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PHOENIX — The Chiefs, a modern-day dynasty that took a major step backward last season, believe they will reassert themselves as an NFL power in 2026.
Kansas City, which went to five Super Bowls and won three between the 2019 and 2024 seasons, missed the postseason last year for the first time in more than a decade amid a season-ending knee injury to star quarterback Patrick Mahomes in December and an ugly 6–11 campaign. As the recovery for Mahomes tracks ahead of schedule and toward a potential opening-week return, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said he sees an immediate rebound to form in the forthcoming season.
Beyond the on-field factors, the return of Mahomes also factors heavily into viewership of the Chiefs, and in turn, the whole league.
“By every indication, Patrick is ahead of schedule, and he’s worked really hard to be ahead of schedule,” Hunt said in response to a Front Office Sports question while at the NFL annual meeting. “Knowing how that plays out in terms of being ready for contact, I don’t think any of us can speculate. But he’s doing fantastic, and we certainly hope we’re going to bounce back this year. We absolutely think we’re a playoff team again, for sure.”
Schedule Watching
The Chiefs are one of nine potential road opponents for the Super Bowl LX champion Seahawks as that team opens the 2026 NFL regular season. The kickoff game will be played on Wed., Sept. 9, in part due to complexities surrounding the league’s first regular-season game in Australia.
While the massive draw of the Chiefs would be a further lift for the audience of that high-profile broadcast, Hunt does not expect his team to be there.
“I don’t think that’s on the table anymore for us to be in Seattle [for the opener],” he said in response to FOS. “From a league standpoint, I think there would be some concern whether our quarterback will be ready to go. My guess is the league won’t want to take that risk.”
The Chiefs, however, are pushing hard to be the road team in an upcoming game in Spain, one of an unprecedented nine international contests the NFL has scheduled for the 2026 season. The Falcons are the designated home team for that game, and the opponent for the contest is expected this spring with the rest of the upcoming schedule.
“It’s a real positive for the league overall,” Hunt said of the NFL’s burgeoning global push. “If you look at the growth in the fanbase and also the growth in the media interest internationally, those games have played an essential part.”
Stadium Matters
The Chiefs, meanwhile, are advancing on plans to build a $3 billion domed stadium in Wyandotte County, Kansas, after striking a deal with Kansas officials in December. In addition to the new venue, there will be a separate $1 billion development in Olathe, Kan., that will include the team’s headquarters and training facility. Public bonds are set to cover 60% of the total costs. The team is now deciding between two architect finalists to design the stadium, with a final choice expected later this spring.
The team intends to open the new stadium in 2031, and both projects will be surrounded by extensive mixed-use developments.
“We’ve made a lot of progress over the last three months,” Hunt said. “I’ve been thrilled with what I’m seeing.”
The Chiefs, meanwhile, could find themselves under the provisions of the Home Team Act if the newly introduced federal bill passes. The proposed legislation requires that sports teams provide a one-year notice before relocating across state lines, and also an opportunity for local communities to buy a franchise at a “fair price.”
The bill’s sponsors—Rep. Greg Casar (D., Texas) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.)—took aim at the Chiefs’ situation as they introduced their act.
“We see it in Kansas City, where taxpayers are handing billions to a family already worth $25 billion. Imagine what those billions of dollars could do building public parks, youth sports leagues, fields, courts for our kids,” Casar said. “Our bill will make sure that cities and states are not negotiating with a gun to their head.”
Hunt said he “didn’t know enough about the Bernie Sanders proposal to really comment.”
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