The 2025 regular season didn't go according to plan for the Kansas City Chiefs, as the team finished with just six wins. It was the worst season the Chiefs have had under Andy Reid and was the first time that they missed the playoffs since Patrick Mahomes joined the team.
There's a silver lining that comes with having a bad season though and it's not draft related (though that was also a nice perk). With the Chiefs failing to win the AFC West for the first time since 2015 and finishing in third place in the division, they'll now face a third-place schedule in 2026.
The even better news is that somehow, the Chiefs will have the easiest schedule in the AFC West next season and the 10th easiest schedule overall, according to Warren Sharp. This is based on projected win totals so it's obviously subject to change but this is great news for the Chiefs as they enter what's hopefully going to be a bounce back year.
Chiefs have the easiest schedule in the AFC West in 2026
It's pretty funny that the Raiders, who finished last in the division and therefore will play a fourth place schedule in 2026, are 19th on Sharp's list, giving them the 14th toughest schedule in the league. The Chargers finished second but have the toughest schedule in the AFC West with the 12th toughest schedule in the entire league. The Broncos are right behind the Chiefs with the 11st most difficult slate in 2026.
What this comes down to is that the Chargers have to play the Ravens, who also finished second in their respective division. They'll also get the Buccaneers from the NFC South, who are probably going to be a tougher team this year than the other teams in their division.
Again, this is all subject to change once the season begins and we learn which teams are good and which teams aren't but for now, Chiefs fans should be relishing in this rare opportunity. A weaker schedule could be what helps propel them back into Super Bowl contention and that sounds like a dream come true after the train wreck that was the 2025 season.
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