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Kansas City Chiefs News & Rumors

Chiefs Expecting RG Trey Smith To Depart In Free Agency

February 11th, 2025 at 2:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

From an offensive line perspective, the Chiefs‘ Super Bowl letdown was particularly interesting. The team rolled out a quintet housing two first-team All-Pros (center Creed Humphrey, left guard-turned-left tackle Joe Thuney) and saw Trey Smith secure his first Pro Bowl accolade. Yet, the Eagles still teed off on Patrick Mahomes to remind of the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV rampage.

Kansas City both built a formidable interior trio but saw its shaky tackle plan unravel at the worst time. Unlike in Super Bowl LV, when the AFC superpower played without injured starters Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, the Chiefs had their tackles healthy. They just could not hold up, with RT Jawaan Taylor continuing to struggle and the non-Thuney LT options — Wanya Morris, second-round rookie Kingsley Suamataia and in-season free agency addition D.J. Humphries — deemed less acceptable compared to kicking an All-Pro guard outside.

As the Chiefs will need a better answer at left tackle in 2025, they are bracing for their top in-house free agent to leave. Kansas City is expected to lose Smith once the market opens, according to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. Despite the Chiefs showing interest in retaining Smith at the season’s outset, his situation has trended this way for a bit.

This will break up the interior trio the Chiefs built weeks after their Super Bowl LV blowout loss, as Thuney, Humphrey and Smith began playing together — to key a successful O-line turnaround following the rough Tampa night — in 2021. With Humphrey extended and Thuney signed for one more season, Smith appears the odd man out.

The Chiefs could make a last-ditch move to ensure Smith stays by using the franchise tag on the former sixth-round find, but guards are rarely tagged. The tag formula still classifies all offensive linemen under one umbrella, meaning top centers and guards would see the same tag number as tackles. Tackle salaries thus balloon guard tag figures, paving top interior blockers’ paths to the market. There have been a couple of exceptions in recent years, with Thuney — via a 2020 Patriots tag — being one of them. Washington also cuffed Brandon Scherff for two years. But the Chiefs have other issues to address. They appear to be willing to stomach losing an impact RG talent as a result.

Kansas City already cut into one of its strengths by kicking Thuney to LT. That move had stabilized the Chiefs’ line for a stretch, but the Eagles exposed the plan on the biggest stage. The three-time reigning AFC champions already gave Humphrey a monster center extension that checks in on its own tier (four years, $72MM) at that position, and Thuney is tied to a $26.97MM cap number in a contract year. The Chiefs could look into a Thuney extension to bring that down, but the ex-Patriots draftee is also now 32. Smith is 25, which will make his expected departure sting.

As the Chiefs could look into the likes of Ronnie Stanley and Cam Robinson to help stabilize their tackle spots, they still have Taylor on the books for a guaranteed $20MM. By keeping Taylor on the roster in March 2024, the Chiefs saw the struggling RT’s 2025 base salary and $500K workout bonus lock in.

This money and the Humphrey and Thuney deals stand to limit the Chiefs up front, though one anonymous GM adds (via La Canfora) the team will likely show interest in Stanley and Robinson. Stanley is coming off his healthiest season since 2019, and that certainly would stand to make him more than a mere stopgap. The Vikings have Christian Darrisaw coming back after a season-ending injury, which would stand to point their emergency fill-in — Robinson — to the market.

The Bears have been linked to Smith, and multiple execs identified (via La Canfora) the Titans as a possible destination. Tennessee already dived into the veteran interior market last year, by signing center Lloyd Cushenberry, and used a first-round pick on left guard Peter Skoronski. The Titans still have a need at RG. A Tennessee alum, Smith should be expected to become the NFL’s fifth $20MM-per-year guard if/when he hits free agency. Pro Football Focus has graded him as a top-15 option at the position in each of his four seasons, which will make a Chiefs replacement task difficult.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

February 10th, 2025 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

With Super Bowl LIX in the books, the 2024 campaign has come to a close. The final first-round order for April’s draft is now set as a result.

