The Kansas City Chiefs are perennial favorites to go all the way each year in the NFL, but it’s certainly not a given. It’s the NFL, and anything can happen.

We’ve all seen great teams fall to bottom-feeders, and even the worst teams are often difficult contenders, because by the time players make it tot he NFL, they’re simply the best.

For the Chiefs, while they have some returning favorites in guys like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, that doesn’t mean they won’t have tough work ahead.

Now, one NFL analyst and expert is predicting that the Chiefs will get dethroned in the AFC West by an up-and-coming rival.

Who May Dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs?

In a June 2 piece for Bleacher Report, Matt Holder discusses who he believes may oust last season’s winners in each NFL division. “Here, we’ll take a stab a predicting one team in each NFL division that could push to take home the crown in 2025,” he states in the piece.

He adds, “The only requirement to qualify is that they didn’t finish in first place a year ago, but each selection will be based on the organization’s offseason changes.”

For the Kansas City Chiefs, he paints, sadly, a grim picture, stating that the team’s “run could be coming to an end.”

“Kansas City lost more than it gained this offseason, trading away All-Pro guard Joe Thuney while letting Swiss Army knife safety Justin Reid and up-and-coming pass-rusher Tershawn Wharton walk in free agency,” he explains. Because of that, Holder says that he thinks there are “question marks” for the Chiefs’ “offensive line, secondary and pass rush, which could result in some regression this fall.”

So, who will take the Chiefs’ place as the kings of the AFC West?

The Chiefs Could Fall to AFC West Rivals

Holder thinks the Los Angeles Chargers, with Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz back for year two, could dethrone the Chiefs. He notes that they did a “good job improving the roster this spring.”

“While the offense’s leading rusher, J.K. Dobbins, still hasn’t re-signed, free-agent addition Najee Harris has been a 1,000-yard rusher every year of his career and out-produced Dobbins last season,” Holder notes in the piece. “Also, the club used its first-round pick on North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, who was widely considered the second-best running back in the draft, and plucking guard Mekhi Becton off the open market is a big boost to the interior offensive line.”

Holder goes through some offer positive offseason changes for the Chargers and come to the conclusion that Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert and company can pull off some much bigger wins in 2025 than they did last season.

He notes that the Chargers do face some weaknesses “after letting defensive end Joey Bosa, defensive tackle Morgan Fox and both of last year’s Week 1 starting cornerbacks go in free agency.” But, he believes Tuli Tuipulotu will be able to step it up in 2025.

“Look for Los Angeles to put an end to Kansas City’s run in the AFC West this year,” he concludes. Ouch.