The Kansas City Chiefs are staring down a cliff edge, folks. Their legendary 10-year playoff streak slammed to a halt in 2025, a brutal season where they fumbled away nine one-score games. And the biggest shocker? Patrick Mahomes, the guy who used to redefine quarterback play, now ranks 23rd in yards per attempt over the last three seasons. That is a massive drop-off for a player once thought untouchable, and it signals a serious problem as K.C. gets ready to kick off Week 1.
The Numbers Are Getting Hard to Ignore
Remember the Mahomes of old? Those first five seasons, from 2018 to 2022, he was a dual MVP winner, and the Chiefs were absolutely lighting up scoreboards. They averaged at least 30 points per game, joining just two other all-time great teams, the ’40s/50s Rams and the Tom Brady Patriots, in that exclusive club for a five-year span. During that time, K.C. was first in scoring, first in yards per game, and first in 20-yard plays across the entire league. Think about that dominance!
But then, something shifted. Over the past three seasons, the Chiefs’ offense has plummeted. They are 19th in scoring, 18th in yards per game, and tied for 23rd in 20-yard plays. Mahomes himself has morphed from that gunslinger we all knew into a more careful game manager. Beyond the yards per attempt, he is 21st in passer rating and 11th in QB efficiency, measured by EPA per dropback. These aren’t just minor dips; these are serious cracks showing in what was once a bulletproof offensive machine. Even repeating as Super Bowl champs in 2023 and getting back to the big game in 2024, only to lose to Philadelphia, couldn’t hide the underlying regression.
Beyond Mahomes: A Dynasty on Shaky Ground
Look, it is not all on Mahomes, as crazy as that sounds. Travis Kelce, who is likely playing his final season to focus on his post-football life and marriage to Taylor Swift, hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season or double-digit touchdown catches since 2022. That is huge for their go-to guy. Outside of Kelce, Mahomes hasn’t had great skill-position talent around him, period. The Chiefs are the only NFL team right now without a single 1,000-yard rusher or receiver over the last three years. That is a damning stat that screams for help.
And then there is Andy Reid. He is an offensive guru, calls the plays, and this is his 14th season in Kansas City, the same length he coached in Philadelphia before getting fired. With the offense regressing under his watch, you have to wonder if this could be the last ride for another Canton-bound legend.
The Chiefs are set to host the Broncos in an AFC West showdown on Monday Football on September 14. Mahomes is working his way back from a devastating knee injury, and the entire league is watching. Can K.C. find their offensive form, or is the dynasty, truly and definitively, finished? We are about to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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