Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

NFL Legend Tom Brady's Chiefs Decision Says a Lot

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Dec 3, 2025 7:11 AM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs dropped to 6-6 on the season following their loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 13. They are now 10th in the AFC standings, with their playoff chances dwindling.

When the Chiefs beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12, there were plenty of hopes that it would be the start of a big turnaround, especially as they enter the final stretch of the season. However, Patrick Mahomes and company weren't able to overcome several defensive mistakes against Dallas, resulting in their 31-28 loss.

Patrick Mahomes remains one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and tight end Travis Kelce is still a reliable scoring option. Nonetheless, their inability to close out matchups has been a problem. This season, Kansas City is 1-6 in one-score games.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes looks on during practice.Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Amid their struggles, New England Patriots legend Tom Brady has decided to remove the Chiefs from his power rankings of the top 10 teams in the NFL.

After their Week 12 win over the Colts, the Chiefs moved up to No. 8 in Brady's rankings. Prior to that, even after a loss to the Denver Broncos, the seven-time Super Bowl champion didn't lose confidence on Kansas City and placed them at No. 10.

"If you're going to comment about the Chiefs being in the top 10, I want you to do something real quick: close your eyes and visualize. It's January. It's cold out. Patrick Mahomes has the ball with five minutes left," Brady said at the time. "How do you think that story is going to end? They're just a cheat code for power rankings. If we're being honest, you're lucky they're not higher."

A team @TomBrady knows VERY well has climbed into the No. 1 spot of his Power Rankings this week pic.twitter.com/EjJJJmqsHl
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 3, 2025

The Chiefs' absence from Brady's top 10 highlights how far the team has fallen and how concerning their situation is.

Kansas City can no longer afford to lose any of their final five games of the season if they want to have a shot at the postseason. The team plays the Houston Texans next before facing off against the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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