The Kansas City Chiefs haven't misstepped very often over the last decade or so. Sure, they haven't been perfect, but they got all of the major pieces right and rode those great decisions to five Super Bowl appearances in the last six years, included three coveted victories.
But with the Chiefs having lost three of their last four games, and the team sitting at just 6-6 after a Week 13 letdown against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, some serious questions are starting to be asked about Kansas City. Simply put, it's becoming clear that winning swept a lot under the rug.
General manager Brett Veach gets a lot of credit for the job that he has done since 2017, as his tenure kicked off with the greatest decision the organization has ever made: drafting Patrick Mahomes. As the losses mount, however, it's becoming hard to ignore the cost of this failed pick.
Chiefs could use a fully developed Felix Anudike-Uzomah right now
Back in 2023, the Chiefs took defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah with the No. 31 overall pick in the draft. This was seen as a bit of a reach at the time, but Veach had garnered quite a reputation, so both the fan base and those around the league quickly reasoned with the pick.
Plus, the year prior, the team hit big on George Karlaftis, so they went back to the edge rusher pot again. However, Anudike-Uzomah's career has not exactly panned out like Karlaftis', as the latter recently signed a massive extension, and the former has just 3.0 career sacks.
It may feel a bit unfair to categorize Anudike-Uzomah this way, as it's a bit of piling on after the season-ending injury he suffered before the year. But the Chiefs desperately need pass-rush help, right now, and the young player not being on the field is a major issue, no matter the reason.
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Perhaps the franchise got swept up in his story a bit, as they selected a local Kansas City kid, who also attended Kansas State, to his hometown team in front of his hometown crowd at Union Station. Or, perhaps they just miscalculated on what kind of impact he'd have on the team.
In a year where the Chiefs aren't winning like they're used to, every questionable decision is being brought to light. Anudike-Uzomah's early selection in 2023 is one of them, as fans have to wonder what could have been if they selected another player, or if he was simply healthy and developing.
Missing on a first-round pick is never good, especially at a position of need. If Kansas City was 10-2 instead of 6-6, it's likely we wouldn't even be talking about this. But all the skeletons are coming out of the closet with the team out of the current playoff picture, and it's hard to ignore the cost of selecting Anudike-Uzomah at this point.