Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs on field with the team against the Chicago Bears during the first half of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Denny Medley-Imagn Images

What the Chiefs' 2025 Floor Looks Like

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs' ceiling for the 2025 campaign should be the most obvious one across the National Football League: get back to the Super Bowl and win the whole shabang. The Chiefs have made three straight Super Bowls and have been the best franchise in the NFL since the turn of the decade.

Going into the 2025 campaign, there are several narratives that the Chiefs could fall into. Several have predicted the franchise to take a step back, given the competitiveness of the AFC West division. Others believe that the Chiefs are still the team to beat in the AFC until proven otherwise, given their recent track record.

But with all the possible narratives that could shadow the Chiefs this season, one of them, unfortunately, is their floor. The floor for the Chiefs is still much better than others across the NFL, especially since quarterback Patrick Mahomes has given them expectations to rely on since taking over the starting role back in 2018.

The Floor

In the eyes of CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr, the Chiefs' floor would be finishing with a 12-5 record in the regular season, making the AFC Championship game, and losing the conference game.

"A down year for the Chiefs is a conference championship game loss. That's the standard Kansas City has set for itself in the Reid-Mahomes era. There are some cracks in the pipe for the Chiefs, as the left side of the offensive line has its flaws (even with Simmons) and the depth of this team will be tested," Kerr wrote.

"They also have won a lot of one-score games (11-0 last year), so a reversal of fortune may be in order. Regardless, the Chiefs are still one of the best teams in football. If Mahomes is on the field, they have an excellent shot at making a deep playoff run."

It's difficult to count the Chiefs out this season, even after their embarrassing loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. With an improved offensive line and wide receivers galore for Mahomes to choose from, the Chiefs control their fate for the future, starting with this season.

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

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