, in other words, seems to have completely bought into the notion of surplus value in the draft, correctly realizing that the upside of hitting on an early-round player at a premium position pays much greater dividends based on draft picks’ lower salary structure.

Per Spotrac, this year’s No. 9 selection is expected to make $5.6 million next season, with that number increasing to $9.8 million by Year 4.

Getting an above-average safety at $9.8 million is … fine. OverTheCap lists 21 safeties as getting more than that amount on their current deals.

But what if that $9.8 million fourth-year contract was being used for an above-average receiver? Or defensive lineman?

That would be more valuable, given the market and the higher salaries those guys command in free agency.

NFL free agency: Eight QBs who must be re-signed during the 2026 offseason | NFL.com

Gardner Minshew
Kansas City Chiefs – Age 29

It seems unlikely Patrick Mahomes will be able to return from his December ACL injury in time to start Week 1 next September. Chris Oladokun failed to capitalize on his opportunity to claim a backup spot on the Chiefs’ depth chart entering 2026. Minshew suffered a season-ending knee injury of his own, but it wasn’t an ACL tear. He should be ready to play sooner than Mahomes, bringing veteran backup experience to a Kansas City team that suddenly needs it more than ever. If the Chiefs receive optimistic news on Mahomes’ timetable for return, they might only temporarily need a steady hand to keep the offense afloat to start the season. Minshew proved his worth as an injury replacement in 2023, when he filled in for Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis and kept the Colts in postseason contention.

While pondering future, John Harbaugh ‘really leaned’ on Chiefs coach Andy Reid | Kansas City Star

The two friends apparently spoke frequently, even when Harbaugh’s Ravens were still alive for the AFC North Division title.

“Andy Reid was part of this, right?” Russini said on the podcast. “So John really leaned on Andy Reid during this process, even before (Ravens owner) Steve Bisciotti fired John Harbaugh, John had reached out to Andy to have some conversations about, ‘Should I step down’ if he wasn’t going to get fired? ‘What does next look like?’

“One, Andy Reid has always been a really good friend to John Harbaugh over the years, but of course, we all know what Andy did, which was, of course, leave Philadelphia despite a lot of success, and take his talents to Kansas City, where he had ultimate success and continues to.”

Around the NFL​

Texans WR Collins ruled out vs. Patriots with concussion | ESPN

Collins suffered the injury when he fell face-first after trying to catch a pass in the Texans’ 30-6 wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. The impact of the fall caused Collins to immediately put both hands to his face.

Houston’s medical staff took Collins to the tent. It didn’t take long before the three-time 1,000-yard receiver was carted to the locker room.

Collins has been Houston’s unquestioned No. 1 playmaker, totaling 71 catches for 1,117 yards and 6 touchdowns on the season.

With Rams-Bears’ frigid forecast, what are the coldest playoff games in NFL history? | The Athletic

4. Jan. 24, 2024, Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Arrowhead Stadium
Temperature: minus-4 degrees with wind chill of minus-27

Another warm-weather team got caught with a brutal draw. Miami had to manage painful conditions while facing Patrick Mahomes and the defending champs. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa struggled in uncharted territory, completing 51 percent of his passes and finishing with a 63.9 passer rating. Meanwhile, Mahomes shrugged off a cracked helmet, throwing for 262 yards and rushing for 41 in a 26-7 win.

NFL announces list of 63 underclassmen forgoing eligibility, declaring for 2026 Draft | On3

In addition, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson told On3’s Chris Low this week he turned down lucrative NIL offers to declare for the NFL Draft. He is among the group of prospects who completed the degree requirements and be eligible for the draft.

Miami and Indiana players will be eligible to officially declare following Monday’s national championship, with a Jan. 23 deadline. In the meantime, here are the 63 underclassmen who will wait to hear their names called in the 2026 NFL Draft. For comparison, 70 underclassmen declared ahead of the deadline for the 2025 draft.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride​

The most important words Patrick Mahomes said about the Chiefs’ offense

“Accountable”

“I want to get back to that winning culture of being accountable to each other and going out there and playing great football every single day, practice or game,” Mahomes pointed out.

