Here’s Why Chiefs Love Noon Kickoffs on Sundays

The Kansas City Chiefs get a rare early kickoff this week against Las Vegas Raiders.

Nov 24, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) with the ball as Carolina Panthers cornerback Michael Jackson (2) defends in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – California Condors, Siberian Tigers and Sunday noon kickoffs. In Chiefs Kingdom since the team drafted Patrick Mahomes, they’re all endangered species.

But if Taylor Swift and Caitlin Clark are going to the Chiefs game this week, they need to set their alarms.

Jan 18, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Recording artist Taylor Swift (upper middle) sits with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (upper right) during the fourth quarter of a 2025 AFC divisional round game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Chiefs (3-3) get one of those rare starts this week when they host the Raiders (2-4) at Arrowhead Stadium (12 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan). Barring any flexes in the NFL schedule, it’s Kansas City’s first of four early Sunday kickoffs this season.

In comparison, the Carolina Panthers have 14 early Sunday kickoffs this season.

Dec 15, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates with tight end Travis Kelce (87) and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

No standalone window this week

Over the season’s first six weeks, the Chiefs have played in four standalone primetime windows. They opened the year in Brazil on a Friday night in a loss to the Chargers, registered Sunday night wins in New York over the Giants in Week 3 and last week over Detroit, and lost on a Week 5 Monday night in Jacksonville.

In between, the Chiefs aired to 100 percent of the country on America’s Game of the Week, a Super Bowl rematch in Week 2. And two weeks after losing that thriller, 20-17 to Philadelphia, Kansas City crushed the Ravens, 37-20, in a late-afternoon window on CBS.

Sep 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) greet each other on the field after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

It’s familiar territory for the team people either love or hate – or invest significant resources in attempt to prove an NFL conspiracy favoring the Chiefs. Kansas City isn’t only the NFL’s resident dynasty; the Chiefs also are the NFL’s resident ratings darlings.

On Thanksgiving next month, the Chiefs and Cowboys are expected to shatter the NFL record for most-watched non-playoff game. Dallas and the New York Giants established that mark on Nov. 24, 2022, an earlier Thanksgiving at AT&T Stadium, drawing an average of 42.1 million viewers on FOX.

Like Sunday, this year’s Thanksgiving contest is on CBS.

Nov 21, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws a pass as Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark (55) pressures during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Back to non-noon kickoffs

After meeting the Raiders – and catching up on sleep -- the Chiefs are back on Monday Night Football the following week, hosting Jayden Daniels and the Commanders in Week 8. Then, it’s off to Buffalo for the now-annual Mahomes-Josh Allen Bowl. That’s also on the CBS marquee, another 3:25 CT kickoff.

The next time Kansas City is scheduled to kick off at noon isn’t until Week 12. And for those who believe the NFL will move that game out of the noon slot because Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts, who visit Kansas City that day, have the AFC’s best record (5-1) through six weeks? A league source told OnSI Tuesday that it’s likely to stay at 12 noon.

The AFC Conference Standings just as we expected after week 6. pic.twitter.com/5SDU4DtUnQ

— Nick Jacobs (@Jacobs71) October 14, 2025

Ironically, the last time the Chiefs lost a Sunday noon kickoff was against the Colts – more than three years ago. It was Sept. 25, 2022, at Lucas Oil Stadium. Matt Ryan threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jelani Woods with 24 seconds remaining to beat the Chiefs, 20-17.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Jelani Woods (80) catches a touchdown pass while being guarded by Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill (22) on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Since then, the Chiefs have reeled off nine consecutive wins in Sunday noon games.

Overall since that loss at Indianapolis in 2022, the Chiefs are 11-1 in noon kickoffs, including Saturday and Wednesday victories over Houston and Pittsburgh during Christmas week 2024, and a loss on a Christmas Monday in 2023, at home to the Raiders.

Chiefs Kingdom, your absolutely free home for the most thorough news and info is OnSI; the best way to get it is to follow @KCChiefsOnSI, @ZakSGilbert and @Domminchella on X (Twitter). Plus, tell us how your feel about Sunday noon kickoffs by visiting our Facebook page (here).