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The Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in familiar territory as they are currently on the outside looking in on the playoff picture.
After falling to 6-7 Sunday night with a loss to the Houston Texans, the Chiefs are the 10th seed in the AFC with just a 12% chance to make the playoffs.
Travis Kelce hasn’t missed the playoffs since his first full season in 2014, but he had a crucial fall on Sunday that led to the loss.
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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) reacts to dropping a pass in front of Houston Texans cornerback Myles Bryant (25) in the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)
Perhaps this is a regression to the mean after the Chiefs were able to squeak by in several wins last year and find answers, but Kelce admitted those answers are currently lost this year.
“I feel like I’ve always had the answers in years past. And this year I just can’t find them,” Kelce said on his “New Heights” podcast with his brother, Jason. “I keep thinking that if I show up to work and I put in the work and I solve the problems through my practice habits and through perfecting the game plan and my fundamentals and what I’m taught and go out there and try to play my ass off for my guys next to me, it’s all going to come together like it has in years past. And this year, it just isn’t, man.”
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) warms up prior to the game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Amy Kontras/Imagn Images)
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Kelce hinted when he announced he would return for the 2025 season that this would be his final NFL campaign. While it’s not set in stone whether Kelce will return for a 14th NFL season, it’s certainly not the way he wants to go out.
“If there’s a game to be played, I want to make it the most important game in the world, but obviously, when you look at the playoffs, this is a tough reality to be in, especially with the way we’ve always found a way in the past years, so it’s a s—-y f–ing feeling, especially to lose that f——and-slow that f– the last chance to do something in our last chance. shake. It’s a s—-y feeling, man You put everything this job to be there for your guys,” Kelce said.
Kelce is on pace to return to the 1,000-yard club for the first time since 2022 (he was 16 yards short in 2023 and didn’t play in two games).
Mahomes threw three interceptions, but he certainly didn’t get help from his weapons late as both Kelce and Rashee Rice dropped crucial passes.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The three-time reigning AFC champions have four games left on the schedule and their homestand begins with a matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
