When the official 2025 schedule was released, Kansas City Chiefs fans got a look at who their opponents are, when they are playing them, and where those games will be held. The resulting schedule has nine home games, eight road games, and one international game in 2025.
The Chiefs’ opponents include their three divisional rivals—the Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, and Las Vegas Raiders—as well as the winners of the other three AFC divisions last season: the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, and Houston Texans. As part of the three-to-four-year rotation against AFC and NFC divisions, the Chiefs are set to face the AFC South and NFC East, respectively. Their extra NFC opponent is the Detroit Lions, who won 15 regular-season games in 2024 and were the top seed.
The 2025 schedule sets up several exciting matchups, including a Super Bowl LIX rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles, rematches of the past two AFC Championship Games against the Bills and Ravens, and a Christmas night game at Arrowhead against the upstart Broncos, who earned a surprise playoff berth in 2024.
One key aspect of analyzing the Chiefs’ matchups this season is gauging how their defense stacks up against opposing quarterbacks. With Patrick Mahomes under center, Kansas City will likely have the quarterback advantage in every contest. However, some high-level signal-callers are on the 2025 schedule, including two MVP winners, two Super Bowl champions, and eleven Pro Bowlers.
This will provide a ranking of all 14 quarterbacks the Chiefs are set to face this upcoming season.
14. Daniel Jones/Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Matchup: Week 12
The Colts are the only team without a confirmed starter for the upcoming season, as Jones and Richardson will compete for that role throughout the offseason. Richardson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, had a disastrous sophomore campaign, completing just 47% of his passes. Meanwhile, Jones had a disappointing tenure with the Giants, save for one outlier season in 2022.
13. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Matchup: Week 16
Ward ranks low on this list by default, as the first overall pick of this year’s draft has yet to take an NFL snap. Ward is certainly talented, as he tossed 39 touchdowns to just 7 interceptions for Miami in 2024. However, the Titans (3–14 in 2024) don’t provide an outstanding infrastructure for the rookie QB, and it could be a rough go early on.
12. Russell Wilson, New York Giants
Matchup: Week 3
Wilson has had an excellent career, but he's been a shell of his former self for nearly half a decade. This is evidenced by the fact that he’s now on his fourth team in five years, after signing a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Giants in March. In 11 starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, Wilson amassed a 6–5 record, completing 63.7% of his passes for 2,482 yards and 16 touchdowns.
11. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Matchups: Week 11 & Week 17
Nix was solid as a rookie in 2024. His 29 touchdown passes led all rookies and ranked sixth league-wide. However, passing efficiency metrics weren’t as kind. He ranked just 29th in yards per attempt, behind the likes of Richardson and Will Levis. Nix also had six games with a passer rating below 70, which tied for second-most in the league behind Richardson. If Nix can become more consistent, his ranking will rise.
10. Trevor Lawrence,Jacksonville Jaguars
Matchup: Week 5
Lawrence has had an up-and-down career thus far. The high point was in 2022, when he led the Jaguars to the Divisional Round after a 27-point comeback over the Chargers in the Wild Card. However, he has not reached those heights since and is just 2–13 in his last 15 starts. Lawrence has exceptional talent, but it will be up to new head coach Liam Coen, along with the receiving tandem of Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter, to help him fulfill his potential.
9. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
Matchups: Week 7 & Week 18
Over the past three seasons, Smith has been an above-average starter for the Seattle Seahawks. His 12,226 passing yards rank fourth in the NFL during that span. After being traded to the Raiders in March, Smith will reunite with Pete Carroll and benefit from a strong supporting cast of Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers, and Ashton Jeanty. Since Derek Carr’s departure, the Raiders have been hampered by poor quarterback play, which is something Smith should immediately improve.
8. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Matchup: Week 6
Goff is a polarizing player among NFL fans. On one hand, his statistics over the past three seasons speak for themselves—he leads the NFL in both passing yards and touchdowns since 2022. On the other hand, some credit Goff’s success to former offensive coordinator (now Bears head coach) Ben Johnson, as well as Detroit’s skill-position players and offensive line. With Johnson’s departure and the surprise retirement of All-Pro center Frank Ragnow, Goff has a chance to prove any remaining doubters wrong.
7. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Matchup: Week 2
Eagles fans will dislike this ranking, but this list evaluates quarterbacks on individual skill sets, not team success. Hurts is certainly a good quarterback and was deservedly named the MVP of Super Bowl LIX. However, he struggled with passing efficiency during the last regular season, receiving a PFF passing grade of just 66.8, which sits behind the likes of Jones and Kirk Cousins. That said, Hurts shined in big games by accounting for 7 total touchdowns and 68 offensive points in two Super Bowl appearances against the Chiefs.
6. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Matchup: Week 13
Prescott may be the most underrated signal-caller in the league right now. While his 2024 campaign was forgettable due to poor performance and injury, his overall body of work earns him the benefit of the doubt. In 2023, he arguably could have won the league's MVP award after leading the NFL with 36 passing touchdowns. What holds him back from the top five is his limited playoff success—just two wins in nine seasons—and never reaching a conference championship game.
5. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Matchup: Week 14
Stroud suffered a sophomore slump in 2024; his 87.0 passer rating ranked 25th in the NFL, behind the likes of Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, and Joe Flacco. He also ranked poorly in QBR (26th), yards per attempt (22nd), and success rate (29th). However, context is key. Stroud played behind a poor offensive line, had two of his top three receivers suffer season-ending injuries, and was failed by offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who was fired after the season. Despite that, he still helped lead the Texans to a dominant playoff win over the Chargers. Stroud remains an exceptional talent and should bounce back in 2025.
4. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Matchup: Week 8
Speaking of sophomore slumps, that is what Daniels will try to avoid this upcoming season on the heels of arguably the best season by a rookie quarterback in NFL history. Daniels took over a 4-13 team with a talented but flawed roster and led them to a 12-win season. He was even better in the postseason, as he helped break Washington’s 19-year playoff drought and led an upset victory over the top-seeded Lions en route to the NFC Championship Game. The offensive rookie of the year displayed very few weaknesses, excelling as both a rusher and passer. If Daniels can maintain this level in 2025, he will firmly establish himself as one of the game’s elite.
3. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Matchups: Week 1 & Week 15
There may not be a more divisive quarterback in the NFL than Herbert, who is still searching for his first playoff victory going into his sixth season. The criticisms of Herbert are valid, as his performance in the postseason has left a lot to be desired. With that said, Herbert has elevated subpar supporting casts and coaching staffs (prior to Jim Harbaugh’s arrival) throughout his career, and his arm talent may be the best across the league. Despite having just one reliable receiving target in Ladd McConkey, an inconsistent rushing attack, and a poor interior offensive line, Herbert helped lead the Chargers to a top 5 ranking in the AFC in offensive quality relative to average.
2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Matchup: Week 4
It could be argued that Jackson was the best quarterback in the NFL in 2024, as his numbers were nothing short of absurd. Last regular season, Jackson tossed 41 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions and led the NFL in passer rating, QBR, yards per attempt, and adjusted yards per attempt. Jackson is a future Hall of Fame lock, whose three first-team All-Pro selections are second among active quarterbacks. Despite his success, Jackson has yet to win or appear in a Super Bowl and has had a share of lackluster postseason performances. His tendency to perform below his standard in the playoffs holds him back from being first on this list.
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Matchup: Week 9
Allen and Jackson are exceptionally close, with the tie-breaker coming down to postseason performances as well as value to their respective teams. Despite also never appearing in a Super Bowl, statistics show that Allen has been less responsible for his team’s shortcomings than Jackson . Among the 18 quarterbacks who have lost at least two playoff games since 2020, Allen ranks first in both EPA per play and success rate. In regards to last season's MVP race, Jackson had 5 All-Pro teammates while Allen was the only Bill to receive the distinction. Allen’s superior postseason performance, as well as doing more with less talent on his roster, puts him atop this list.