Analyst still clinging to 2026 Chiefs hope originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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There are a lot of people jumping off the Kansas City Chiefs‘ bandwagon in 2026 for a host of reasons, with the main one being Patrick Mahomes and his health.
The receiver room has question marks as well, so Andy Reid and Co. will have their work cut out to convince people they can still be an AFC force in 2026.
Given the uncertain nature of Patrick’s health, coupled with the questions at receiver, the offense could be Kansas City’s biggest problem as it looks to bounce back from a poor 2025 season.
But while some are out on Kansas City as a threat, NFL.com’s Dan Parr isn’t, naming the Chiefs as one team that can dethrone the Seattle Seahawks as champs.
“I’m not ready to declare the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes Chiefs dead yet, even after witnessing their very ugly unraveling last season,” Parr wrote. “It feels like asking a lot of the Chiefs to get back to playing title-caliber football, but I do believe there is value in knowing what it takes to win in the NFL, and this franchise is only a year removed from playing in three consecutive Super Bowls.
“We’ll get a great look at how they measure up to the Seahawks when the teams meet on a Sunday night in Seattle in Week 7.”
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Are Chiefs really a threat?
When you have Reid and Mahomes, you will always be a threat for the Super Bowl, but perhaps the biggest reason people aren’t all in on Kansas City this upcoming season is due to Patrick’s knee.
If he does return in Week 1, you have to question exactly how healthy he will be. The other part is what if he doesn’t return until, say, Week 5 or Week 6? What shape will the Chiefs with Justin Fields be in?
So that has to factor in, too. We see players take well over a year to get back to falling somewhat like themselves, and Mahomes is going to try to be back for Week 1; surely, he won’t be firing on all cylinders.
As long as Patrick is upright, the Chiefs have a chance, even if he’s on one leg to start the season.
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