While it’s true that the Kansas City Chiefs‘ recent run of success has seen them soar above the rest of the NFL, it’s also been obvious that they’re far from perfect.
The 2024-25 campaign was a perfect example of that, as an Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes-led offense stumbled throughout the year and wound up getting exposed in the end. A Super Bowl LIX drubbing at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles provided a slice of humble pie, leading to a pivotal offseason for general manager Brett Veach.
With most of Kansas City’s additions now being made, expectations are serious once again. In a recent article for Sports Illustrated, senior NFL reporter Albert Breer didn’t hold back with his “one offseason thought” for the Chiefs.
Why the Chiefs’ Offense Could Be ‘Electric’ in 2025-26 Season
“I’ve let it be known that I think the Chiefs offense could be electric this year,” Breer wrote on June 30. “Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy playing together for a whole year changes everything, and, internally, the Chiefs believe Rashee Rice will be a top-end receiver. Tackle remains a question, but with Josh Simmons and Jaylon Moore arriving, they have options. So why shouldn’t the Chiefs be back in the Super Bowl?”
It’s hard to disagree with Breer’s logic. The Chiefs’ plans got cast to the wayside early on a year ago, as Brown suffered a sternoclavicular injury during the club’s first preseason game. He wasn’t able to make a profound impact upon his late-year return. Less than a month into the regular season, Rice suffered a serious and season-ending knee injury via friendly fire on a tackle by Mahomes.
Those ailments, combined with tight end Travis Kelce showing his age and the aforementioned left tackle spot remaining questionable at best, made for some tough sledding on offense. Reid opted for conservative game plans – perhaps out of necessity – and Mahomes failed to convert on big plays down the field.
Chiefs’ Performance Last Year Left Plenty of Room for Improvement
Speaking of downfield sequences, Kansas City was among the NFL’s worst at producing them last season. The team’s 42 passing plays of 20-plus yards was a bottom-six mark in the sport, and its four passes of 40-plus yards was tied for second-worst. An anemic passing attack paired with a lackluster run game to field a very vanilla product on a weekly basis.
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Mahomes, known for high-flying statistical antics, came crashing down to earth for the second year in a row. Since exploding for 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in an MVP-winning 2022 campaign, the former No. 10 overall pick has averaged just 4,056 yards and 27 scores over his last two seasons. Career-low marks in yards per attempt (6.8), adjusted net yards per attempt (6.02) and yards per completion (10) this past year only drove that home more. Closer-t0-normal success in fourth quarters and on money downs (third and fourth) only counteracted that a bit.
With Rice expected to participate in training camp, Brown healthy, Kelce locked in on what could be his final season and the Moore-Simmons duo duking it out for depth chart positioning, things might be looking up. July plans don’t always carry into September and beyond, however, as the Chiefs learned the hard way not too long ago.
But Breer is wise in noting that if things fall into place as expected this time around, the results could very well be different.