All 32 teams currently own a Day 1 selection, leaving the door open to each one adding a prospect in the first round for the first time since expansion in 2002. Any number of trades will no doubt take place between now and the draft, though, and it will be interesting to see how teams maneuver in the lead-in to the event. Of course, Tennessee in particular will be worth watching closely with a move to sell off the No. 1 pick being seen as a distinct possibility.

A weak quarterback class will leave teams like the Titans, Browns, Giants and Raiders with plenty of key offseason decisions. The free agent and trade markets do not offer many short-term alternatives which are seen as surefire additions, and teams which do not make moves in March will rely on the incoming group of rookies as part of their efforts to find a long-term solution under center. The two prospects seen as the clear-cut top options in 2025, however, are two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2024 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.

Here is a final look at the first-round order:

  1. Tennessee Titans (3-14)
  2. Cleveland Browns (3-14)
  3. New York Giants (3-14)
  4. New England Patriots (4-13)
  5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13)
  6. Las Vegas Raiders (4-13)
  7. New York Jets (5-12)
  8. Carolina Panthers (5-12)
  9. New Orleans Saints (5-12)
  10. Chicago Bears (5-12)
  11. San Francisco 49ers (6-11)
  12. Dallas Cowboys (7-10)
  13. Miami Dolphins (8-9)
  14. Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
  15. Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
  16. Arizona Cardinals (8-9)
  17. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
  18. Seattle Seahawks (10-7)
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
  20. Denver Broncos (10-7)
  21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
  22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
  23. Green Bay Packers (11-6)
  24. Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
  25. Houston Texans (10-7)
  26. Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
  27. Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
  28. Detroit Lions (15-2)
  29. Washington Commanders (12-5)
  30. Buffalo Bills (13-4)
  31. Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
  32. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)

Philadelphia Eagles Win Super Bowl LIX

February 9th, 2025 at 9:17pm CST by Ely Allen

And, with that, the 2024 NFL season has come to an end. The clock has hit four zeroes, and the Philadelphia Eagles are the Super Bowl LIX champions beating the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22.

After earning their first ever championship since before the 1970 AFL-NFL merger back in 2017, the Eagles have now won two Super Bowls in eight years, not to mention an additional appearance in the game two years ago. That last appearance, a Super Bowl LVII loss to the Chiefs, 38-35, was avenged tonight thanks to a dominant performance from Philadelphia’s defense.

Following that previous Super Bowl loss, the Eagles were a first-round exit last year. This led to a busy offseason that saw them extend the contracts of key offensive players like wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, left tackle Jordan Mailata, and left guard Landon Dickerson. Perhaps most important was the free agent signing of division-rival running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley led the league in rushing, accomplishing the NFL’s first 2,000-yard rushing season since 2020. With the production he had in the offseason, as well, including tonight’s win, Barkley broke the record for most single-season rushing yards including the postseason with 2,504 yards.

The team’s front office did big work on the defensive side of the ball, as well. First, they hired Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator to replace Sean Desai, whom they decided not to retain. Then, they reworked defensive end Josh Sweat‘s contract to keep him around for the year, added free agent pass rusher Bryce Huff across from him, and signed huge contributors in linebacker Zack Baun and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Perhaps most crucial to the defense were the first- and second-round draft additions of cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, the former of which finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting and the latter of which returned a Patrick Mahomes interception 38 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter of tonight’s game.

The Eagles’ dominance on defense was felt not only in the secondary but all over the field. In addition to interceptions by DeJean and Baun, Philadelphia racked up six sacks, 11 quarterback hits, and six tackles for loss without blitzing a single snap, per James Palmer of Bleacher Report. The offense spread out the ball well but, ultimately, didn’t do much, as they weren’t really asked to. Fangio and his unit were the unofficial MVPs of the game; quarterback Jalen Hurts was the official Super Bowl LIX Most Valuable Player.

