How the Chiefs Three-Time Super Bowl Champion Coach and QB Could Hold Them Back in 2026
In 1970, Lyndon B. Johnson was President of the United States, and the Vietnam War was still ongoing. Bell-bottoms were a fashion fixture worn by anti-war protesters while “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel played on the radio. “Sanford and Son” and “The Brady Bunch” were on television, and the Kansas City Chiefs were Super Bowl champions. In Tulane Stadium, in New Orleans, coached by the legendary Hank Stram and with Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson behind center, the Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings 23-7. A half-century would pass before another Lombardi Trophy would be displayed at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Reid–Mahomes Era: Building a Modern Dynasty
Andy Reid was hired by the Chiefs as head coach in 2013 and proved to be the first critical piece on the road to a dynasty. The Chiefs won just two games in 2012, with several previous seasons in 2007, 2008, and 2009 ending in single-digit wins, Reid took his new team to 11-5 the year he was hired. Big Red would go on to lead Kansas City to the postseason every year except for 2014, before Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback in 2018, replacing Alex Smith. Drafted as the 10th overall pick in 2017, Mahomes has proven to be Dawson to Reid’s Stram, and then some, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy three times over. More than fifty years later, after Kansas City’s first Super Bowl victory in New Orleans, four sterling silver trophies by Tiffany & Co. reside in the Crimson Colosseum. With these historic accomplishments delivered in relative rapid succession, immortalized by moments such as the MVP-caliber field general calling the Wasp play in Super Bowl LIV to break open the game against the San Francisco 49ers, it’s understandable why so much is put on the future Hall of Famer’s shoulders. Along with Reid, he has delivered the franchise to glory. However, at what point does great strength become a weakness?
Elite Production… But Subtle Decline
Mahomes has won the League MVP Award twice in his career, in 2018 and in 2022. Each of those years, he threw for over 5,000 yards, scoring 50 touchdowns in the former and 41 touchdowns in the latter. Every other season except 2024 and 2025, he has thrown for over 4,000 yards. Last year and the year before, he threw for well over 3,000 yards. These are still good numbers, but the drop off does draw the eye. Multiple factors account for this. With the departure of Tyreek Hill in 2022, a Hall of Fame-caliber deep threat was gone from the team, which allowed defenses to double-team Travis Kelce and cover other receivers on the field without the strain of having to account for Hill. The Chiefs still went on to win two more Super Bowls without Hill, but this was due in no small part to a dominant defense. Without a true primary receiver, and a speedster at that, Kansas City went to a more conservative offense that focused on ball control through quick short passes. Opposing teams also tend to go to a “two high” defensive strategy when facing the Chiefs, positioning safeties deep downfield to prevent big plays. There’s also the RPO, or “run, pass, option.” The RPO is a run-and-pass play the quarterback uses based on what he sees in the defense. He either hands the ball off for a run or throws a quick pass. When executing the RPO, which is 20% of their offense, Mahomes throws the ball 80% of the time.
A System Under Pressure
Reid is famously known for his pass-heavy offenses; he hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher in Kansas City since Kareem Hunt’s rookie year in 2017. It is this stubbornness, if it persists in 2026, along with Mahomes’ Superman competitiveness, that could harm the Chiefs' return to the postseason or cut it short in 2026 and beyond. With five Super Bowl appearances out of seven straight years of going to the AFC Championship and winning three of them, it’s hard to argue with the tandem’s success. ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is the adage, except that something is broken, Mahomes. With a scramble to the right out of the pocket in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers last year, the engine of Kansas City’s dynasty tore both his ACL and LCL in his left knee after being tackled from behind by defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand. Through the years, Mahomes has suffered a dislocated knee and a high-ankle sprain, the latter of which he famously fought through against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, leading Kansas City to victory. However, the multiple torn ligaments in his knee are by far the worst injury he has sustained, and it seems to have caught the team's attention.
A Necessary Evolution: Finding Offensive Balance
With the signing of Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III, there seems to be a real commitment to taking some pressure off their franchise quarterback. There needs to be a real buy-in by Reid and the generational playmaker to commit to a consistent running game. Fewer RPOs and more designed run plays are what Chiefs Kingdom is screaming for, especially with an offensive line that includes Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, with first-round pick Josh Simmons, with possible help on the way picked high in the 2026 draft. Reid needs to go against his nature and run the ball more, and if an RPO is called, Mahomes can’t choose to pass 80% of the time. The Chiefs need balance to keep opposing defenses honest and to keep their quarterback on his feet. The 2026 NFL season will be a gauntlet for the instinctual habits of these two Hall of Famers. Every season with these two on the field needs to be protected because it could be another 50 years before Arrowhead displays another Lombardi after they’re gone.
