Here’s Sign That Chiefs No Longer Immune to NFL Parity

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – It’s nearly unfathomable, even for those with perpetual Chiefs fatigue. An NFL postseason without Kansas City is hurtling down the tracks.

Gas averaged $2.12 per gallon, Apple had just released its iPhone 6 and Taylor Swift’s Blank Space topped the Billboard Hot 100. That was the last time the Chiefs missed the playoffs, 11 years ago.

“For those of you out there,” Rich Eisen said on Monday’s edition of the Rich Eisen Show, “that have been waiting for the Chiefs to finally stumble and not get up, guess what? The First Alert Chiefs have arrived. They have fallen, and I don’t know if they are going to be able to get up. Chiefs fatiguers out there, it’s your special day. Everything has gone wrong for the Chiefs that could have gone wrong this year.”

george karlaftis, strou — Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis (56) sacks Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

Chargers didn't help Chiefs on Monday

And after Justin Herbert valiantly guided the Chargers to an overtime win over Philadelphia late on Monday night, a tournament without the Chiefs seems even more likely.

Patrick Mahomes won’t go quietly, however. And even if the Chiefs don’t make the playoffs this season, consider his Super Bowl window still wide open. After Sunday’s 20-10 loss to Houston, the quarterback explained how his teammates are built differently.

“I think it’s just who we are,” he said after the game. “I mean, I know we're not winning games, but that mindset that these guys have in this locker room, in the games that we're not winning, you can never question the fight of this team.

“And obviously we're not executing at the right moments, and we're not making those plays. But at the end of the day, you'll never question that. And I think you'll see that for these last four weeks.”

jalen hurt — Dec 8, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) passes against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Worst passer ratings in Week 14

To begin those last four weeks, unbelievably, there’s nowhere to go but up for Mahomes and the Chiefs. Fresh off his worst day as a professional, Mahomes (19.8) finished with the lowest passer rating in the NFL during Week 14. Drops by his normally sure-handed teammates didn’t help.

And in another tip of the cap to NFL parity, the quarterback who started opposite Mahomes in the last Super Bowl, Jalen Hurts, was in the same doghouse. Hurts (31.2) committed five turnovers in a loss to Herbert and the Chargers on Monday.

The quarterback that started opposite Hurts in the 2024 NFC championship game, Jayden Daniels (35.0), was third worst.

#Texans Black Hole/Death Star Defense:

Where stars go to die

-2-0 vs. former MVPs (Mahomes & Allen)
-0 TD passes allowed
-5 INT
-10 sacks combined
-413 passing yards combined (Both QBs are in the top 10 passing yards category) https://t.co/vzZUZiUt5K
— TXN (@TXNFootball) December 9, 2025

But there’s four games left, and the Chiefs aren’t about to retreat.

“We can finish the season 10-7,” Chris Jones said Sunday night, “and we're gonna have a shot for the playoffs if the cards fall in the right place. So, we control how we finish the season. We can finish strong, and God willing, you can find a way to get in the playoffs.”

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