The Eagles season had an up and down start. They opened up the year with a win over the Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, before dropping two of their next three games. Following an early Week 5 bye, Philadelphia established what their identity would be, rattling off 10 straight wins. An injury to Hurts resulted in their only loss after September as backups Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee took over for the remainder of the season. A loss at quarterback wasn’t too detrimental, though, as the NFL’s No. 2 rushing offense was able to continue carrying the NFL’s 29th-best passing offense.

Tonight’s Super Bowl win was a microcosm of what the team’s defense had done all year. Fangio’s defense finished second in the NFL in scoring defense and was the top defense in total yards thanks to a passing defense that had the Eagles as the only team in the NFL not to allow 3,000 passing yards this year. The Eagles blitzed at a rate that was the fifth-least in the NFL in 2024, but that strategy didn’t really pay dividends until tonight as the team was fifth-worst in pressures during the regular season, as well.

This year, the Chiefs were the Chiefs. Despite a down year from Mahomes and injuries that held the team without one or both of wide receivers Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown for most of the season, the Chiefs won 15 games. They were buoyed a bit by a top-four scoring defense and the ninth-best total defense, but Mahomes’ clutch abilities were able to extend an already existing streak of wins in one-score games to 17 straight.

The Chiefs’ goals of being the first threepeat in NFL history will now start over. They’ll expect to return Rice alongside this year’s first-round rookie, Xavier Worthy, next year, but receivers DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, and Brown are all destined for the free agent market. Also, with Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine both in contract years, the Chiefs will have to decide how to approach the running backs group with only Isiah Pacheco and Carson Steele returning. Aside from that, a number of aging veterans like tight end Travis Kelce (36), left tackle Joe Thuney (33), and defensive tackle Chris Jones (31) may be starting to mull ideas about their future in the NFL.

As for the Eagles, while they will undoubtedly bask in the glow of this victory a little longer, their offseason awaits, as well. Key defenders like Sweat, Baun, cornerback Avonte Maddox, and defensive tackle Milton Williams are all facing free agency, not to mention veteran defensive end Brandon Graham, who, at 36 years old, has already indicated that retirement is in the cards. On offense, starting guard Mekhi Becton will be a free agent, and similar to Graham, right tackle Lane Johnson is 35 and could be thinking about walking out on top, as well. You can add 34-year-old cornerback Darius Slay and maybe even 32-year-old safety James Bradberry to that conversation, as well. Though, Slay spoke of wanting to play one more season.

For now, though, the Eagles will celebrate the accomplishments of the group they have. Led by stars familiar (Hurts, Brown, Smith) and new (Barkley) on offense, and a stout defense with consistent defensive line play, surprise contributors in the second level, and rising stars in the secondary.

While offensive coordinator Kellen Moore may end up getting poached to become the new head coach in New Orleans, the city that just got a front-row seat to see him win a Super Bowl, the rest of the staff, including Fangio and Super Bowl-winning head coach Nick Sirianni will focus on reloading and taking a shot at being the first NFC team to repeat as Super Bowl Champions since the Cowboys did so in the 1992 and 1993 seasons.

Final Transactions Of The 2024 NFL Season; Eagles Activate DE Brandon Graham From IR

February 9th, 2025 at 4:28pm CST by Ely Allen

FEBARUARY 9: With Graham active for tonight, Huff is amongst the Eagles’ healthy scratches. The latter had played in two of Philadelphia’s postseason games, and after signing a $17MM-per-year pact the fact he is not in the team’s Super Bowl lineup is a rather notable development. Most of Huff’s 2025 compensation is guaranteed, but his next action for Philadelphia will come next year.

FEBRUARY 8: The biggest game of the year will take place tomorrow night as the Chiefs are looking to threepeat for the first time in NFL history. The Eagles, on the other hand, are looking to avenge their Super Bowl loss to Patrick Mahomes and company from just two years ago. As has been the case all year, each team is allowed to elevate two players from their practice squad. Philadelphia has also taken the additional step to activate defensive end Brandon Graham from injured reserve.

