How the Kansas City Chiefs went from heaven to hell in the space of 12 months

How much can an NFL season change in a single year? More than one might imagine. As if it were an alternate reality, the Kansas City Chiefs went from living in a world of big dreams as they chased a three-peat in the NFL, to being in a world of darkness, condemned to watch the Playoffs from home.

Exactly one year ago, Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to a 29-10 victory over the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium after throwing for 320 yards and three touchdowns. With that win, Kansas City secured the number one seed in the AFC.

But in the midst of what could be Travis Kelce’s final year in Kansas City, and perhaps in the NFL, Kansas City go into the game against the Denver Broncos already eliminated and without Patrick Mahomes, who recently suffered a torn ACL. The nightmare continues for Andy Reid and company.

“I don’t know if this will be his last game at Arrowhead, I haven’t spoken to him, but I think his numbers, his personality, and his character speak for themselves… he’s everything you’d expect from a player who represents an organization,” Reid said about Kelce.

Chris Jones, reflecting on Kansas City’s disastrous season, believes the league’s best tight end can’t retire like that, noting that it’s “sad... I hope it’s not his last trip, but if it is, I take my hat off to him. What a career!”

Kelce was selected in the third round of the 2013 Draft. Before tonight’s game against Denver, the tight end has 12,954 receiving yards, making him the third tight end with the most receiving yards, only behind Tony Gonzalez (15,127 yards) and Jason Witten (13,046). He could surpass the latter, as he is 92 yards away from doing so, in addition to 82 touchdown receptions.

Mahomes and KC, for the first time with a losing record

After a surprising victory against a Titans team that came in with a 2-12 record in the regular season, Mahomes and Kansas City will finish with a losing record. They currently have six wins and nine losses, placing them third in their division, thanks to the Raiders’ disastrous 2-13 season.

We’d have to go all the way back to 2012 for the last time the Chiefs finished a season with a losing record. It doesn’t seem real. Back then, Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn were Kansas City’s quarterbacks, and they finished with a 2-14 record.

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