One candidate for the offensive coordinator position comes to mind when seeking accountability: Kansas City’s former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who is currently in his first season as the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears.

Whether or not Bieniemy is the answer, Mahomes seeks that no-sugar-coating trait in a coach. Nagy seemed to have a more friendly approach, and the overly optimistic messaging may have gotten stale.

Social media to make you think​

Kliff

— Hollywood Brown (@Primetime_jet) January 16, 2026

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Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...495/1-17-caleb-downs-not-great-fit-for-chiefs

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

The most important words Patrick Mahomes said about the Chiefs’ offense

For the first time since December 10th, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes addressed Chiefs Kingdom by answering questions from local media. On a Zoom call Thursday afternoon, the two-time MVP talked about his recovery from the devastating knee injury; he also weighed in on the potential changes to Kansas City’s offensive coaching staff.

As offensive coordinator Matt Nagy seeks a head-coaching gig, the Chiefs have already fired two assistant coaches: wide receivers coach Connor Embree and running backs coach Todd Pinkston. When asked about the potential departure of Nagy, Mahomes wished him well.

“I love coach Nagy,” Mahomes said. “He has done a lot of great things in my career to help me become the quarterback I am. I know that he’s looking to take that step and get back to the head coaching spot. I hope he gets another opportunity to do that. He’s a great man, a great person… he gave me a lot of ideas to be better as a person, as a quarterback, so I’m hoping the best for him as he goes through this head coaching process and gets another opportunity to go out there and lead an organization.”

A change in the offensive leadership is on the horizon. That reality put significance on listening to Mahomes as he shared insight on what went wrong during the 2025 season and what he is looking for in a new offensive coordinator. Here were some of the most important words he used:

“Consistent”​

“I think, offensively, we weren’t consistent enough throughout games,” Mahomes said. “We had stretches in games where we played good, we had stretches in the season where we played really good, but we have to be better, and that starts with me, and it has to feed throughout the entire offense.”

The quarterback echoed a theme that Nagy pointed to when he reflected on 2025 a few weeks ago: the offense was unable to maintain rhythm from drive to drive or week to week. It was certainly the case through the first nine games, but after the bye week, there were fewer examples of the highs and many more lows during the 1-7 stretch to finish the schedule.

There were impactful injuries that factored into the unit’s inconsistency, but regardless, it was uncharacteristic of a team led by head coach Andy Reid. This past season featured the first Chiefs team under Reid without a five-game win streak. The inability of Mahomes and the offense to find a flow was one of the biggest reasons.

“Conscious” & “Counteract”​

“You have to dive deep into that scheme evaluation and see what teams are seeing against us,” Mahomes acknowledged. “The one part about having so much success is teams watch a lot of film on you… You saw that this year: teams were very conscious of the plays that we’ve hit for a long time. We have to find ways to counteract that and go at teams, be able to utilize that and make more explosive plays.“

To put it another way, Kansas City’s play-calling was predictable and struggled to neutralize the opponent’s advantage of familiarity. This stood out the most against the Buffalo Bills in Week 9. It felt like Buffalo was a step ahead of the Chiefs for most plays in the 28-21 loss.

Between Weeks 11 and 14, Kansas City averaged 14 points per game over three crucial battles with eventual AFC playoff teams: the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers. The familiar foes were able to shut down the Chiefs’ offense when needed, especially on third down. In 2025, the Chiefs ranked 22nd in third-down conversion rate after placing in the top-6 each of the previous two seasons.

It all points to the scheme and its play-calling lacking the innovation required to stay ahead of the curve in the modern NFL. That’s something Mahomes is looking for in a new offensive coordinator. When asked directly about that, he wasn’t shy about listing out his desires for the next coach.