Graham suffered a triceps tear in November, and it immediately became clear that he would not play again during the regular season. Triceps tears come with lengthy recovery timetables, and the 36-year-old said in the aftermath of the game in which his took place that he would be out for the rest of the year. As the season went on and the postseason drew nearer, hope began to rise that Graham would be able to make a return if the Eagles could last long enough to play in the Super Bowl.

To add on to that, Graham, who has spent his entire 15-year tenure in Philadelphia, said in July that he would retire following the 2024 campaign. If he is going to hold true to his word, he needed the team to keep winning in order to play one more game in green.

Luckily for Graham, his team held up their end of the bargain, and now, he’ll be able to hold up his. A Graham comeback will be significant for the Eagles, who have dealt with injuries to both he and Bryce Huff this season. Huff has since returned, though he is playing behind starters Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith in Vic Fangio‘s defense. At the time of his injury, Graham had already topped his 2023 full-season totals for sacks and QB hits in 11 games this season. The longest-tenured player in Eagles history was sitting on 3.5 and seven, respectively, in those categories when he went down against the Rams.

In order to make room on the roster, the Eagles have placed backup center Nick Gates on injured reserve. For their two practice squad callups, the Eagles have tabbed fullback Khari Blasingame and linebacker Nicholas Morrow. Blasingame has been elevated for all three of the team’s playoff games so far, while Morrow has been elevated for each of the last two.

The Chiefs only made standard gameday practice squad elevations today. Linebacker Swayze Bozeman and cornerback Steven Nelson will join the active roster for the final game of the season. Bozeman has played in two playoff games already for Kansas City, while Nelson will be making his 2024 debut.

Travis Kelce’s Playing Future Uncertain?

February 8th, 2025 at 6:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 8: In spite of Kelce’s remarks from earlier this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports his situation is still uncertain. The four-time All-Pro is expected to take time this offseason to contemplate his future, with Rapoport adding the outcome of tomorrow’s Super Bowl may play a role in Kelce’s decision.

A fourth Super Bowl ring would leave him with even less to accomplish in the NFL for 2025 and beyond, but Kansas City’s offense would of course have a major vacancy to fill in the event of a retirement call. Kelce’s commitment one way or the other should be known before free agency begins in mid-March, per Rapoport.

FEBRUARY 4: Rocketing into a position as one of the best-known American athletes over the past two years, Travis Kelce has used this Chiefs dynasty period to cement himself as one of the all-time tight end greats. While this is obviously an easier NFL period to accumulate receiving yards compared to past eras, the Kansas City tight end stands on his own tier in terms of 1,000-yard seasons at his position.

This season brought a second straight sub-1,000-yard showing for Kelce, who has shown decline signs. Kelce earned his 10th Pro Bowl nod but averaged a career-low (by a significant margin) 8.5 yards per catch this season. The 12th-year veteran still led the Chiefs in receiving yardage (823), but he is not the dominant force that powered the Chiefs to victory in 2022. Kelce, who also stands at or near the top in terms of playoff receiving statistics, is not eyeing retirement on the heels of this step back.

[RELATED: Andy Reid Intends To Coach Next Season]

The Chiefs gave Kelce a pay bump this offseason, adding $4MM in total and providing substantial guarantee protection. After the 2024 raise provided $17MM in guarantees at signing, most of his 2025 money is set to vest on Day 3 of the 2025 league year. Kelce’s $17MM-per-year deal still runs through the 2025 season, as the Chiefs did not add any new years to his contract — one initially agreed to in 2020.

It would stand to reason Kelce would want to keep going, even though he has secured lucrative opportunities off the field — thanks to his New Heights podcast (with recently retired brother Jason) and burgeoning movie career. But Patrick Mahomes‘ longtime security blanket is aiming to play beyond this contract.

