Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis (56) leaves the field after the game against the Chicago Bears at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Denny Medley-Imagn Images

One Final Bold Season Prediction Unfavorable for the Chiefs

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 11:00 AM ET

After a long offseason filled with improvements and high expectations, the Kansas City Chiefs return to football action, taking on the Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Chiefs have caught several predictions this offseason, with debates over whether their time at the top of the NFL mountain is over or not.

Finishing the regular season with a 15-2 record in 2024 and ultimately getting embarrassed by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, the Chiefs rode a rollercoaster of emotions last season. But when it comes down to one final bold prediction for Kansas City, doubt continues.

According to CBS Sports' Garrett Podell's five bold predictions for the 2025 season, the Chiefs' reign atop the AFC would come to a close, resulting in the franchise missing the Super Bowl for the first time in three seasons.

Prediction: Chiefs Won't Win the AFC

"Why is this a bold prediction? Well, the Kansas City Chiefs are the first team in NFL history to reach five Super Bowls in a six-season span, and they've won three of them. Kansas City also typically plays home games in the postseason thanks to nine consecutive division titles, the second-longest division title-winning streak in NFL history. Their current run trails only the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick New England Patriots' run of 11 in a row from 2009-19," Podell wrote.

"Kansas City will still win the AFC West, but losing its grip on the one seed and having to play on the road will be its undoing come January."

Making the Playoffs

The Chiefs may have a tall task at hand in winning the AFC West division for the tenth year straight, but if they find their way to the playoffs, the odds aren't completely against them. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has proven time and time again that he is one of the best quarterbacks in the league when it comes to the playoffs.

Since debuting as the Chiefs' starting quarterback back in 2018, his floor has been losing the AFC Championship game in overtime. With that track record alone, and the wide receiving room he has at his disposal, should the Chiefs make the playoffs, it will remain hard to bet against them until proven they can lose in another round that isn't the AFC Championship.

In Podell's bold prediction, he claimed that the Chiefs wouldn't win the AFC, but that could mean they find themselves in the conference championship game again. But that's far into the future, as for right now, the Chiefs will focus on the task and opponent at hand, while winning as many games as possible.

This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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