“New Ideas”​

“For me, I just want someone that loves football,” Mahomes began. “That cares about football, that wants to give everything they can to win, to hold people accountable and to bring new ideas every single day. I think that’s something that we have to continue to do if you want to continue to be great in this league… you have to continue to evolve and get better and better. That’s something we’ll try to do here.“

Kansas City’s quarterback is clearly ready for more innovation within the Chiefs’ scheme. However, he may value the character of the coach just as much.

“Accountable”​

“I want to get back to that winning culture of being accountable to each other and going out there and playing great football every single day, practice or game,” Mahomes pointed out.

One candidate for the offensive coordinator position comes to mind when seeking accountability: Kansas City’s former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who is currently in his first season as the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears.

Whether or not Bieniemy is the answer, Mahomes seeks that no-sugar-coating trait in a coach. Nagy seemed to have a more friendly approach, and the overly optimistic messaging may have gotten stale.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...t-important-words-mahomes-said-chiefs-offense

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

The Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes is working to be ready for Week 1

On Thursday, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes spoke with local media for the first time since last month’s season-ending ACL tear.

The league’s biggest star confirmed reports that his rehab is taking place exclusively in Kansas City with familiar team trainer Julie Frymyer. While he is not ready to definitively announce his return date, Mahomes is working to be ready to start the 2026 season.

He also hopes to participate in the spring’s organized-team-activities (OTAs) in some fashion while taking on a bigger workload at training camp.

“Obviously,” he said, “I think [in] the long-term, I want to be ready for Week 1. The doctor said that I could be, but I can’t predict what’s going to happen throughout the process. But that’s my goal, and so I’ll try to prepare myself to be ready to play in that Week 1 and have no restrictions. You want to be out there healthy and giving us the best chance to win. So, obviously, I’ll hopefully be able to do some stuff in OTAs and get to training camp and hopefully be able to do a lot there.”

Conflicting analysis frequently surrounds major injuries regarding when the extent of an injury is truly known. While the eyes of the sports world anxiously watched Mahomes limp into the Chiefs’ locker room on December 14, the quarterback actually held out hope of returning to finish the game.

“I knew something had happened,” he recalled. “But once I was able to walk a little bit, I thought I might have a chance to kind of get back into the game. You go into the tent, they do the test, and they want to take you back to the locker room. So you don’t know for sure and everything like that. But when I was ready to move, I asked one of the doctors if I could get a brace and just finish the game, but they wouldn’t let me.”

The reasons doctors would not simply give him a brace soon became clear.

“It kind of sunk in once the game ended,” Mahomes explained, “and then I was able to get the results from the MRI and stuff like that. It’s hard, but at the same time, you’ve got to kind of flip the script fast knowing that it’s going to be a quick turnaround to get to this season. So now, it’s just been motivating trying to push myself — as much as they’ll let me push myself — to be ready for next year.”

Being ready for next year may involve dual spring responsibilities of injury rehab and studying whatever new wrinkles the Chiefs plan to add to the offense after missing the postseason for the first time in Mahomes’ career.

Even when he isn’t getting the physical practice reps, Mahomes believes he can improve as a player.

“I think more than anything,” he remarked, “it’s just being in there and being in the room, being on the field as much as they’ll let me. And then when I’m not able to, to take the reps, kind of getting those mental reps behind the play and seeing everything develop. The coaches will put me in the right position in order to do that. I’ll take it slow — but at the same time, I’ll push to be out there as much as I can be. We have a great plan in place as far as kind of where we want to get to, but we have to let it all play out and kind of take it a day at a time — which [has] been hard for me. But at the same time, it makes me get the best out of every single day.”

An offseason spent on site with the training staff will put a temporary pause on “Camp Mahomes” — the recent trend in which the quarterback invites his receivers to spend the first part of OTAs practicing with him in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. They will likely begin the offseason program in-house under closer watch of head coach Andy Reid (and subject to more stringent rules about what activities are allowed in the initial phase).

