The Kansas City Chiefs have dealt with no shortage of doubt throughout the summer coming off the worst season of the Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid era. Not only did KC miss the playoffs, but for the first time since Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback, the Chiefs fell short of the AFC Championship. Still, it seems that pundits are convinced the one outlier season is more convincing than every other season of Mahomes' career.
Ringer founder and sports podcaster Bill Simmons can be counted among those doubting the Chiefs are going to be capable of delivering anything close to a capable season. In a recent episode, Simmons covered every AFC team and the expected over/under win total. He made a clear case as to why he thinks Kansas City is doomed for failure.
Simmons noted that it seemed as if Andy Reid lost his control over the team a bit last season, and it became a football team coached by the players. As understandable as these concerns might be, there is something to be said for the return of Eric Bieniemy and the humbling that happened to a proud roster and coaching staff a season ago.
If there wasn't a strong sense of belief that things needed to change, the franchise wouldn't have brought back Eric Bieniemy or rushed Mahomes back for Week 1. No question, the doubts are understandable after last season, but they are yet again underrating the league's best quarterback.
Bill Simmons added to long list of pundits questioning Chiefs ahead of 2026 season
In truth, Simmons makes fair points and isn't wrong that the Chiefs are in a bit of a rebuilding situation on paper. What gives Chiefs fans confidence is the fact that we watched nearly this exact situation three years ago, and it ended with Kansas City's rebuilt defense delivering beyond expectations and the Chiefs lifting the Lombardi Trophy.
The biggest concern is whether or not Reid has truly lost his fastball and if the return of Bieniemy is enough to demand accountability and change the team's fortunes. Even the most positive Chiefs fan would have to admit this is a clear area of concern and demands a close eye at the start of the season.
Reid has the resume of any current NFL head coach, and his legacy in the game of football is unquestioned. However, Simmons is correct that last year was a bad coaching year, and this serves as a reminder that things rarely end well, even for the league's most legendary coaches.
Chiefs fans simply have to hope that the return of Bieniemy and the shame of last season serve as enough of a wake-up call to demand Kansas City's best punch in the 2026 season.
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