The Kansas City Chiefs have been dominating the NFL for more than half a decade now. And just when the league had lost hope after Patrick Mahomes and company reached the Super Bowl for a third straight time (in pursuit of a three-peat), it was the Eagles who exposed their weaknesses and came out on top.
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However, somewhat surprisingly, the Chiefs haven’t made many headlines since then.
Yes, Mahomes has been working out early in the offseason, but the team hasn’t made any major moves to address its weaknesses from last year. And there were plenty—particularly the O-line, as NFL analyst Jason McIntyre points out.
“Their biggest signing was Jaylon Moore. Who? Fifth-rounder out of Western Michigan who was a backup in San Francisco. Now he’s behind Trent Williams, which is kind of understandable. But I think he had five starts last season, that’s it. He’s gonna be their new left tackle,” said the analyst on an episode of The Herd.
Now, if you recall, the Chiefs struggled significantly at the left tackle position, also known as the QB’s blind spot. It ultimately cost them the Super Bowl. They rotated through four different players for the position throughout the year, with Joe Thuney eventually taking over. But the Chiefs traded him to the Bears during the offseason.
That’s what concerns McIntyre the most: the Chiefs “haven’t improved at all.” But that’s not all. As much as McIntyre thinks Travis Kelce is a Hall of Famer, he also believes the tight end could pose a problem for the team next season.
“He’s coming off his worst season as a pro. He’s 35, turns 36 in October. Travis Kelce (had) career low three touchdown catches,” Jason continued.
McIntyre went on to claim that Kelce’s career stock took a massive dive this past season as he was “invisible” during their playoff run.
But that’s not what the analyst sees as the biggest issue for Kansas City. According to him, their most concerning stat from the 2024 season was going 11-0 in one-score games. As impressive as it may sound, McIntyre argued this is exactly the kind of stat that should haunt them the most.
“They couldn’t blow out anybody. They had the worst point differential of a 15-win team in NFL history. But it gets better. Two teams in their division who finished behind them–the Chargers and Broncos– had a bigger point differential than the Kansas City Chiefs.”
This speaks volumes about how thin Mahomes and company’s firepower is, and how heavily they rely on the QB’s clutch instincts to win games — something that simply isn’t sustainable.
“I don’t think the Kansas City Chiefs are a playoff team next year” @jasonrmcintyre pic.twitter.com/8Bs1OFDd6c
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) April 11, 2025
The only good thing about the team, as McIntyre points out, is the partnership between Mahomes and Andy Reid, which, as he said, is “arguably the best quarterback-coach combos after Belichick and Brady in NFL history.”
However, that run could come to an end. McIntyre noted how the AFC is getting stronger and stronger with each trade this offseason, which led him to believe that “the Chargers are probably gonna win that (AFC West) division this year.”
He then pulled up the Chiefs’ season schedule, and it made even more sense. Their division rivals—the Raiders and the Chargers, especially—not only made significant improvements from last year but also have fairly easier schedules, making them look like serious playoff contenders.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs are set to host the Ravens, Lions, Texans, Eagles, and Commanders next year, so even their home games won’t be easy. That’s why relying too heavily on clutch instincts in one-score games could backfire, McIntyre argued. But… there’s more.
“You look at the last 3 years, Kansas City has played 10 playoff games. That’s more than half another season. We see this in the NBA all the time: when you make a run to the finals 2-3 years in a row, that following year, you are drained,” McIntyre prodded on.
“The bodies are breaking down. The players are wearing down, and it’s very, very difficult to keep that sustainability going… I don’t think the Kansas City Chiefs are a playoff team next year.”
That said, if the Chiefs have taught us anything, it’s to never bet against them.
