Of all the losses that the Kansas City Chiefs have suffered this season, Sunday may have been one of the most painful of them all.
After going into the locker room at halftime down 10-0, the Chiefs defense responded in a big way and the offense had just enough in the tank to tie the game at 10-10 late in the third quarter. The game remained deadlocked with just over 10 minutes to play when Andy Reid decided to go for it on a 4th and 1 on his own 31-yard line. The decision proved to be disastrous as Rahsee Rice dropped a pass from Patrick Mahomes and the Texans drove down for what would be the game-winning touchdown on Dare Ogunbowale’s five yard run with 6:56 to play.
“I thought we could get it,” Reid said after the game via A to Z Sports’s Charles Goldman. “It’s important that you take advantage of the opportunities. …In hindsight, I was wrong. …I messed that one up.”
Reid’s decision drew the ire of Chiefs fans but it may not be entirely on him. While firing Reid after what could be Kansas City’s first January without playoff football since 2014 would be therapeutic for some, the failed fourth down brings on a different need, one that needs to see the Chiefs evolve over an important offseason.
Chiefs Must Evolve This Offseason to Keep Their Dynasty Going
When looking at the 2025 Chiefs, there are a lot of problems that turned into a fatal issue. Harrison Butker’s rough year is partially to blame as well as a six-game suspension for Rice that left the Chiefs without their top weapon for the beginning of the season. But the biggest is trying to pull the lever on the slot machine and expecting the same result.
The Chiefs won 11 one-score games on their way to the Super Bowl last season and the formula was there to do it again in 2025. With Travis Kelce coming back for another season, a defense that had plenty of its key players and a receiving group that had another year working with Patrick Mahomes, the foundation was there to keep the ball rolling but the Chiefs didn’t think about the coin coming up tails.
Perhaps that’s the reason why Reid went for it on Sunday night. But the biggest thing the Chiefs need to do is evolve to make sure the back end of Mahomes’s career goes as smoothly as the beginning did.
The New England Patriots did this with Tom Brady, winning three Super Bowls in the first four years of his career but going a full decade before winning his fourth title in 2014. In between, there were a lot of things that changed. While the Patriots’ defense remained strong, they adapted to their opponents frequently and changed out many of the playmakers that surrounded Brady to give him a versatile approach that took advantage of his intelligence.
As Mahomes heads into his 30s, the Chiefs have the chance to do the same thing. But it doesn’t have to occur under the typical rebuild teams have had elsewhere.
For example, could a dynamic running back in the backfield such as Breece Hall allow the Chiefs to lean on their running game? Could a solid intermediate route take pressure off (or even replace) Travis Kelce next season? Could replacing Matt Nagy with a new offensive coordinator such as Eric Bienemy or Brian Daboll give the Chiefs a tactical advantage? Or is it as simple as just breathing some new life in what appears to be an aging team?
They’re all questions that probably won’t be answered in the final four weeks as the Chiefs look for a playoff spot. But they’re all things that can fulfill the Chiefs biggest need, which is to evolve to take down its biggest competition.