The Kansas City Chiefs are staring down an “unmitigated disaster” of a 2025 season, one that saw Patrick Mahomes tear his ACL late in a catastrophic skid. That’s the brutal reality as September 1, 2026, rolls around, with Mahomes now in a full-blown battle against the clock just to be ready for Week 1. This team that used to be a lock for greatness? Not so much anymore, and the odds are reflecting it.
The 2025 Collapse Was No Fluke and Mahomes’ Race Back is Everything
Man, talk about a fall from grace. After a solid 12-year run from 2013-2024 under Andy Reid, where they never posted a losing season and hit the playoffs 11 times, 2025 hit like a ton of bricks. They started that year with back-to-back losses, rallied back to a decent 5-3 by midseason, and then just fell apart. We’re talking eight losses in their last nine games, with Mahomes going down with that ACL tear right at the tail end of it. They finished with only six actual wins, landed third in the AFC West, and were a stark contrast to their 15-win Super Bowl loss in 2024 or their back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 2022 and 2023. This wasn’t just a bad season, it was a total meltdown. And now, the question isn’t just if Mahomes can play, but if he can play *at all* like the Mahomes we know and love.
The Betting Market Is Sounding the Alarm on 2026
You wanna know how bad things are looking? The betting market is telling us everything. While the reports about Mahomes’ recovery might have been “largely positive” during the spring, the “Under” on their 10.5-win total has been gaining serious steam since February. Right now, it’s sitting at -140 to go Under! Their Super Bowl odds have dipped to +1600, which is their longest heading into a season since Mahomes first became the starting quarterback. Think about that for a second. Even crazier? You can get them at +170 to *miss* the playoffs entirely. They’re still favorites to win the AFC West at +170, but they’re already sitting third in the conference behind the Ravens and Bills, both of whom have new head coaches for 2026. This isn’t the invincible team we knew. The defense also needs to figure out how to overcome losing multiple cornerbacks, which is not an easy task in a conference that is already looking stacked. This is a team facing serious questions, and for the first time in a long time, the path back to the top isn’t clear at all.
This season kicks off with so much hanging in the balance, starting with Mahomes’ health. Can he defy the clock and lead this team back from what felt like a truly cursed 2025? Every single snap, every decision, every defensive play is going to matter. Get ready, because this is going to be one wild ride to watch.
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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