The Kansas City Chiefs already have reason to respect the Denver Broncos after their hated rival made a run to the AFC Championship game. Taking over Kansas City's job of sending Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills packing headlined that the Broncos are a clear and established threat. Now, it isn't only the Broncos that should have Chiefs fans concerned.
It didn't take long for Mike McDaniel to make an impact after being hired as the new Los Angeles Chargers' offensive coordinator. The coach had the perfect answers to every question and made one statement that should especially concern Kansas City fans, as McDaniel wasted no time talking about how much was on Justin Herbert's plate.
"I think not relying too heavily on Justin's ability to do above and beyond I think is critical. ... That'll be one of the first things that we'll try to do is take a little off his plate." McDaniel said, courtesy of ESPN's Kris Rhim.
This is exactly the type of sentiment that should concern Chiefs fans. The biggest pitfall of the Chargers' offense has been asking Herbert to put on his cape, and, in turn, the signal caller ultimately making an inevitable mistake.
Removing this tendency from the equation should be a major concern after the Chargers finished with a better record than the Chiefs in 2025, qualifying for the playoff field. McDaniel amplified those reasons for concern by addressing how comfortable he feels alongside head coach Jim Harbaugh. The duo will focus on incorporating more creativity into the run game while building a balanced, yet modernized, offense to replace the boring unit of the past two seasons. It is truly alarming and speaks to why fans didn't want to see McDaniel land in the AFC West.
Chiefs Fans Have Every Reason for Concern After Mike McDaniel's Impressive Opening Presser
If McDaniel is truly the right guy for the Chargers, this establishes two clear threats to the Chiefs attempting to win back the West in the 2026 season. Before Denver's division crown, Kansas City had won nine straight AFC West titles dating back to the 2016 season. To say that the franchise has enjoyed divisional dominance is putting it lightly; it's as if a sleeping threat has improbably awoken and given Kansas City every reason for offseason urgency.
Both the Chargers and Broncos must be viewed as legitimate threats, with the Chargers looking especially daunting after the addition of McDaniel. While the former head coach was inconsistent during his time with the Miami Dolphins, the much-maligned Tua Tagovailoa passed for 4,624 yards under McDaniel's leadership. It is an obvious conclusion to state that Herbert is not only far more durable but also offers far more upside and talent as a starting quarterback.
No question, the Chargers are a threat and will make the road for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs all the more difficult in 2026. For the first time in the Andy Reid and Mahomes era, there is a true divisional threat that cannot be laughed off or overlooked. Kansas City's run of dominance has already come to an end and will continue to be challenged in what will be an important 2026 season that will set the tone for the years to come.