Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have played in five of the last six Super Bowls having won nine consecutive division titles as the NFL's modern dynasty team - but is their supremacy on the verge of a dramatic collapse?
The Chiefs were denied a historic third straight Super Bowl in February when they suffered a 40-22 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans.
Nick Sirianni's champions were faster, smarter, stronger, more explosive on the way to a demolition of the AFC rulers, whose familiar pass protection issues and offensive consistencies were thrust under the spotlight.
As Mahomes ran for his life, questions arose as to whether the Chiefs had reached the end of a cycle after lifting the Lombardi Trophy three times since 2019.
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SUPER BOWL 59
The best of the action from Super Bowl 59 as the Kansas City Chiefs took on the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans
"My questions are not Mahomes, they are about what's around him," Sky Sports NFL's Jeff Reinebold said on Inside the Huddle.
"When you watched the Super Bowl, the Chiefs looked old, they looked slow - with the exception of Xavier Worthy - they couldn't separate. I don't care who the defense is on the other side, they absolutely destroyed Kansas City on the line of scrimmage.
"(Rookie offensive tackle) Josh Simmons is going to be a good player but that's one guy, and you lost Joe Thuney your best offensive lineman. Creed Humphrey is one of the better centers in the league but I'm not convinced they have the offensive line to be able to protect him."
Mahomes is coming off the worst statistical season of his career while veteran tight end Travis Kelce - a focal point to Kansas City's Super Bowl triumphs - posted his fewest receiving yards since 2015.
The Chiefs had lived off one-score games on their way to a 15-2 record in 2024, mapping out what at times appeared an unlikely route to the Super Bowl. The last time they failed to reach the postseason was back in 2014.
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MAHOMES
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes describes his Super Bowl 59 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles as the 'worst feeling in the world'
"Kelce is a year older and has started to show his lack of ability to separate," Reinebold continued.
"I think this could be the team that when you talk about one that shocks you for not making the playoffs, it might be Kansas City and it hurts me a little to say.
"When you look at that division, the (Los Angeles) Chargers will be better, I think the (Denver) Broncos are sneaky good. What we'll see out of the (Las Vegas) Raiders, if Ashton Jeanty is a revelation at running back, it will be fun to see how this unfolds."
The Chiefs will be without star wide receiver Rashee Rice for the first six games of the season as he serves a suspension, with his absence through injury last year having delivered a major dent to Andy Reid's passing attack.
The organisation meanwhile sought to bolster its pass protection in the offseason by drafting offensive tackle Josh Simmons out of Ohio State with the 32nd overall pick. They also signed guard Trey Smith to a record extension, while losing All-Pro guard Joe Thuney in a trade to the Chicago Bears.
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'A moment of reflection' | Hurts on THAT viral Super Bowl celebration
Quarterback Jalen Hurts reflects on his viral video, in which he was seen lighting up a cigar in the changing rooms after the Philadelphia Eagles won the 2025 Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes was sacked 36 times in the regular season last year, followed by 11 in the playoffs that included six in the Super Bowl.
By the end of 2024 the Chiefs 15th in total offense as Steve Spagnuolo's defense continued to shine.
"I think you have to go back to the beginning of the season for the Chiefs last year, for me the offensive scheme was built around having Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy and I think when you lost Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy had to change his role, that totally threw off the scheme and who they wanted to be," said Sky Sports NFL's Phoebe Schecter.
"This year they draft Josh Simmons the left tackle in the first round, I think he will be pivotal because if you look at how Mahomes plays it almost looks like he's more concerned with the outsides than he is in the middle.
"So now you're hoping you've got a stronger left tackle who is able to protect him and I think they're going to want to throw the ball deep. 50 per cent of Worthy's routes are vertical routes when Rashee Rice is on the field. I think that will be a huge part of this gameplan."
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