Mahomes believes he and the group can still build the needed rapport, possibly while taking in some local baseball.

“I can’t speak for what Coach Reid exactly is going to do,” said Mahomes, “but I would expect us to kind of be here a little bit earlier just with me already being here. I’ve talked to some of the receivers already. I think that’s kind of the mindset that we have is we want to be in the building and getting back to it. The thing about when you lose and you don’t make the playoffs, you have a longer offseason than you usually have. So, I think guys are getting away right now, kind of getting their minds right, getting their bodies right — but guys are hungry to get back out there.

“It’s hard to watch these playoff games. So we’ll be in the building and you’ll try to build that camaraderie that way. It’s just doing stuff around Kansas City. Maybe [I’ll] take them to some Royals games — or whatever, wherever that is — and try to build those relationships with those guys.”

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...atrick-mahomes-working-to-be-ready-for-week-1

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs News 1/19: Improving pass rush is Chiefs’ top offseason priority

The latest​

2026 NFL offseason: Free agents, draft notes, predictions | ESPN

Kansas City Chiefs

2025 record: 6-11
Final FPI ranking: No. 20
Estimated 2026 cap space: minus-$58.4 million
2026 first-round draft pick: No. 9

What is their top offseason priority? Improve the pass rush. The Chiefs must find an above-average pass rusher to put alongside Chris Jones and George Karlaftis. In past years, they have prioritized improving the offensive line. This year, that focus should shift to Steve Spagnuolo’s unit either through free agency or with their first-round pick.

What is one secondary priority to watch? Convince tight end Travis Kelce to return. The odds might not be in the Chiefs’ favor, but he is still productive and someone Patrick Mahomes trusts over any other pass catcher. A reasonable one-year contract could lead to Kelce returning to the roster for Mahomes’ return following his recovery from a left knee injury. — Nate Taylor

Mecole Hardman scored TD for Bills on an iconic Chiefs Super Bowl play | Kansas City Star

Because of injuries, Hardman was elevated Friday to the Bills active roster, and he made an immediate impact Saturday in Buffalo’s Divisional playoff game at Denver. Hardman caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen late in the first quarter, and it looked familiar to Chiefs fans. The play the Bills ran appeared to be the same as the Chiefs’ game-winning play in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

As mentioned earlier, the NFL is a copycat league which makes this story even better. The Chiefs stole/borrowed that game-winning play from … the Bills.

Suggs Narrates Unbelievable Story of Chiefs, Mahomes Recruiting Him | Sports Illustrated

“Andy Reid called me,” Suggs told Marshawn Lynch and Mike Robinson on this week’s edition of the Get Got podcast. “He didn’t even call my agent. I don’t even know how he got my (expletive) number to this day.”

Going hard after Suggs, a veteran with 138 career sacks in his 17th NFL season, Reid boldly compared himself to his former coordinator John Harbaugh, Suggs’ Baltimore head coach from 2008-18.

“He said, ‘I know you love Baltimore, but you gotta understand I gave Harbs his first coaching job. Everything you love about Harbs, he got from me. You come with me, you’ll win a Super Bowl.’

“And I was like, ‘Alright, Coach, let me sleep on it.’”

Suggs didn’t even hit his snooze button until a confident young quarterback, then with zero Super Bowl rings, delivered the Chiefs’ dagger.

“Yeah, I hung up the phone and Patrick Mahomes calls me,” Suggs recalled. “He was the show then, you know what I’m saying? Yeah, he was the show. And he was like, ‘Sizzle, come get the Super Bowl ring.’ I said, ‘OK, I’ll be there in the morning.’”

