On Wednesday, NFL.com draft analyst Eric Edholm published a ranking of the league’s “most complete teams” for 2025. He listed the Kansas City Chiefs fourth, following the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions.
4. Kansas City Chiefs
They continue to tinker with their wide receivers and offensive line. There will be new faces on defense, too. But the core of the 2025 Chiefs resembles the team that has forged its way into playing in five of the past six Super Bowls. They might be coming off a lopsided loss in Super Bowl LIX, but I don’t expect them to undergo a precipitous decline.
Kansas City’s defense had carried a bigger chunk of the load in recent years, but the Super Bowl LIX blowout proved the unit required reinforcements. Four draft picks, including three on Day 2, should help with depth. DT Chris Jones and CB Trent McDuffie are elite defenders, and the Chiefs also have solid to strong playmakers throughout the defense. New CBs Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams should help.
Patrick Mahomes’ production has slipped a bit from his absolute peak a few years back, but he remains one of the most dangerous QBs in the game entering his age-30 season. Back along his side is Travis Kelce, a better running back situation than the team had last season and plenty of talent at receiver. Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Marquise Brown and rookie Jalen Royals all can be weapons. The offensive line has undergone big changes, but it could be better in 2025.
Some shakiness in the trenches keeps us from giving them an A across the board on the report card, but Mahomes and a handful of other elite players, combined with solid middle-of-the-roster talent, makes this crew a top-10 lock in my book. Drop them after the Super Bowl blowout at your own risk; there’s enough left in the tank for another run.
My take
By now, we’re accustomed to the idea that in every offseason, there will be a perception that other teams have improved more than Kansas City — and that in the coming season, one of them will rise to the top of the league.
And in any season, that could happen.
But in this case, Edholm doesn’t go quite that far. While he lists the Chiefs fourth behind three other talented teams, he still considers Mahomes “one of the most dangerous QBs in the game.”
There’s a good reason for this. Going into the 2022 season, Edholm’s predecessor Marc Ross ranked the Chiefs fourth after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers (!) and Buffalo Bills, noting that Kansas City would now be without wideout Tyreek Hill. A year later, Edholm listed the Chiefs second behind the Eagles. Then in 2024, he put them at third behind the San Francisco 49ers and the Ravens.
In all three seasons, the Chiefs made the Super Bowl — and won it twice. So while Edholm might have legitimate grounds to say other teams are more complete, he recognizes that Mahomes “and a handful of elite players” can make the difference.
He made the same point a year ago, starting by calling Mahomes “the best player in the world.”
Patrick Mahomes’ brilliance can overcome some of the shortcomings of a roster, as we’ve seen during back-to-back Super Bowl championships. Last season was more stark, with the Chiefs’ receivers threatening to destroy the whole operation. But even with Rashee Rice’s offseason legal troubles leading to questions about his status for the 2024 campaign, the additions of veteran Marquise Brown and first-rounder Xavier Worthy help stabilize the group and provide more vertical speed.
With Mahomes having all three of these wideouts back for 2025 — along with significant moves elsewhere — Edholm is right: Kansas City will certainly have enough left in the tank.
The Chiefs have proven they can beat any other team. But like any other squad, Kansas City can be derailed by injuries — and sometimes be its own worst enemy. There is, however, no reason to think it cannot contend again.