“I love doing this; I love coming into work every day. I feel like I still have a lot of good football left in me. We’ll see what happens,” Kelce said, adding he would like to play beyond the 2025 season. “I know I’ve been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life. That’s always been the goal, knowing football only lasts for so long. You have to find a way to get into another career and another profession. I’ve been doing that in my offseason. But for the most part, I plan on being a Kansas City Chief and playing football.”

Even if the 35-year-old tight end may be unlikely to add an eighth 1,000-yard receiving season to his resume, no other tight end has more than four. Another season will likely give Kelce a gateway to surpassing Jerry Rice in playoff yardage; the receiver icon is up 2,245-2,039 presently. Kelce’s 20 postseason touchdowns are also second only to Rice’s 22, illustrating how important he has been to the Chiefs establishing themselves as this decade’s premier team.

The Chiefs may lack the style points from their Tyreek Hill years, leading to narrow victory margins and steady scrutiny, but Kelce has been vital for the team as it has crafted this threepeat attempt. His relationship with Taylor Swift has certainly brought the two-time reigning champs considerably more attention, even as their string of near-misses (packed with some officiating drama) this season has turned off plenty of fans. But the Chiefs are unlikely to exit stage left by 2025, as Kelce, Mahomes and Chris Jones join Reid in returning as this dynasty’s pillars. The Chiefs gave Jones (30) a massive raise this past offseason, while Mahomes (29) remains tied to his outlier through-2031 extension.

Even with Kelce no longer at his peak, it would be logical, based on all the value Kelce has brought the Chiefs, the team would be interested in continuing this partnership after 2025. Kelce has taken discounts, joining Mahomes in that regard, to help the Chiefs — all while simultaneously contributing to the wage gap that has formed between tight ends and wideouts — soar to their current perch. As a 13th Kelce season in Kansas City is all but assured, it will be interesting to see how much longer this partnership lasts beyond that point.

Injured Reserve Return Tracker

February 8th, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

This offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.

In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 27 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. This introduces more strategy for teams, who will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.

All players designated for return on August 27 were eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Players who receive return designations after Week 5 also appear on this list.

This offseason also brought a second adjustment, with teams who qualify for the playoffs set to have two additional activations at their disposals. With the playoffs upon us, the two additional activations have been added to each team’s ledger. Here is how the Chiefs and Eagles’ activation puzzles look going into Super Bowl LIX:

Kansas City Chiefs

Designated for return:

Reverted to season-ending IR

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return:

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Chiefs “Very Interested” In Re-Signing WR Marquise Brown

February 8th, 2025 at 12:28pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chiefs want to keep Marquise Brown, but the team could face some competition for the wide receiver. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the organization is “very interested” in re-signing the impending free agent.

However, Fowler cautions that Hollywood should have a robust market as teams seek speedy outside receiver options. Several sources even believe an AFC foe could provide the Chiefs with the most competition for Brown’s services, as it’s believed Josh Allen “has long wanted to play” with the wideout.

After finishing his final season in Arizona with a career-low 574 receiving yards, Hollywood seemed to land in a perfect spot to rehabilitate his value. However, after inking his one-year deal in the offseason, Brown suffered a sternoclavicular injury during the preseason that kept him on the shelf for most of the 2024 campaign. He averaged 45.5 receiving yards in his two regular season appearances, and he’s hauled in three catches on seven targets in the postseason.

Considering his 2024 season was all but lost, suitors will presumably be looking to sign Brown to a similar one-year pact. The Chiefs would be a logical favorite to re-sign the receiver, especially since Patrick Mahomes advocated for the signing in the first place. However, if Brown is looking to parlay his next contract into a long-term deal, he may struggle to garner the necessary targets in Kansas City. First-round rookie Xavier Worthy occasionally looked the part of a WR1 in 2024, and the team will also welcome back Rashee Rice in 2025.

The Bills will continue to be connected to available wide receivers in a post-Stefon Diggs era, although the team (and their MVP QB) managed just fine in 2024. While the team is interested in re-signing Amari Cooper, there’s a chance they move on from the midseason acquisition, and veteran Mack Hollins is also set to hit free agency. That leaves second-round rookie Keon Coleman and third-year WR Khalil Shakir as the only guarantees on the depth chart.

