The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off the worst season of the Andy Reid era. For the first time since Patrick Mahomes became a starter, this was the first time they didn't make it to at least the AFC Championship Game. In fact, they didn't even make the playoffs.
However, it's not all bad for Andy Reid's team. Their underwhelming 2025 record leaves the Chiefs with one silver lining: An easier schedule than most of the division. According to Sharp Football, the Chiefs will have the 10th-easiest schedule in the league, based on Las Vegas projected win totals.
Notably, that's the easiest schedule in the division, even easier than the fourth-place Las Vegas Raiders' (19th). The Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos will face the 21st and 11th-toughest schedules, respectively.
The Chiefs Will Have an Easy Schedule in 2026
As always, the Chiefs will meet with every AFC West team twice next season, once at home and once on the road. Per the league's rotating schedule, they will also face the AFC East and NFC West, as well as three fellow third-place teams: The Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, and Cincinnati Bengals. While the official schedule hasn't been released yet, the home/away slate will go as follows:
Home
- Denver Broncos
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Arizona Cardinals
- Indianapolis Colts
- New England Patriots
- New York Jets
- San Francisco 49ers
Away
- Denver Broncos
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Atlanta Falcons
- Buffalo Bills
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Los Angeles Rams
- Miami Dolphins
- Seattle Seahawks
Of course, some of the third-place teams they'll face won't be as bad as most third-place squads. The Bengals worked hard to bolster their defense, and the Colts started the season 8-2 before injuries got the best of them.
This just goes to show everyone how difficult it is to win for so long in the NFL. Countless factors can make or break a team's season, and every player is always one snap away from a season-derailing injury.
This should only make Chiefs fans appreciate what this team has accomplished even more. Also, with Patrick Mahomes aiming to be back on the field for Week 1 and Travis Kelce knowing this might be it, the Chiefs will be extremely motivated to silence the critics and prove that the dynasty is far from over.
The AFC West will be one of the most competitive divisions in pro football, and the Chiefs must make the most of every minor edge they get. They shouldn't get used to playing a third-place schedule, but the league is about to find out why they're still a force to be reckoned with.
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