STWF Sports|Nov. 18, 2025 – Patrick Mahomes should be entering the peak of his career — the period where championship runs feel routine and NFL dominance feels inevitable. Instead, the Kansas City Chiefs superstar finds himself trailing Bo Nix in the AFC West standings and being outperformed weekly by Drake Maye, Justin Herbert, and even Daniel Jones. The Chiefs, once the NFL’s gold standard, are now 5–5 and sitting third in the division after a frustrating 22–19 road loss to the Denver Broncos.
And for the first time in years, real pressure is building in Kansas City.
Mahomes Takes the Blame
“We’ve got a lot of great players, but it’s about being more consistent,” Mahomes said after the loss. “I think it starts with me… There’s times where I’m firing and we’re moving the ball down the field at ease. But there’s times where we go in spurts where I miss a throw like I did or a protection call or whatever that is. It starts with me.”
The three-time Super Bowl champion has always been quick to shoulder responsibility, but this season’s struggles run deeper than any single player. Mahomes played a cleaner game Sunday but still couldn’t match the efficiency of Nix, the rookie who now has the Broncos on top of the AFC West.
A Revenge Tour Gone Wrong
The 2025 season was billed as Mahomes’ “revenge tour,” a chance to respond after Kansas City’s humiliating blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX — a game where the Chiefs trailed 34–0 in the third quarter. Mahomes vowed to return sharper, hungrier, and better.
But the reality has been far different.
“I feel like I didn’t play to my standard, especially the struggles I had early in the season,” Mahomes admitted. “There’s things I have to get better at, and they showed today on the biggest stage.”
Nine months removed from the Super Bowl loss, Mahomes isn’t playing like a top-five quarterback. His passer rating (95.9) is the second-lowest of his career, his 64.5% completion rate is below expectations, and Kansas City’s offense lacks the explosiveness it once had.
Andy Reid’s Frustration Shows
Head coach Andy Reid rarely criticizes his quarterback publicly — but even he appears strained. Speaking to reporters after the loss, Reid made a pointed remark about the team’s offensive approach.
“The runs are being called,” Reid said. “It’s just sometimes they get turned into passes in today’s world.”
For some fans and analysts, that sounded like Reid subtly calling out his star quarterback.
“This may be the closest you’ll ever hear Andy digging in on Mahomes,” one fan posted online.
“Kinda threw the QB under the bus,” another wrote.
The tension hasn’t been limited to Mahomes. Reid has been seen exchanging heated sideline moments with Travis Kelce, and the two pillars of the Chiefs’ dynasty look increasingly out of sync.
Kansas City Losing Its Edge
The Chiefs rank 16th in rushing (115.3 yards per game), have been outscored by the Chargers, Bills, and Eagles this season, and are an alarming 0–5 in one-score games — a stark contrast to their flawless 12–0 record in close games last season.
This isn’t the same ruthless Kansas City team that could erase deficits in seconds and seize control of games late. Now, they are struggling to finish, struggling to execute, and struggling to find their identity.
At 5–5, the Chiefs are caught between two realities: a playoff berth is still in reach, but so is the prospect of missing the postseason for the first time in 11 years.
Mahomes: “It’s About Consistency”
“We’ve been losing these close games recently, but we’ve played some good football in spurts,” Mahomes said. “It’s about being more consistent… until we go out there and do it, all you can do is keep practicing, keep getting better, and push yourself to do it on game day.”
Mahomes must elevate his play. Reid must rediscover his rhythm as a playcaller. The Chiefs must find their championship mentality again.
If not, Kansas City’s dynasty won’t just be wobbling — it could be in real danger.