Around the NFL​

NFL playoffs: 10 biggest winners and losers from Bills-Broncos, 49ers-Seahawks | NFL.com

2) Bills quarterback Josh Allen: There isn’t much left to say about Allen when it comes to postseason defeats. He’s dealt with some heartbreakers over the course of his career, but this one should hurt a bit more because of his role. We usually talk about the Buffalo supporting cast failing Allen in critical situations when the Bills lose in the playoffs. This time around, he was a big part of the problem. The same quarterback who’s been phenomenal throughout his postseason career — he hadn’t given the ball away once in his last six playoff games — ended up with four turnovers. Allen fumbled three times and lost two of those while also throwing two interceptions. Some of those turnovers came down to a Denver defender making a great play, like the one McMillian made in ripping the ball away from Cooks in overtime for that interception. At other times, it was Allen simply trying to do too much, when he lost the football while scrambling with two seconds left in the first half and set up a Will Lutz field goal after Denver recovered that mishap. It’s fair to say the Bills would have won that game if Allen could have avoided one of those turnovers. Since he didn’t, this ends up being another year where Buffalo fans are left to wonder what it will take for this team to win a championship during his tenure. It’s been said many times that Allen was poised to benefit from a postseason without Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson playing. Turns out that advantage didn’t take the Bills any farther than they’ve already been in recent years.

NFL playoff overreactions for divisional round: C.J. Stroud cost himself millions? | CBS Sports

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

It was a downright terrible day for C.J. Stroud. The Houston Texans quarterback looked lost throughout his team’s 28-16 loss to the New England Patriots, and tossed four interceptions in the losing effort. Stroud was erratic with the ball for the bulk of the game and completed just 45.4% of his passes and finished with a 28.0 passer rating.

When you factor in his poor showing over Wild Card Weekend against Pittsburgh, Stroud became the first player in NFL playoff history with five-plus interceptions and five-plus fumbles in a postseason. Not great.

This disastrous postseason comes at a bad time for Stroud, who is extension-eligible this offseason. The knee-jerk reaction to this performance would be that the Texans should not sign Stroud to an extension and/or not ink him to a deal that pays him around $55 million annually with the upper-echelon quarterbacks.

Bills’ Sean McDermott calls out handling of controversial overtime interception: ‘I’m standing up for Buffalo’ | Yahoo! Sports

Bills head coach Sean McDermott said postgame that he believes Cooks made a catch and was down by contact.

“It’s hard for me to understand why it was ruled the way it was ruled,” McDermott said at the podium. “If it is ruled that way, then why wasn’t it slowed down just to make sure that we have this right. That would have made a lot of sense to me. … Because that’s a pivotal play in the game. [We’d] have the ball at the 20 and may be kicking a game-winning field goal right there.

“So I’ll just leave it at that.”

But McDermott didn’t.

Impassioned, he suddenly added:

“But I’m saying it because I’m standing up for Buffalo, damn it. I’m standing up for us. Because what went on is not how it should go down, in my estimation. These guys spend three hours out there playing football, pouring their guts out. To not even say, ‘Hey, let’s just slow this thing down.’

“That’s why I’m bothered.”

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride​

Tiering the Chiefs’ roster ahead of offseason movement

Tier 4: Rookie-deal players who haven’t emerged yet

Players: Wide receiver Xavier Worthy, cornerback Nohl Williams, defensive end Ashton Gillotte, defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott, safety Jaden Hicks and safety Chamarri Conner

Worthy being on this list after his rookie year is disappointing, but this is the level his career is currently at. The 2025 season was a poor one for Worthy. He battled through injuries, but he struggled to make plays by beating man coverage. He aligned more on the outside once Rice came back, and it was ineffective. For Worthy to reach his ceiling, his role needs to change.

To bring youth and depth to the defense, the Chiefs drafted Gillotte, Norman-Lott, and Williams on Day 2 last year. Williams looks the most promising of the three and will probably start next year. Gillotte and Norman-Lott have not proven enough to cement a role in 2026.

Hicks and Conner will likely start next year, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Chiefs brought in different safeties this spring.

