Jan 25, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton during the first half in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Why the AFC Championship Game Impacted the Chiefs

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Logan Lazarczyk | Last updated Jan 26, 2026 8:00 AM ET

Missing the playoffs was certainly a disappointing development for the Kansas City Chiefs, but Sunday's AFC title game between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos was influential on the Chiefs' future outlook.

Denver would fall to New England 10-7, much in part, because Bo Nix was out with a fractured ankle, which he sustained last week in the 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills.

While Chiefs' fans were probably relieved to see Denver fall short of its Super Bowl aspirations, in the long run, the Broncos winning on Sunday would have benefited Kansas City this offseason. Here are a couple of reasons the Chiefs would have preferred the Broncos advancing to Super Bowl LX.

Draft Positioning

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The farther the Broncos would have finished in the playoffs, the lower their selection would have been in the 2026 NFL Draft. With the loss on Sunday, Denver will be officially picking at No. 30 in the upcoming draft.

Obviously, the Broncos would have an opportunity to win the Super Bowl if they had advanced on Sunday, but without their starting quarterback available, the probability of that occurring would have been low. It is a marginal difference in draft positioning, but Kansas City would like to see its division rivals picking as low as possible. The Chiefs are entering a pivotal offseason and need as many advantageous circumstances as possible.

With every AFC West team's season officially over, the Las Vegas Raiders have the No. 1 pick, Kansas City has the No. 9 pick, the Los Angeles Chargers own the No. 22 pick, and, as stated, Denver owns the No. 30 pick.

Losing in the Super Bowl Would Have Been More Painful for the Broncos

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There is only one winner and 31 losers at the end of the season, but being the runner-up in the Super Bowl is the most painful feeling. There is a legitimate argument that teams would rather lose prior to that game, as falling short in the last game of the entire season is more demoralizing.

The Broncos won 11 one-score games during the regular season, which, evidently, as we saw from the Chiefs in 2025, is a trend that averages out the following season. Denver could be a team that falls back slightly next season, as their win total could be cut significantly in 2026.

Nonetheless, as long as Denver did not end up hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, the Chiefs would be happy to see any other remaining team win the Super Bowl.

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

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