Not Many Stranger Things in NFL Than Postseason Without Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The New York Jets haven’t been to the playoffs since 2010. The Raiders have only two over the last 23 years. Cleveland, since returning as an expansion franchise in 1999, has just three over 27 seasons.

Even Indianapolis, which opened this season 7-1, has just two postseason berths over an 11-year stretch. Chris Jones, meanwhile, has never known a season without a playoff game since the Chiefs drafted him in 2016 – until now.

“Definitely was a learning curve this year,” Jones said Thursday. “I appreciate the challenges. You learn a lot about yourself, and you have a lot of tough times throughout the course of 17 weeks. So, it's been a journey, to say the least, but I learned a lot.”

Andy Reid wants the learning – at least from losing -- to end with this season. He said this week he never wants to even think about developing calluses those AFC franchises have on their brains.

Knowing the end is near

At this time in the calendar -- for every season since the last time they missed the playoffs in 2014 --the Chiefs have opened January not knowing when their season will end. So, it’s an enormously strange feeling to know the season ends in 48 hours.

“Yeah, and I want to keep that a strange feeling,” Reid said Wednesday, approaching the end of his first losing season since 2012 in Philadelphia. “So, you don't like ending right now, obviously, but that's what it is. And then you got to go back and fix things, make sure they're right.”

brashard smit — Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith (24) carries the ball defended by Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes (22) during the fourth quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Reid said he’ll dive in immediately on the self-scouting process as soon as he returns from Las Vegas. But no one is looking past the Raiders, who’ve lost 10 straight games entering Sunday.

Creed Humphrey acknowledged that he’s about the finish the most surreal season he’s known in the NFL, but he wants to end it on a good note.

“Yeah, definitely,” the All-Pro center said Wednesday. “It is weird. I mean, in my five years now, every single year we've been at least the AFC championship, so it definitely feels different. But for us, it's about focusing on this week, going out there and playing our best ball of the year and finishing the season the right way.”

Better late than never. The Chiefs haven’t won since Nov. 23, a 23-20 victory over the Colts. Since, they’ve dropped five straight to match their longest losing streak during the Reid era (also 2015).

chris oladoku — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (19) is sacked by Tennessee Titans linebacker Truman Jones (56) and linebacker Jihad Ward (53) during the fourth quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Feeling in the building

“For all of us,” offensive coordinator Matt Nagy added Thursday. “It's weird. It's different. You talk to some coaches around the league that are either gearing up for playoffs, or they're going through what we're going through now.

“And friends and peers that are just like, ‘Man, that's gotta be tough being in that building.’ And it's been, since 2014 that we've experienced this feeling.”

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