Social media to make you think​

This reminds me of the #Chiefs 2023 Super Bowl run

When Mahomes won three consecutive playoff games — two on the road — without committing a turnover OR what PFF deemed a turnover-worthy play https://t.co/fjXg1Dk5Y6

— Ron Kopp Jr (@RonOnChiefs) January 17, 2026

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Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...ng-pass-rush-is-chiefs-top-offseason-priority

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs are reportedly hiring Chad O’Shea as wide receivers coach

With all signs pointing to the Kansas City Chiefs hiring Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, the team has reportedly hired a position coach.

The Chiefs are hiring Chad O’Shea as their wide receivers coach, per source.

O’Shea got into the NFL as a volunteer assistant with Kansas City in 2003. Over two decades later, he’s back as Andy Reid remodels his offensive staff. pic.twitter.com/BW7koHxbi3

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 19, 2026

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Chiefs will hire Chad O’Shea as the wide receivers coach. He has been the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach with the Cleveland Browns since 2020, joining the staff of head coach Kevin Stefanski, who was recently hired as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

O’Shea brings nearly two decades of position-coach experience to the offensive coaching staff. After entering the NFL as a volunteer assistant with Kansas City in 2003, he was hired as an assistant coach for the special teams unit under head coach Dick Vermeil for the final two years of his tenure. From there, he switched to an offensive assistant with the Minnesota Vikings in 2006 and found himself coaching the wide receivers in 2007.

O’Shea has held that position for an NFL team every season since, except for an opportunity to be the Miami Dolphins’ offensive coordinator in 2019.

His most notable stop began in 2009 with the New England Patriots. He led a room that featured wide receivers Wes Welker and Randy Moss still in their primes, then played a key role in the career development of wide receiver Julian Edelman, who was a college quarterback at Kent State.

Head coach Andy Reid is bringing a new, experienced voice into Kansas City’s coaching staff. He will replace former wide receivers coach Connor Embree, who was fired after his third season as an NFL position coach.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...chiefs-hiring-chad-oshea-wide-receivers-coach

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Latest PFF mock draft has Chiefs drafting ‘favorite’ to win OROY

There are over three months until the 2026 NFL Draft, but with the Kansas City Chiefs’ offseason underway, it’s time to consider what draft prospects the Chiefs could select with the ninth overall pick.

On Sunday, Pro Football Focus analyst Gordon McGuinness published a first-round mock draft that had two popular names for the Chiefs’ pick taken in the top 3. The New York Jets selected edge rusher David Bailey from Texas Tech, then the Arizona Cardinals drafted Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.

With the fourth selection, the Tennessee Titans are matched with Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. In the remaining four spots before Kansas City’s selection, three wide receivers are taken.

9. Kansas City Chiefs: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

As long as Patrick Mahomes is the Chiefs‘ quarterback, opposing defenses will have reason to worry. A dynamic running back would only lift Kansas City’s attack in 2026. Love earned elite PFF overall grades of 91.1 and 93.9 over the past two seasons, and he averaged 4.5 yards after contact in 2025. He would instantly be the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year if he landed in Kansas City.

My takeaway​

In this scenario, the Chiefs miss out on the worthwhile defensive talent at the top of the draft class — except for Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese.

Watching Downs but couldn't help marveling at Ohio State LB Arvell Reese

Seems like the perfect LB for today's NFL. Can play the run off-ball or on the LOS, but could also just be a 3-4 OLB all 3 downs pic.twitter.com/QvN70Anhf2

— Ron Kopp Jr (@RonOnChiefs) December 28, 2025

He is certainly a premier prospect for modern NFL defense, but that is not necessarily the brand that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo plays with in the front seven.

