The Kansas City Chiefs made Super Bowl LIX last season but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 40-22. No team has returned to and won the big game the following season since the 2018 New England Patriots.
To win its fourth Super Bowl in seven years, KC must answer key questions. Here are three heading into the 2025 season:
Will TE Travis Kelce rebound?
It's fair to wonder if Kelce is exiting his prime after an underwhelming season. In 16 regular-season games in 2024, the 35-year-old had 823 receiving yards, his fewest since his rookie season in 2013.
The future Hall of Famer entered the zone in the playoffs in past seasons, but that didn't happen in 2024. In three postseason games, he had only one touchdown catch. He caught four passes for 39 yards in Super Bowl LIX against Philadelphia.
On a March 5 episode of his podcast "New Heights," Kelce said the Super Bowl loss was his "biggest factor" in returning and promised to "give it everything [he's] got" in 2025.
Kelce and his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, have stayed out of the spotlight this offseason. That should help the TE focus on training for the upcoming season and ending his career with a Super Bowl victory.
How does QB Patrick Mahomes re-enter the MVP conversation?
Mahomes won two MVPs and earned two first-team All-Pro nods in his first five seasons as the Chiefs' starting QB. Since then, the accolades have stopped rolling in, and his numbers have dipped.
In his first five seasons as KC's starter, he averaged 303.2 passing yards per game in the regular season. Over the past two seasons, that number has dropped to 253.5 passing yards per game.
On April 23, Mahomes told the media he wants to hit more deep shots next season to reignite the Chiefs' passing attack. KC should consider giving second-year WR Xavier Worthy more targets to generate more explosive plays.
MAHOMES TO WORTHY FOR A 54-YARD TD.
— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024
: #KCvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+
: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/ZAYGWXNr1V
In a 17-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4 in 2024, Worthy caught a 54-yard TD pass in the second quarter, KC's longest passing play last season.
Did their shaky O-line improve?
In 16 regular-season starts last season, Mahomes took a career-high 36 sacks. Per Pro Football Reference, the Chiefs allowed a 24% pressure rate, the league's sixth-highest mark.
KC dealt 2024 first-team All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears in March to save cap space. That move could be costly. He allowed zero sacks in 17 regular-season games in 2024, via Pro Football Focus.
Aside from re-signing Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith to the franchise tag (one year, $23.4M), the Chiefs did little to fortify their O-line in free agency. KC signed left tackle Jaylon Moore to a two-year, $30M deal. The O-lineman surrendered a career-high 10 pressures in 15 games with the San Francisco 49ers last season, per PFF.
With pick No. 32 in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chiefs selected Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons, who suffered a season-ending left knee injury in 2024. However, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has said Simmons will be ready for training camp in late July.
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