How Chiefs Can End Miserable 2025 Season on High Note

The Kansas City Chiefs have a tough offseason ahead of them. In one year, this team went from AFC champions and Super Bowl runners-up to being eliminated from playoff contention just 14 weeks into the 2025 season. Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL, but the Chiefs were on the verge of postseason irrelevance before he went down.

Before he got injured, Mahomes was doing his best to keep a suboptimal roster afloat. However, it became clear that while he was still capable of playing at an MVP-level and leading a title contender, even he couldn't elevate this situation to another Super Bowl. Eventually, his body crumbled under the immense weight that Kansas City thrust upon him. Now, the Chiefs have to find a way to retool around him to return to the NFL's upper echelon.

Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, Las Vegas Raiders, Travis Kelce — Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates after a play against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

A win is more important in Week 18

On the bright side, the Kansas City Chiefs will have decent draft position this spring to help them retool around Patrick Mahomes. In the regular-season finale, they have the opportunity to climb as high as the eighth-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. For a team desperate for young talent and difference-makers in the lineup, adding a transformative piece in the first round would do wonders for their prospects next season.

That would suggest that the Chiefs should do all they can to lose in Week 18's matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. As impactful as draft positioning can be, Kansas City might be better off just winning this one and ending its season on a high note, with a resounding victory over a division rival.

Let 2026 be his year. Travis deserves it with over a decade of dedication and commitment to Kansas City, on and off the field.#WPMOYChallenge Travis Kelce

Rt to vote for @tkelce pic.twitter.com/GH6YmTY9lS
— Chrissy 🫶🏻 (@friend_in_me_C) December 30, 2025

Otherwise, the Chiefs would be going into the offseason riding a six-game losing streak that extends back to when Mahomes was still healthy. Kansas City may have already bid farewell to Arrowhead Stadium, but they face another potential goodbye in the season finale. Try as he might to avoid it, Week 18 could mark Travis Kelce's last game in the NFL. 2025 has already proven to be a disappointing end to a legendary career, but the least the Chiefs could do is send him off properly in what might be his final outing.

FanDuel isn't expecting KC to tank in this one, at least, not more than the Raiders. Even with third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun making just his third-career start, the Chiefs are comfortably favored on the road, laying 5.5 points on the spread and listed at -275 on the moneyline. Covering here would make for an adequate send-off for Kelce.

Betting odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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