What to know about Chiefs’ 2025 season — one Kansas City doesn’t want to repeat
Key Takeaways
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The Chiefs finished 6-11 in 2025, their worst record since 2012 and out of playoffs.
- Kansas City's 6-11 finish gives them the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
- Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL and missed Week 16 and subsequent games.
The Kansas City Chiefs stumbled to a 6-11 record in 2025, their worst finish since 2012 and a stunning fall for a team that has recently dominated the NFL.
The collapse ended a 10-year playoff streak, but on the bright side it gave the Chiefs excellent positioning for April’s NFL Draft. With quarterback Patrick Mahomes on the mend from a knee injury/surgery, tight end Travis Kelce back for another year and such newcomers as running back Kenneth Walker and touted rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane in the fold, hopes are high for this fall.
Before we turn the page on last year entirely, however, here’s the game-by-game recap of Kansas City’s rough 2025 campaign:
- Week 1: The Chiefs lost 27-21 to the Chargers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, as Justin Herbert threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns while Kansas City’s offense punted three straight times to start the game.
- Week 2: Philadelphia beat the Chiefs 20-17 at Arrowhead, where a bobbled Travis Kelce pass turned into an Andrew Mukuba interception that led to the decisive Eagles touchdown drive.
- Week 3: Kansas City finally got its first win, beating the Giants 22-9 on Sunday Night Football, with Patrick Mahomes saving a touchdown by tackling Bobby Okereke after a fumble on a backward pass.
- Week 4: Xavier Worthy returned from a shoulder injury and posted 83 receiving yards in a 37-20 win over the Ravens, as Mahomes spread the ball to nine different pass-catchers for 270 yards and four touchdowns.
- Week 5: Jacksonville erased a 14-0 deficit to beat the Chiefs 31-28, with Devin Lloyd returning a Mahomes interception 99 yards for a touchdown despite Kansas City outgaining the Jaguars 476-319.
- Week 6: Mahomes threw for 257 yards and four total touchdowns in a 30-17 Sunday Night Football win over the Lions that evened the Chiefs at 3-3.
- Week 7: Rashee Rice returned from a six-game suspension and caught seven passes for two touchdowns in a 31-0 rout of the Raiders, who managed less than 100 yards of offense.
- Week 8: A second-half surge powered Kansas City to a 28-7 Monday night win over the Commanders, with an unnecessary roughness penalty on Washington’s Quan Martin sparking the offense after a sloppy first half.
- Week 9: Buffalo defeated the Chiefs 28-21 at Highmark Stadium, exposing Kansas City’s weak run defense and second-level coverage as Bills tight ends combined for 149 yards.
- Week 11: After the bye, Denver won 22-19 on a last-second field goal, dropping the Chiefs to 5-5 after Bo Nix hit Troy Franklin for a key first down in the closing seconds.
- Week 12: The Chiefs snapped a two-game skid with a 23-20 overtime win over the Colts, as Mahomes connected with Rice on a 47-yard play and found Worthy on a jump-pass in overtime to set up the winning field goal.
- Week 13: Dallas beat the Chiefs 31-28 on Thanksgiving Day, with CeeDee Lamb posting 112 yards and the Kansas City defense unable to capitalize on a near-interception and a forced fumble late in the game.
- Week 14: Houston beat Kansas City 20-10 on Sunday night, with Andy Reid’s puzzling decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 31 in a tied game leading directly to a Texans touchdown.
- Week 15: The Chargers won 16-13 to end Kansas City’s 10-year playoff streak, as Daiyan Henley intercepted Mahomes in the red zone and the quarterback appeared to suffer a serious knee injury.
- Week 16: A depleted Chiefs team lost 26-9 to the Titans, playing without Mahomes (torn ACL), both starting tackles and several defensive starters, with backup Gardner Minshew also injured during the game.
- Week 17: Denver beat Kansas City 20-13 on Christmas Day, with a Chris Jones offsides penalty on fourth-and-2 extending the game-winning Broncos touchdown drive after the game had been tied 13-13.
- Week 18: Las Vegas kicker Daniel Carlson drilled a 60-yard field goal with eight seconds left in a 14-12 Raiders win, sealing Kansas City’s 6-11 finish and the ninth pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
Pete Sweeney
The Kansas City Star