Can Chiefs Maintain Their Vice Grip on the AFC?

The Kansas City Chiefs have thoroughly owned the AFC for the better part of the last six years. They have advanced to five Super Bowls during that time, winning three of them.

The only AFC squad to have beaten the Chiefs in the playoffs throughout their current run has been the Cincinnati Bengals, who did so in January 2022. Otherwise, Kansas City has dominated the conference, including going a 4-0 against the Buffalo Bills in postseason games.

But is the Chiefs' reign coming to an end?

There is no doubt that Kansas City looks vulnerable after getting shellacked by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. Heck, the Chiefs even looked beatable throughout their 17-2 run between the regular season and AFC Championship Game.

Still, thanks to timely plays by Patrick Mahomes and a very good defense, Kansas City was able to overcome most of its obstacles during the 2024-25 campaign.

You do have to wonder how much longer it will last, though.

The Chiefs definitely have some holes. They need wide receivers. They could use another running back. Their offensive line requires assistance. They definitely need an extra cornerback to put alongside of Trent McDuffie. And hey, Travis Kelce might retire.

The problem is that Kansas City doesn't have a whole lot of financial wiggle room heading into the offseason. The Chiefs will need to get creative in order to open up cap space, which will be necessary for them to land truly impactful free agents.

Meanwhile, the Bills seem to be getting better. The Baltimore Ravens are knocking on the door. The Houston Texans have a nasty defense, and the Los Angeles Chargers have a ton of money available to bring in some more weapons for Justin Herbert. The Bengals are still lurking, too.

Kansas City is still the favorite in the AFC heading into 2025, but it does feel like the deathgrip the Chiefs have had on the conference is weakening.

It will be interesting to see how Kansas City responds. When the Chiefs lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl 55, they immediately went to work in the offseason, rectifying whatever holes they had on the roster.

A similar response will be necessary in the coming months if the Chiefs want to preserve their authority in an AFC that may no longer be afraid of them.

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