The Kansas City Chiefs have watched most of their greatest fears come true in the 2025 campaign, with a losing record in December for the first time in Andy Reid's tenure, among many other organizational concerns. But on Sunday, the Chiefs found themselves facing the worst-case scenario when they saw quarterback Patrick Mahomes go down with a knee injury late in the fourth quarter.
Mahomes has been a regular entry on the team's injury report week after week with a knee injury. However, he's been a full participant in each and every practice, making it clear that he was able to cope as the Chiefs attempted to right the ship in a season that looks lost.
With two minutes to go in the fourth quarter, with the L.A. Chargers up by three points in a must-win game, Mahomes hurt his knee when tackled by Da'Shawn Hand. He needed help to get off the field and went immediately to the blue medical tent. Eventually, Chiefs personnel helped Mahomes back to the locker room and backup quarterback Gardner Minshew entered the game in his place.
After a few plays, Minshew threw an interception to Chargers safety Derwin James, and just like that, the Chiefs' season was officially ended, which raises questions about Mahomes' availability going forward.
The Kansas City Chiefs are living out a worst-case scenario as their season comes to a premature end against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Mahomes' injury was a product of others in front of him being unavailable. The Chiefs were working with their fifth and sixth tackles in the second half, with Esa Pole on the left side and Chu Godrick on the right, playing in place of Josh Simmons and Jawaan Taylor. The Chiefs also had Mike Caliendo in for right guard Trey Smith.
The Chiefs suffered a number of injuries on Sunday at several positions, and being officially knocked out of the playoff picture means there's nothing to play for but pride at this point. It's safe to assume that no one should be feeling pressure to return to the field with nothing on the line. The Chiefs will be sitting at home in January either way.
At this point, the concerns about Mahomes go from being able to push this underperforming Chiefs team uphill in the face of drops, penalties, and questionable playcalling into something bigger. Mahomes is now in his thirties. He's dealing with an ongoing knee problem. Chiefs fans can only hope the issue is nothing drastic that would require signficant recovery. Of course, any such injury would rock the franchise top to bottom, given his importance to the team and the fact that he's carried them as far as he has year after year.
The loss of Mahomes to injury was the proverbial cherry on top of a miserable sundae. As the Chiefs were driving with one last chance to claim any further meaning for their season, yet another injury took out their franchise face. Now the Chiefs face short-term questions about Mahomes' health and much bigger concerns about the organization's ability to respond to such a pitiful season.