With the way the Kansas City Chiefs have been playing lately, it’s hard to imagine that this team was ever in the playoff race, let alone a presumed Super Bowl contender. Since they lost star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the holes on this roster have been further exposed, revealing the ugly truth that he was singlehandedly able to cover up throughout most of the campaign.
Even with Mahomes under center, the Chiefs only went 6-8 this season. Maybe he could have pulled off the comeback against the Los Angeles Chargers to lift KC to 7-7 and keep their playoff hopes alive, but it’s clear that General Manager Brett Veach has his work cut out for him to improve the team around his franchise QB, lest Kansas City burden him with too much again, coming off a torn ACL.
Oct 1, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (91) is called for a horsecollar penalty against New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Chiefs have to address their primary offensive need
The entire infrastructure around Patrick Mahomes crumbled during the Kansas City Chiefs‘ meteoric crash that led to their elimination from playoff contention. The defense gave up 31 points to the Dallas Cowboys to spoil Thanksgiving, Head Coach Andy Reid made some truly head-scratching late-game decisions that cost them the game against the Houston Texans, and the ground game was putrid all season.
The Chiefs reportedly had a chance to trade for the New York Jets’ Breece Hall from the New York Jets in exchange for their 2026 third-round pick. General Manager Brett Veach wouldn’t budge from a fourth-round offer. Kansas City’s complete inability to successfully run the ball made its offense one-dimensional and put entirely too much weight on Mahomes’ shoulders.
Dec 13, 2025; New York, NY, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love poses with the Heisman trophy during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Chiefs are currently in the NFL’s bottom third of both rushing yards per game and per carry, and that’s including Mahomes’ 30 yards per game and 4.57 yards per attempt. The one upside of Kansas City’s miserable season is that it’ll have decent draft position this spring to try to upgrade the roster. CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards predicted that the Chiefs would spend the 12th-overall pick on Notre Dame Heisman finalist Jeremiyah Love.
For the Fighting Irish, Love tallied over 1,600 yards from scrimmage, 21 total touchdowns, and nearly seven yards per carry in his junior season. He’s by far the best running back prospect on the board. The last time Brett Veach spent premium draft capital on the backfield, it didn’t work out for him with Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Now, it’s time for redemption.
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