With that misfit in mind, the best pick in this spot absolutely would be Jeremiyah Love. Kansas City needs to make the most of a top-10 pick, and he would be the most impactful pick here, all things considered.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans.../pff-mock-draft-chiefs-drafting-favorite-oroy

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs News 1/20: Matt Nagy was beat out for Titans job

The latest​

Separating Fact From Narrative in the Titans’ Decision to Pass on Matt Nagy | Paulkuharsky.com

Matt Nagy, who worked with Mike Borgonzi with the Chiefs for eight seasons, was thought by many to be a shoo-in as the next Titans’ coach.

The Titans and Mike Borgonzi hired Robert Saleh instead.

Late Monday night, ESPN was already pumping a pro-Amy Adams Strunk, anti-Borgonzi narrative that the GM wanted Nagy and ownership moved him toward Saleh.

I know this not to be true.

Unfortunately for Nagy, it leaves him as less of a victim, deserted by his friend. Insead it means he was beaten out by a different personality of the sort the Titans need more.

4 Positives Generated By Bieniemy’s Likely Return to Chiefs | Sports Illustrated

Respect in building could convince Kelce to return

From Patrick Mahomes to Steve Spagnuolo, Bieniemy earned a great deal of respect from Chiefs players and coaches over his first 10 years in Kansas City (2013-22).

And one of those players, Travis Kelce, might even be encouraged to return for a 14th season after learning of Bieniemy’s return.

With Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, Kelce enjoyed his three highest single-season receptions totals (110 in 2022, 105 in 2020 and 103 in 2018). The tight end’s touchdown receptions and receiving yards were significantly better with Bieniemy in that role.

Patrick Mahomes Statement Resurfaces After Chiefs Coaching News | Yahoo! Sports

“I just want someone that loves football, that cares about football, wants to give everything they can to win, to hold people accountable, and then to bring new ideas every single day,” Mahomes told reporters in a Zoom interview on Thursday.

“That’s something that we have to continue to do if you want to continue to be great in this league, is you have to continue to evolve and get better and better and that’s something that we’ll try to do here and I want to get back to that winning culture of being accountable to each other and going out there and playing great football every single day, practice or game.”

Bieniemy fits the bill. More importantly, he has already worked with and succeeded alongside Mahomes and Co. The 56-year-old was part of two of Kansas City’s title runs. He was Reid’s OC when they won Super Bowl 54 in 2020 and Super Bowl 57 in 2023.

Kansas City Chiefs will have more boots on the ground at the Senior Bowl than usual — and one decision could tip a coming promotion | A to Z Sports

Chiefs assistant QB coach Daniel Williams is slated to coach the wide receivers for the National Team under head coach Clint Hurtt (Philadelphia Eagles). Williams has been a member of the Chiefs’ offensive coaching staff for seven seasons, including spending the last three seasons as assistant quarterbacks coach. As a coaching intern during the 2019 NFL season, Williams worked with tight ends and quarterbacks, but this opportunity is his first foray into coaching wide receivers. His father, Ted Williams, was a tight end coach under Andy Reid in Philadelphia.

Could Williams perhaps be the Chiefs’ choice for wide receiver coach in 2026 now that Connor Embree has been relieved of his duties? Kansas City has yet to announce that change, but the fact that Williams is working with wide receivers at the Senior Bowl certainly suggests that his focus as a coach may shift in 2026. He has been working closely with David Girardi and Patrick Mahomes for years now, so there seems to be a level of trust that could weigh heavily into such a decision.

Around the NFL​

Robert Saleh is the new Tennessee Titans head coach, per reports | Music City Miracles

Saleh was one of two finalists for the job alongside Matt Nagy of the Kansas City Chiefs. Both were former head coaches in the NFL, and every head coach hire this cycle fits that description.

Saleh coached the New York Jets to a 20-36 record from 2021 to 2024 as the head man, topping out at 7-10 in 2022 and 2023. He has been the 49ers defensive coordinator for multiple seasons, leading them to sixth overall in 2025.

Saleh joins former 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans in the AFC South after both being 49ers defensive coordinators. Saleh’s first NFL ob was with the Texans from 2005-2010 and he spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2014-2016.

