For nearly ten seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs have been the leaders of the AFC West. Nine consecutive division titles, three Super Bowl championships and five appearances in the big game have created a dynasty for one of the league’s most storied teams.
On Sunday night, the beginning of the end may have been revealed. The Chiefs lost to the Houston Texans to drop their overall record to 6-7 on the 2025 season. The NFL’s official prediction gives them a 15% chance to make the playoffs this year, a shocking result after they’ve appeared in the last three Super Bowls.
Chiefs tight end and three-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce played a vital part in Sunday’s game, but not in the way he would have liked. Kelce attempted to catch a pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but fumbled the reception directly into the hands of a Texans player.
OFF KELCE’S HANDS INTO AL-SHAAIR’S GRASP.
HOUvsKC on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/An7H5798nE— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2025
Kelce’s Reaction to Sunday Night’s Loss
Kelce laid on the Arrowhead Stadium field for several moments before being helped to his feet, and he looked despondent on the sideline as the clock ticked away. After the game, he reportedly declined to speak with reporters.
According to ESPN’s Nate Taylor, Kelce was one of the last players to leave on Sunday night and was also one of the last to take his uniform off.
He declined a few minute ago. He was 1 of the last guys to take their uniform off. https://t.co/Hkq5w7XeGI
— Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) December 8, 2025
Kelce has caught 60 passes for 727 yards this season, with five touchdowns. His numbers lead the Chiefs, but they’re well away from the pace he’s set for himself in previous seasons. Kelce is on track to finish with less than 1,000 receiving yards for the third straight season – years after finishing over that mark for seven seasons in a row.
End of the Mahomes-Kelce Era?
The Chiefs were mathematically eliminated from the AFC West title race on Sunday night, as this year’s division crown will be decided between the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos.
Denver last won the division in 2015, the same season they won the franchise’s last Super Bowl. The Chargers haven’t won the division since 2009, when they played in the city of San Diego.
The Chiefs can still make the playoffs this season, but they’ll need help from other teams around the league in order to do it. At the very least, they’ll need to win their own remaining games against the Chargers, Titans, Broncos and Raiders. Teams like the Texans, Colts and Ravens would also need to lose key games down the stretch, making another playoff appearance less likely.
We’ll see what happens over the last four weeks of the NFL season, but it’s clear that Sunday’s loss to drop below a .500 winning percentage had a notable effect on Kelce and the rest of the Chiefs.
