Chiefs playoff picture: Are they eliminated from the postseason?
- - Chiefs playoff picture: Are they eliminated from the postseason?
Jack McKessy, USA TODAYDecember 25, 2025 at 9:04 AM
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Chiefs playoff picture: Are they eliminated from the postseason?
Since Patrick Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018, his team never got eliminated from the playoffs before the AFC championship game. Until this year.
For the first time since 2014, Kansas City will not only miss the conference title game, it won't even be in the playoffs. The Chiefs were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention in Week 15 with their loss to the Los Angeles Chargers – and several other results around the league not swinging their way.
The Chiefs also lost Mahomes for the season in that Week 15 loss. The star quarterback sustained a knee injury in the final moments of the game and was ruled out for the season after an MRI confirmed an ACL tear.
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Kansas City still has two more games to play, including a Christmas Day divisional clash with the Denver Broncos that closes out the holiday slate. Since the Chiefs' backup quarterback, Gardner Minshew, is also dealing with a knee injury, former practice squad quarterback Chris Oladokun is slated to make his first career start.
Here's what to know about the Chiefs' playoff picture in Week 17:
1 / 34Travis Kelce's career in football before and after Taylor SwiftTravis Kelce runs the ball in the 2nd quarter as University of Cincinnati battles Southeast Missouri State on Sept. 12, 2009 at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati.
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Chiefs playoff odds
As Week 17 begins, the Chiefs have already been eliminated from the playoffs.
Kansas City had a chance to make a run at the final wild-card spot in the AFC as late as Week 15, but its loss to the Chargers on Dec. 14 officially eliminated the Chiefs from contention. The writing was on the wall for the reigning AFC champions when they lost to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving to drop to 6-6 with five weeks left. Kansas City has since lost three straight to fall to 6-9.
It's the first time the Chiefs have been eliminated before the AFC championship game since Mahomes took over as their starter in 2018. It's also the first time Kansas City has missed the postseason entirely since 2014.
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AFC West standings
The AFC West division race is still a tight one with two weeks left – though the Chiefs are not in it. Kansas City does have a chance to play spoiler on Christmas as it takes on the division-leading Denver Broncos. Denver can move one step closer to clinching the AFC West title with a win but risk giving up ground with a loss.
Here's how the standings look entering Week 17:
Denver Broncos (12-3, 3-1 AFC West)
Los Angeles Chargers (11-4, 5-0)
Kansas City Chiefs (6-9, 1-3)
Las Vegas Raiders (2-13, 0-5)
Chiefs remaining schedule
The Chiefs have two divisional games left in the final two weeks of the 2025 regular season. Here's who they have yet to play before heading into a long offseason:
Week 17: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 18: at Las Vegas Raiders
AFC playoff picture -
Denver Broncos (12-3; AFC West leaders)*
New England Patriots (12-3; AFC East leaders)*
Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4; AFC South leaders)*
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6; AFC North leaders)
Los Angeles Chargers (11-4; wild card No. 1)*
Buffalo Bills (11-4; wild card No. 2)*
Houston Texans (10-5; wild card No. 3)
In the hunt: Indianapolis Colts (8-7); Baltimore Ravens (7-8)
* Denotes team that has clinched a playoff berth.
Eliminated: Kansas City Chiefs (6-9); Miami Dolphins (6-9); Cincinnati Bengals (5-10); New York Jets (3-12); Cleveland Browns (3-12); Tennessee Titans (3-12); Las Vegas Raiders (2-13)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are the Chiefs eliminated from the NFL playoffs?
Source: “AOL Sports”