Bills promote Brandon Beane: Buffalo general manager will be new president of football operations | Buffalo Rumblings

The Buffalo Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott on Monday, just days after another disappointing playoff loss. At the same time, it was shared that general manager Brandon Beane would stay on in his role and lead the head coach search. Not only that, the Bills promoted Beane to president of football operations. That likely signals that the new head coach will report to Beane whereas McDermott had reported directly to owner Terry Pegula.

This has not sat well with a lot of Bills fans, who blame Beane for the team’s shortcomings in 2025. Beane’s post-draft rant about the wide receiver position on a local radio show was particularly troubling for many Bills fans, as that position group turned out to be an Achilles heel of the team the entire season. It was made worse at the trade deadline when he pursued receivers but ultimately came away empty.

Dolphins hire Packers DC Jeff Hafley as next head coach | NFL.com

Hafley, who also coached defensive backs at the NFL level with the Buccaneers, Browns and 49ers from 2012-18, has previously only been a head coach at the collegiate level. He was Boston College’s head coach from 2020-23, leading the Eagles to a record of .500 or better in three of his four seasons.

He comes to a Miami team in dire need of an identity shift, with plenty of questions to answer after two consecutive losing seasons followed the Dolphins’ first consecutive playoff berths since the 2000-01 campaigns. The Dolphins in recent years developed a reputation for soft play, featuring speed over enforcers, and that showed in the team’s 24th-ranked scoring defense.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride​

Chiefs are reportedly hiring Chad O’Shea as wide receivers coach

O’Shea brings nearly two decades of position-coach experience to the offensive coaching staff. After entering the NFL as a volunteer assistant with Kansas City in 2003, he was hired as an assistant coach for the special teams unit under head coach Dick Vermeil for the final two years of his tenure. From there, he switched to an offensive assistant with the Minnesota Vikings in 2006 and found himself coaching the wide receivers in 2007.

O’Shea has held that position for an NFL team every season since, except for an opportunity to be the Miami Dolphins’ offensive coordinator in 2019.

His most notable stop began in 2009 with the New England Patriots. He led a room that featured wide receivers Wes Welker and Randy Moss still in their primes, then played a key role in the career development of wide receiver Julian Edelman, who was a college quarterback at Kent State.

Social media to make you think​

Getting EB back is the best outcome given that the HC is the OC (one of the best of all time) and has offensive control. EB brings the same traits that made him successful before: works his ass off and holds people accountable. This time he comes back with intimate knowledge of…

— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) January 19, 2026

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Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...34/1-20-matt-nagy-was-beat-out-for-titans-job

 

[JJ]

OH MAN where do I even start with all this Chiefs news...

First off, gotta say it's HILARIOUS watching Mahomes try to come back from an ACL tear while the Chiefs are sitting at 6-11. Welcome to the other side buddy! Us Bills fans know ALL about watching your franchise QB deal with heartbreak, except ours is usually in January not December.

But seriously, the fact that Mecole Hardman scored a TD for US using that same play the Chiefs used to beat us in the Super Bowl?? POETIC JUSTICE RIGHT THERE. And the best part - the article says the Chiefs originally stole that play FROM THE BILLS. So really we just took back what was ours. You're welcome Kansas City.

Now about that Josh Allen "loser" take in the article - I'm gonna need whoever wrote that to meet me outside. FOUR turnovers and we STILL almost won that game against Denver. You know what that tells me? Josh Allen is so damn good that even on his worst day he's keeping us in playoff games. Mahomes has bad games too, he just usually has a better defense backing him up.

The Bieniemy hire makes sense for KC though. You guys need SOMEONE who can hold people accountable because clearly that 6-11 record shows something went wrong. And convincing Kelce to come back for one more year with his old OC? Smart move if they can pull it off.

Also laughing at the Bills firing McDermott news buried in there. New era in Buffalo baby! LETS GO BUFFALO