Everyone is familiar with the concept of "getting kicked when you're down." Life throws curveballs at all of us from time to time, and some of them bean us right in the gut. The problem is that the hits don't always quit coming. Everyone has had one of those days, weeks, months, or years when it seems like nothing can go right and the issues you're facing just continue to mount. So it would suffice to say that, after a 6-11 regular season for the Kansas City Chiefs, the only thing that could have gotten worse would have been some of their AFC counterparts looking dominant in the playoffs, poised to take the crown from the Chiefs long term.
Sideshow Bob is one of my favorite television characters of all time. Not because he's a murderous psychopath with a lust for Bart Simpson's blood, but because he is a depiction of irony in The Simpsons universe—a seemingly intelligent person surrounded by oblivious counterparts who can never get what he wants because he can't get out of his own way. In a lot of ways, the Chiefs' 2025 season was just an extremely prolonged football version of Sideshow Bob's signature move.
The biggest difference between the Chiefs' pursuit of rekindling their dynasty next season and Sideshow Bob's quest to finally delete Bart Simpson from the planet is, well, the AFC never really produced a Bart Simpson this season. Sure, seven teams made the playoffs. Yes, there was an AFC champion crowned. But who really scares anyone in Chiefs Kingdom going into next season, assuming the Chiefs don't have an absolute disaster of an offseason?
No AFC contender proved ready to seize control, leaving the door wide open for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in 2026.
The Bills are still the Bills, and Josh Allen may be permanently sad
Allen and the Bills found yet another very sad, very entertaining way to lose in the divisional round in 2025, even without the Chiefs there to play the main antagonist role in their demise. The Bills have become the NFL's version of a pro wrestling stepping stone, much like Kane or Chris Jericho were in WWE's "Attitude Era"—always in contention, never hoisting the belt. They again proved this season that they can't get it done when it matters most against Bo Nix and the Broncos. What makes us think that Allen could get over the hump against a bionic-kneed Mahomes and a revamped Chiefs team? Add in some doubt about Joe Brady being completely unproven as a head coach, and having the worst haircut in the NFL. A little credit back to the Bills, though, for Josh Allen having the "new dad" bump going into next season.
Mahomes is still Lamar's legal guardian, and the Ravens hired who?
Baltimore has the third-best odds to win the Super Bowl next year. Yes, the Baltimore Ravens, who walked away from a Super Bowl-winning head coach who brought stability to the organization in hopes of replacing him with defensive wunderkind Jesse Minter. All while Lamar Jackson still has Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs occupying a sprawling Montana ranch's worth of real estate in his brain. This version of the Ravens hadn't proven anything with a proven head coach. What can we truly expect from them until we know that Minter is actually the right guy? He could always prove me wrong in a very abrupt way, but I am not buying them as a parallel to Andy Reid and a healthy Mahomes just yet.
The Broncos had extraordinary luck all year (and barely snuck by Chris Oladokun)
To be fair, the Chiefs' defense played out of this world against Denver on Christmas Day, as Oladokun did just enough to keep it close for the Chiefs. But still, the big bad Broncos were only a hair better than the worst Chiefs team we've seen since Romeo Crennel took over for Todd Haley. You can only rub the rabbit's foot so many times, as the Chiefs found out in 2025, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the law of averages grab the Broncos by the tail in 2026 in the same way. While the national media may be enamored with Bo Nix and Sean Payton, I don't think anyone in Chiefs Kingdom is worried long-term about little brother's growth spurt.
Drake Maye staring down Mahomes in a meaningful game feel like sci-fi
The Patriots' offense was actually pretty decent throughout the course of 2025. They won the AFC, for crying out loud—they obviously had something going. Perhaps it was the advantage of playing a Chargers team with no offensive linemen, C.J. Stroud, and Jarrett Stidham in "the toughest run through the playoffs in NFL history" on the back of a 14-3 regular-season record against the league's worst opponents' winning percentage since 1999? I truly hope that Patriots fans enjoyed the two weeks they had in the sun before their Super Bowl embarrassment, even if it was completely agonizing for the rest of the world to listen to. Vrabel is a great coach, but no real contenders could possibly fear the Pats after what we saw on Sunday.
KC is primed to take back the AFC
Everyone had their chance. It was open season for some team, some quarterback, some head coach to stare Mahomes and the Chiefs in the face and say, "I am the captain now." But Patrick Mahomes is no Captain Phillips, mainly because he probably doesn't know how to operate a cargo ship. What he is, however, is the greatest winner we've seen in the NFL—maybe ever.
Do we have our concerns with other position groups and the front office's ability to bolster them in a hasty enough fashion for the team to be a juggernaut again next year? Well, yeah. Obviously, the team needs significant improvement in a lot of areas. But why would we believe this couldn't be done when it's quite literally been done in the last four years? There are real concerns about Mahomes' ability to rehab his torn ACL in time for the regular season next year. Even if he makes it back for Week 1, how much time will he get to spend with what we would have to presume would be several new weapons on the offensive side of the ball?
Those questions will all be answered in time, and they may not be answers that we love. But we can confidently go into 2026 with a high level of gusto, knowing that no one from the AFC stood in there and claimed the throne that was vacated by the Chiefs' lackluster 2025. The AFC did nothing but keep the Chiefs' seat at the head of the conference table warm.