NFL fans have gotten accustomed to seeing the Kansas City Chiefs play on the biggest stages in the sport year after year, but Andy Reid and company were ominously missing from the 2025 playoffs after a nightmare season.
That season ended in the worst way possible, with Patrick Mahomes going down with a torn ACL late in the season. Mahomes' injury might bleed into the 2026 season, leading the Chiefs to trade for Justin Fields as a potential insurance policy.
Most of the attention on the acquisition side of things came on defense. The Chiefs traded up to No. 6 overall in the NFL Draft to select LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, and they also drafted defensive tackle Peter Woods out of Clemson in the first round.
How will the Chiefs fare in their bounce-back season in 2026? Their path to the playoffs was revealed when the NFL schedule was released on Thursday night, so let's predict how Kansas City will do.
Week 1 vs. Broncos (Monday, Sept. 14): Loss
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (19) throws against Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
It's still unclear whether Patrick Mahomes is going to play in this game, but either way all of the talk leading into this game will be about the Chiefs and their efforts to rebound this season, on top of Mahomes' injury. Sean Payton will use that as fuel, and his Broncos will be ready to play. Kansas City falls to 0-1.
Week 2 vs. Colts (Sunday, Sept. 20): Win
Who the Colts start at quarterback in this series is anyone's guess, whether it be Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson or someone else. Either way, the Indianapolis passing game won't be ready to make inroads against a very good Chiefs defense with some new pieces. Kansas City gets on the board with a home win here.
Week 3 at Dolphins (Sunday, Sept. 27): Win
The Dolphins are going through a transition phase this season, with a new head coach in Jeff Hafley and a new quarterback in Malik Willis. They should be one of the worst teams in the NFL this year, and they will be no match for a contending Chiefs team even in front of their home fans. Kansas City gets above .500 with a big win here.
Week 4 at Raiders (Sunday, Oct. 4): Win
This will still likely be a Kirk Cousins game for the Raiders before Fernando Mendoza inevitably takes over later in the season. There are too many moving parts for the Raiders to be in full flow at this point in the season, with a new system offensively and a new quarterback working with a roster that still has a lot of holes. The Chiefs get to 3-1 with a road win in the division here.
Week 5- BYE
Week 6 vs. Chargers (Sunday, Oct. 18): Win
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) shake hands after the game at SoFi Stadium.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Chargers have always given the Chiefs problems, and that should be no different with Mike McDaniel calling the plays on offense for Jim Harbaugh and company. However, Andy Reid is nearly invincible coming off of a bye, and that extra week should give Kansas City a ton of ways to attack a new-look Chargers defense that could still be finding its footing at this point in the season.
Week 7 at Seahawks (Sunday, Oct. 25): Loss
Kenneth Walker III will return to Seattle in Week 7 for a Sunday Night Football game and a possible Super Bowl preview. However, the Chiefs didn't do enough to improve the offense around Walker and Patrick Mahomes this offseason to get through Seattle's stout defense. The Seahawks win a low-scoring battle here.
Week 8 at Broncos (Sunday, Nov. 1): Win
It's still early in the season at this point, but the Chiefs will want to avoid a sweep against a Broncos team that will be fighting for the AFC West crown. Patrick Mahomes should be in full flow by this time and the Chiefs will be hitting the ground running as the middle of the season approaches. They get a big win here coming off of the loss in Seattle.
Week 9 vs. Jets (Sunday, Nov. 8): Win
The Jets should be improved from last season after making three picks in the first round of the NFL Draft, but New York still has massive uncertainty at quarterback with Geno Smith projected to start and some holes on defense still. New York might be frisky in some games, but there are a few leagues between these two teams in 2026.
Week 10 at Falcons (Sunday, Nov. 15): Win
Kevin Stefanski was a great hire for the Falcons, and it would be somewhat surprising if he doesn't turn things around there sooner rather than later. However, the uncertainty with Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback in 2026 makes it hard to fully buy into them. Atlanta keeps this one close when the Chiefs come to town, but Mahomes wins it for Kansas City in the fourth quarter like he has done so many times before.
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Week 11 vs. Cardinals (Sunday, Nov. 22): Win
The Cardinals are a rebuilding team that likely will be far out of the playoff race by this point in the year. They have a first-year head coach in Mike LaFleur and a journeyman quarterback in Jacoby Brissett, which should make this a comfortable win for the Chiefs.
Week 12 Thanksgiving Day at Bills (Thursday, Nov. 26): Loss
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) greets Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) following the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Having Chiefs-Bills, the best rivalry in the NFL in the 2020s, on Thanksgiving Night is a big win for the NFL. While Kansas City has had the upper hand in this matchup in the postseason, it has struggled against Buffalo in the regular season. That continues here on a short week with a Kansas City team that will not have played any top competition in a couple of weeks coming into this game.
Week 13 at Rams (Thursday, Dec. 3): Loss
The Chiefs will play on Thursday for the second week in a row in Los Angeles against the Rams. While this will be one of the most highly-anticipated games of the season, the cross-country trip combined with a matchup against one of the best teams in the NFL make this a tough ask. A young Chiefs defense gets a lesson from Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford here.
Week 14 at Bengals (Sunday, Dec. 13): Win
The Chiefs get a mini-bye before taking on a Bengals team that has always given them problems over the years. It will be tough to get a win in what should be a hostile environment in Cincinnati, but this Bengals defense still has a long way to go before it is ready to slow down Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. The Chiefs win this one in a shootout.
Week 15 vs. Patriots (Monday, Dec. 21): Win
This game could have a lot of playoff implications, as both the Chiefs and the Pats could be battling near the top of the AFC. It will be cold at Arrowhead on a Monday night just before Christmas, and even a Patriots team that is coming off of a Super Bowl trip doesn't have the experience that the Chiefs do in these kinds of big games. Kansas City squeaks out another win here.
Week 16 vs. 49ers (Sunday, Dec. 27): Win
The 49ers are due for a bounce-back after an injury-riddled couple of seasons, and they still have one of the best coaches in football in Kyle Shanahan. However, San Francisco lost Robert Saleh this offseason and has always struggled against the Chiefs on both sides of the ball. That continues with a win for Kansas City here.
Week 17 at Chargers (Date TBD): Loss
This should be a very important game in the AFC West and the AFC Wild Card picture, and the Chargers should be rounding into form late in the season as they navigate new coordinators on both sides of the ball. After the Chiefs took the first leg of this series in Kansas City, the Chargers get their revenge here.
Week 18 vs. Raiders (Date TBD): Win
The Raiders will be long out of the playoff race by Week 18 and will be looking ahead to the offseason and building a contending team around Mendoza. On the other side, the Chiefs have taken too many losses to this point to rest any starters, so they secure a playoff spot with a comfortable Week 18 victory at home.
Final Record: 12-5
NFL fans have gotten accustomed to seeing the Kansas City Chiefs play on the biggest stages in the sport year after year, but Andy Reid and company were ominously missing from the 2025 playoffs after a nightmare season. That season ended in the worst way possible, with Patrick Mahomes going down with a torn ACL late in the season.