Reid Outlines Chiefs’ Approach to Rebounding in ’26, Restoring Respect

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Asked last month what went wrong for the Chiefs during a disastrous 2025 season, Patrick Mahomes had a simple, two-word answer.

Compounding mistakes.

“For myself, I look at some of the red-zone interceptions I threw,” Mahomes said Jan. 15, “and kind of bigger moments in the third and fourth quarters of games. I mean, that’s stuff that I hadn't done in the past. And so, speaking for myself, just trying to be better in those moments.

“And then offensively, we weren't consistent enough throughout games. We had stretches in games where we played good. We had stretches in the season where we played really good. But we got to be better, and that starts with me, and then it kind of has to feed throughout the entire offense.”

xavier worthyh — Sep 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) runs after making a catch during the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Loss of consistency, loss of respect

And because the Chiefs lost their consistency, at some point in the second half of the season, the NFL flat out lost its respect for the Kansas City offense. Andy Reid noticed, especially the team’s inability to effectively run the ball.

Beginning with a Super Bowl blowout, the Chiefs have lost 12 of their last 18 games. They dropped seven of their last eight to close last year, the final six in succession. It’s a position in which Reid has never been as head coach of the Chiefs, and never wants to experience again.

andy rei — Dec 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid reacts to a play against the Los Angeles Chargers during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

“We look at everything and everybody,” Reid said Friday. “I mean, that's how this league is. Try not to miss anything there. Execution becomes the important thing to me, and how you go about that, the discipline of it and how you go about it, the trust within one another, all the things that make up a good offense.”

But Reid didn’t seem to indicate the Chiefs were headed for wholesale scheme changes. No one expected them to do that, although they could certainly change some of their tendencies.

patrick mahomes — Jan 24, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) goes under center in the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

“You narrow things down to what you think your guys do the best,” he said, “and then you coach it with discipline and with expectation. This is what this is, what we're doing right here. And it's your responsibility as a player to make sure that you're focused in on that. At the same time, the coach has got to give the player direction to get there.”

About 40 percent roster turnover

Most of those players will have a lot in common when the team begins training camp in St. Joseph, Mo., this July: They’ll be new to the Chiefs.

Kansas City has 21 players scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency next month. And due to the team’s decimated salary cap, the Chiefs aren’t expected to resign many of them, if any. But Reid vowed to ensure the players Brett Veach and the team add understand that they’re headed to a special place.

brett veac — Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“You got to come in with the right attitude, for sure,” he said. “Again, that's a big part of this thing. And there is a fit, literally. There's a certain expectation that we've got. We didn't reach that this past year. So, it's important that we take care of business from a coaching standpoint, from an organizational standpoint, whether it's personnel or front office, and make sure we keep the expectations high and aggressive.”

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