Poll: Who Will Win Super Bowl LIX?

February 7th, 2025 at 10:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

After outscoring opponents by 211 points in a 14-game 1975 season, the Steelers pitched five shutouts in 1976. Pittsburgh’s regular-season-ending nine-game win streak featured only two touchdowns allowed. As the 1989 49ers outscored playoff opposition 126-26, their 1990 edition went 14-2 and rostered back-to-back MVP Joe Montana. The Cowboys’ 1994 threepeat attempt saw both the Jerry Jones-Jimmy Johnson separation and a free agent-laden 49ers team play featured roles in their season.

All three dynasties saw their efforts at a third straight Super Bowl win stall in the conference championship round. The Packers did win three straight titles in the 1960s, though the first — in 1965 — came before the Super Bowl’s launch. This Chiefs run, for myriad reasons, has not brought the level of reverence compared to the above-referenced dynasties. While Kansas City’s effort has largely lacked the dominance the aforementioned operations displayed, Andy Reid‘s crew is the closest in the Super Bowl era to completing a signature NFL accomplishment.

The Chiefs are the first threepeat-seeking team to reach a Super Bowl. Although many would probably have a difficult time reconciling this Kansas City tightrope walk as the blueprint that pulls off this historic feat, as none of the Chiefs’ past three teams probably come too close to the juggernauts that headline lists of the league’s all-time greatest teams. However, even if the Chiefs’ present form does not exactly remind of the explosive start to their dynasty (as back-to-back 15th-place offensive rankings show), no team had even managed to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the 2003-04 Patriots.

Regardless of how the Chiefs made it here, they have shown historic reliability. The Reid- and Patrick Mahomes-fueled superpower has secured this opportunity due to unprecedented execution in close games. The Chiefs have won their past 17 one-score contests, setting a record. Will the Eagles wreck their well-crafted threepeat bid?

Although the Chiefs’ one-score streak does not quite stretch back to Super Bowl LVII, they emerged victorious in that matchup. A hotly debated holding call on James Bradberry denied the NFC champions a chance at a potential game-winning drive, but that Eagles team saw its top-10 defense unravel in the second half. Even as Jalen Hurts carved up a well-regarded Chiefs defense that night, the Eagles fell just short largely because of mistakes on defense and special teams. After last season’s Sean Desai–Matt Patricia defense cratered to do enough to create Nick Sirianni hot-seat rumors, the Eagles have stabilized this unit via their Vic Fangio hire.

Not as reliant on sacks as the 2022 team was, the Eagles allowed fewer yards per play (4.7) with 41 sacks than they did with 70 two years ago (4.8). The team has seen emergences from All-Pros Jalen Carter and Zack Baun, the latter reaching first-team status on a one-year, $3.5MM deal, fuel its first two levels while rookie cornerback investments Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have been quick studies on the back end. The team’s decision to give Bryce Huff a $17MM-per-year deal has not paid off yet, but agreeing to a rework with Josh Sweat — before trading Haason Reddick — has benefited a defense that ranked first in yardage and second in scoring this season.

Philadelphia also carries a far more imposing run game into this matchup compared to 2022, as the three-year, $37.75MM Saquon Barkley pact — a zag after several years passed without the team allocating much at running back — has provided tremendous value. The NFL’s ninth 2,000-yard rusher already sits seventh for ground yards in a single postseason (442). Only two RBs (John Riggins, Terrell Davis) have amassed 500 in one playoff journey. The Eagles’ extensions for Landon Dickerson and Jordan Mailata, and Jason Kelce succession plan featuring Cam Jurgens, each preceded All-Pro or Pro Bowl accolades.

