KANSAS CITY — This is fairly new territory for the Chiefs.
Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Eagles put the Chiefs at 0-2 to open the 2025 season. In the first seven years with Patrick Mahomes as their starting quarterback, they were more likely to take their second loss in January (twice) than in September (once), enjoying their dynastic success from the very start of most seasons.
The only thing close to this early struggle came back in 2021, when the Chiefs lost two of their first three games and opened the year 3-4 before ultimately finishing the regular season 12-5. It also stands out as the only year in the last six that they didn’t play in the Super Bowl, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in the conference championship game.
So, you might understand it if the Chiefs aren’t sure how to handle not being their usual dominant selves.
“I think it’s a little frustrated,” defensive tackle Chris Jones said of the locker-room vibe after the loss. “We’re all very competitive, and we all want to win, but we’re still 0-2. A lot of players holding themselves accountable. We’re a competitive team, we’re eager to figure this thing out and get back on the right track.”
Their two losses have come against playoff teams from last season, first to the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil and then the defending Super Bowl champs at Arrowhead. But some of the mistakes have come from their best and most proven players. A costly fourth-quarter interception at the goal line went off the hands of tight end Travis Kelce, turning a potential lead into an eventual 10-point deficit.
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“We played two good football teams and made mistakes in big moments – stuff that we’re not used to doing,” Mahomes said. “But I think we’re coming together as a team, man. I mean, when you deal with adversity, it’s about how you deal with it, and obviously, this isn’t how we wanted to start. But how are we going to respond? So, I’m excited for the next few weeks to see who wants to be challenged and how we can get back and really get after it.”
Travis Kelce’s drop in the end zone that led to an interception for Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba swung Sunday’s game out of the Chiefs’ favor. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Mahomes set the bar impossibly high for himself with his play at the start of his career. In his first five years as a starter from 2018-22, he had a combined 35 touchdowns and zero interceptions in the first two weeks of seasons. In the last three years, that total is just nine touchdowns and six interceptions. Eventually, that will turn wins into losses, especially against good competition.
“I’ll take full responsibility for that game, would probably say too aggressive on that and that’s my responsibility,” coach Andy Reid said. “I thought my guys played their tail off and played hard and aggressive football. And they stuck together throughout the game and that’ll pay [off] for us down the road as we continue to grow.”
Two games is a small sample size, but the Chiefs haven’t looked good, especially on offense. They’re 25th in the league in scoring, 26th on third down and 28th in red zone efficiency. They’re one of seven NFL teams yet to force a turnover, and defensively, they’re 25th in yards per pass attempt, giving up 7.11 on average.
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Last year, despite a 15-2 record, the Chiefs showed signs that a decline could be ahead. From 2018-23, the Chiefs outscored their opponents by at least 111 points every season. In 2024, though, they had just a 57-point advantage, only half as dominant as in any of the previous six years. That they won close games so consistently was a rallying point all the way to the Super Bowl, but their lopsided loss to the Eagles there put the future of their run in question.
How will the Chiefs respond? They have what should be a winnable game on Sunday night at the New York Giants, who are also 0-2, before another potential playoff preview with the Baltimore Ravens coming to Arrowhead. They’re somehow the only AFC West team without a win, and while they have months to move up in the standings, each loss makes it tougher for the playoffs to go through Kansas City, remembering that 14 of Mahomes’ 16 non-Super Bowl playoff games have been at home.
“Knowing the guys in the locker room, man, I think they’re just going to respond by working,” Mahomes said. “That’s how we’ve gotten to the point that we’ve gotten to and our career here in Kansas City, is that we believe the work kind of puts out the product.
“Obviously, we’ve never been 0-2, but we’ve had times where we’ve dealt with challenges before and lost games. I think the guys that we have in this locker room will go back to work with that mindset of, ‘we’re going to continue to work even harder,’ so that when we step on that field this next time, we can find a way to win in those big moments, like we haven’t in these first two weeks.”
Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He previously spent a decade covering the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.
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