The 2025 season was a weird one for the Kansas City Chiefs. The team missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade and they looked like a far cry from the squad we had grown used to watching during the dynastic run.
Missing the playoffs was a bummer but former Chiefs running back Christian Okoye had a great point about why this actually helps the team moving forward.
"When people talk about Kansas City not making the playoffs last year, you have to understand that for seven years straight, they played in the AFC Championship game. Seven years straight. Five of those years, they went to the Super Bowl. That's a lot of football. That's four games more than any other team. That's an extra season. Taking a break last year is probably the best thing that could have happened to the Chiefs. Let them rest," Okoye said on the One54 podcast.
Christian Okoye says Chiefs missing the playoffs last year was a good thing
This is a solid point. The Chiefs had been playing a lot of football due to their seven straight appearances in the AFC Championship and five Super Bowl appearances. Rest is never a bad thing.
I'd be inclined to agree with Okoye here 100% had Patrick Mahomes not gotten injured near the end of the year. Had the Chiefs simply just missed the postseason and it was because the team didn't gel and needed some rest after their deep playoff runs, then yes, the 2025 season could be looked at as a good thing if the Chiefs end up bouncing back.
Unfortunately, Mahomes tore his ACL and now his status for the beginning of the 2026 regular season is in jeopardy. As Chiefs fans know, every win matters in the NFL and not having Mahomes early in the season due to that injury could cost them playoff seeding or even a spot in the playoffs.
Otherwise though, what Okoye is saying makes total sense. The Chiefs got the rest they weren't afforded in previous years due to their dominance and now, hopefully the reset will allow them to get back to being a Super Bowl contender in 2026. The hope is that Mahomes will be healthy enough to help make that happen.
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