As Barkley has soared in Philly, Hurts has not factored in as prominently into Kellen Moore‘s offense. The high-priced QB threw 361 passes — 99 fewer than his 2022 output in the same number of games — but cut down on interceptions from 2023 (15 down to five) while matching his per attempt figure (8.0) from his breakthrough season. The pass-game volume decreasing has impacted A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith following their extensions, however. While Hurts does not rival Mahomes in terms of stature in the game, he is the more interesting component in Sunday’s matchup due to the latter’s big-game dependability.

Even when their 38-0 Broncos result is removed, the Chiefs’ point differential is worse than any 15- or 14-win team in NFL history. The first 14-plus-win team to outscore opponents by less than 100 continued to get by with late-game execution, though officiating in these close games certainly became a hot-button topic as well.

The Chiefs are here without Mahomes earning a Pro Bowl nod and as Travis Kelce averaged a career-low 8.5 yards per reception. But the Chiefs finished as the NFL’s second-best third-down team. As Mahomes has become more short- and mid-range merchant than deep-ball assassin, Kansas City has made this setup work without reliable tackle play; All-Pro LG Joe Thuney is expected to start there as a stopgap again Sunday.

Ex-Eagles assistant Steve Spagnuolo‘s defense ranks in the top 10 for the fifth time in six years, however, and it held the Bills to one first down on a potential go-ahead fourth-quarter drive. The decision to give Chris Jones a DT-record $95MM guaranteed, rather than take their chances in free agency, has paid off as well. The top prize from the Tyreek Hill trade, versatile CB Trent McDuffie has remained an elite cover man — on a rookie contract, which the Chiefs effectively mandate at corner — and operates as their second-most important defender.

Although the Eagles may again have more talent top to bottom, the Chiefs’ Reid-Mahomes-Kelce-Jones setup — which is 3-1 in Super Bowls — has elevated them to a slight favorite. Do the Eagles have enough to nix a Chiefs coronation or will this Kansas City dynasty, via a fourth title in six years, keep moving up the all-time ranks? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on Super Bowl LIX in the comments section.

2025 Hall Of Fame Class Unveiled

February 6th, 2025 at 10:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

As part of tonight’s NFL Honors program, the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class has been revealed. It consists of just four players this year. Here is the full breakdown of the 2025 class:

Eric Allen, cornerback (1988-2001)

Playing long enough to be part of the Reggie White–Jerome Brown Eagles defenses to Jon Gruden‘s Raiders teams, Allen excelled well into his 30s and is one of the great playmaking cornerbacks in NFL history. Allen is responsible for eight pick-sixes, cramming seven of them between the 1993 and 2001 seasons. Allen finished his 14-year career with 54 INTs, which is tied for 21st in NFL history.

The Eagles drafted Allen in the 1988 second round and installed him as a starter on Buddy Ryan‘s defense in Week 1 of his rookie season. Allen intercepted 13 passes over his first two years, helping the Eagles — with White at the wheel — form a dominant defensive nucleus. The Eagles won the NFC East in Allen’s rookie season, ending a five-year playoff drought. As Randall Cunningham soared on offense, Allen patrolled the back line of a defense geared around one of the NFL’s all-time greats. Allen joins White as the Hall of Famers from that unit.

Allen notched four pick-sixes during the 1993 season, including this gem against the Jets, but the Eagles fell short of the playoffs that year and dipped a bit as the Cunningham years waned. Allen still made the Pro Bowl each year from 1991-95, following a first-team All-Pro honor in 1989. He signed with the Saints as a free agent in 1995, playing three years in New Orleans, before joining the Raiders in Gruden’s first offseason at the controls.

As the Raiders hoarded aging players who still had plenty left in the tank during Gruden’s first stint as HC, Allen was among the most productive. He nabbed six INTs at age 35 in 2000, returning three for scores. That season snapped a seven-year Raiders playoff skid and produced a run to the AFC championship game — the franchise’s first in 17 years. Allen retired after the ’01 season, starting 214 games. Among pure corners, that ranks third all time. While the turnover counts aided Allen, his longevity will send him to Canton nearly 25 years after his retirement.

