In the NFL regular season game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers, the Chiefs lost 13-16 to the Chargers, ending their playoff hopes with a 6-8 record. This marks the first time the Chiefs have missed the playoffs since the 2014 season.
In the final minute of the game, Chiefs' star quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and was ruled out for the season. Five plays after Mahomes left the field, backup quarterback Gardner Minshew threw a mid-range pass to Travis Kelce, but it was intercepted by Chargers safety Derwin James II, completely ending the Chiefs' comeback attempt and shattering their hopes of reaching the playoffs for the 11th consecutive season, which would have tied the NFL record for the longest streak.
This loss ended several historical records: 10 consecutive seasons with at least 10 wins (third longest in NFL history), 10 consecutive years in the playoffs (second longest in league history), and 7 consecutive appearances in the divisional round (2019-2025, second longest in league history) with 5 Super Bowl appearances and championships.
[Chiefs' Historical Achievements]
The Chiefs have reached the Super Bowl 7 times (1967, 1970, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025);
The Chiefs are one of only four teams in history to reach the Super Bowl in three consecutive years, winning 4 Super Bowl titles (1970, 2020, 2023, 2024);
Kansas City has reached the AFC Championship Game 7 consecutive times, the second-longest streak in the Super Bowl era (second only to the New England Patriots from 2011–2018, 8 times), and won 5 times (2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025);
The Chiefs have made the playoffs for 10 consecutive years, second only to Brady and the Patriots' 11 consecutive seasons from 2009–2019.
[2025 Regular Season Chiefs Record: 6 wins, 8 losses]
After 15 weeks of the regular season, the Chiefs currently have a record of 6 wins and 8 losses:
The Chiefs lost 21-27 to the Los Angeles Chargers; 17-20 to the Philadelphia Eagles; 28-31 to the Jacksonville Jaguars; 21-28 to the Buffalo Bills; 19-22 to the Denver Broncos; 28-31 to the Dallas Cowboys; 10-20 to the Houston Texans; and 13-16 to the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chiefs won 22-9 against the New York Giants; 37-20 against the Baltimore Ravens; 30-17 against the Detroit Lions; 31-0 against the Las Vegas Raiders; 28-7 against the Washington Commanders; and 23-20 against the Indianapolis Colts.
[2025 Season Analysis: How did the Chiefs collapse?]
According to foreign media analysis of the Chiefs, even with Patrick Mahomes healthy, they have shown a tendency to miss the playoffs this season. At the beginning of the season, the Chiefs' scoring defense ranked seventh in the league, and there wasn't a "collapse without the core player" problem. However, compared to recent seasons, the Chiefs' defensive performance has declined, which has weakened Mahomes' ability to make a comeback and turn things around.
It's worth noting that in the first week's game against the Los Angeles Chargers, which the Chiefs lost 21-27, Chiefs linebacker Drew Tranquill reportedly yelled at and accused Chris Jones of not fulfilling his defensive responsibilities, and teammates had to separate the two. While the team initially thought this wouldn't have a long-term impact, they later realized that the team hadn't regrouped as expected since then, which could be one of the reasons for the team's problems – a lack of cohesion.
What do you JRs (Reddit users) think of the Chiefs' performance this season? What should they do next?
