Why Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo expects Chiefs to be a 'pain in the neck' this season

While the Chiefs have experienced great success under Mahomes, it is fair to wonder how he and the team will respond to some adversity following an uncharacteristic season.

After all, Mahomes' 62.7% completion percentage was the worst of his NFL career, he tossed double-digit interceptions for the fifth consecutive season and has been sacked a combined 70 times over the last two seasons.

In fact, since his 2022 MVP season, Mahomes is tied for the third-most interceptions (36) in the league over that span. Sure, a lot of that has to do with the poor protection he has routinely gotten from his offensive line, but it is still some reason for concern.

If anything has been clear, though, in Mahomes' rehab, it is that he has spent endless hours trying to get back in shape, and the Chiefs are "fully expecting" him to be ready for the team's Week 1 "Monday Night Football" showdown with the Denver Broncos as a result.

However, there is still some cause for concern surrounding the Chiefs going into the 2026 season. Kelce has only totaled eight touchdowns over the last two seasons and flirted with retirement before deciding to come back for another season.

The Chiefs also lost All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams, and offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor was released. Meanwhile, they added Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to the backfield and received a major Rashee Rice update in training camp. 

The Chiefs will definitely be motivated to regain control of the AFC West and prove that last season was an outlier. Mahomes' health will have a huge say in that, but he still needs a collective effort around him in a division and conference that are only getting better.