Without Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL might want to consider whether it’s even worth having the playoffs this season.

After a 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon, the Chiefs were officially eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2014. Adding insult to injury was the fact that Mahomes suffered a torn ACL late in the game. It marks the first time in his career as a starter that Mahomes won’t advance to at least the AFC Championship.

For the NFL fans suffering from Chiefs fatigue, their absence from the playoffs is a good thing. But you can consider Rich Eisen among those who would rather see the Chiefs keep playing deep into January.

“You’re going to miss [the Chiefs in the playoffs] … The league is more fun when the Chiefs are good. … I can’t wait to see how they’re going to come back and make it happen again.”

—@richeisen on the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes pic.twitter.com/7GrB2ZgHim

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) December 15, 2025

“You’re gonna miss them,” Eisen insisted. “You’re gonna miss the Kansas City Chiefs when the AFC Playoffs are hitting. You’re gonna miss the buzz, you’re gonna miss the pizzazz, you’re gonna miss Mahomes vs fill in the blank. You’re gonna miss Mahomes vs fill in the blank with no time left. You’re gonna miss something.

“The AFC Playoffs will have less juice to it without the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. And one day, all you Chiefs fatiguers out there will admit it…the league’s more fun when the Chiefs are good.”

Networks and the NFL might miss having the Chiefs there to help promote the playoffs. But when Josh Allen, Jordan Love, Matthew Stafford, or whatever other quarterback has the ball with the game on the line in the fourth quarter of a playoff game, no fan is going to be sitting in front of their TV saying, “I wish this was Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.”

The Chiefs might add juice when trying to promote a playoff game, but a great playoff game is a great playoff game, regardless of whether it features a legendary quarterback. Just ask Case Keenum and the Minnesota Vikings.

Dynasties are fun for history. And you can certainly argue that some leagues, like the NBA, are better when teams are trying to end a dynasty. But in the NFL, it doesn’t really matter. We already went through this with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The NFL was able to count on Brady and the Patriots in the playoffs for nearly two decades. But when they finally weren’t there, no one outside of New England missed them once the games kicked off.

It’s going to be a little strange to look at the playoff bracket next month without having the Chiefs on it. But rest assured, there will be great games, moments, quarterback performances, and drama in the playoffs this season. We, NFL fans, can get through this together.