Jared Allen, defensive end (2004-15)

One of the best sack artists of his era, Jared Allen will make this a two-Allen class (on a big night for NFL Allens). Jared excelled for the Chiefs and Vikings, being part of a win-win trade in 2008, and then retired after playing in Super Bowl 50 as a Panther. Allen sits 12th in the sack era (1982-present) in QB drops, racking up 136 despite playing only 12 seasons.

The Chiefs drafted Allen in the 2004 fourth round out of Division I-FCS Idaho State. He immediately became an impact edge rusher but joined a team in transition. As Kansas City’s offense-oriented team aged, Allen ascended and became a star for a franchise in decline. After the Chiefs made the playoffs in 2006 under first-year HC Herm Edwards, Allen led the NFL with 15.5 sacks in his fourth season. The 2007 Chiefs went 4-12, losing their final nine games. The Chiefs cashed out on a player who had encountered off-field trouble, in the form of two 2006 DUIs, early in his career. The trade equipped both the Chiefs and Vikings.

During the 2008 draft, Kansas City dealt Allen to Minnesota for first- and third-round picks. A win-win swap sent tackle Branden Albert and running back Jamaal Charles to the Chiefs in the ’08 draft, while Allen landed an extension (six years, $73.26MM) enjoyed his prime in the Twin Cities. Registering 14.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons, the second effort falling just short of a Super Bowl after Minnesota’s Brett Favre-led team lost in overtime in the NFC championship game, Allen then made a run at the NFL record in 2011. Allen tallied 22 sacks during the ’11 season, falling a half-sack short of Michael Strahan‘s official record.

Allen played out his Vikings contract in 2013, signing with the Bears. Chicago then traded him to Carolina for a conditional sixth-round pick during the 2015 season, as he joined fellow former Bear Charles Tillman in going for a championship with the Panthers. Although Carolina went 15-1 and ranked sixth defensively, the team’s high-powered offense fell to a superior Denver defense in Super Bowl 50. Allen needed to wait a bit before his induction, but he has gained entry in this year’s unusually small class.

Antonio Gates, tight end (2003-18)

Gates remains the NFL’s leader among touchdown receptions by a tight end. The longtime Philip Rivers target totaled 116 TD grabs during his 16-year career, bettering Tony Gonzalez‘s mark by five. Gonzalez also played 17 seasons (to Gates’ 16). Gates tied Gonzalez’s then-record in 2016, posting five TDs across his final two seasons. The converted basketball player’s mid-2000s surge helped the Chargers win four straight AFC West titles to close the decade.

The Chargers made Gates an integral part of that climb, which remains the franchise’s best sustained stretch since its Air Coryell years. LaDainian Tomlinson shattered the single-season touchdown record, which still stands nearly 20 years later, and Gates broke through as an impact tight end. The Chargers built their passing attack around Gates for many years, and he helped anchor the team’s skill-position group in between Tomlinson’s exit and Keenan Allen‘s arrival.

Initially playing alongside Drew Brees, the ex-Kent State hooper earned first-team All-Pro honors in his second, third and fourth seasons. Gates only suited up for the Chargers, walking away after his age-38 season. The Bolts and Gates agreed to five contracts, the most lucrative a five-year, $36.2MM extension in 2010.

Although Gates needed to wait a year before being enshrined, he is one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. His 116 TD receptions rank seventh all time at any position. While his production tailed off as he hit his mid-30s, after making eight consecutive Pro Bowls from 2004-11, the former UDFA remained a solid red zone target for Rivers.

Sterling Sharpe, wide receiver (1988-94)

If the NFL had a No. 1 contender status to Jerry Rice during his peak, Sharpe would have been the best answer. The star Packers pass catcher was 5-for-7 in Pro Bowl nods, during an era where that meant more, and raced to three All-Pro first teams during a career cut short by a neck injury.

Sharpe was close to doing enough for Hall entry by the time he retired at 29, and he exited just before Favre grew into MVP form. In Favre’s early years, however, Sharpe helped the Green Bay trade acquisition become one of the game’s best.

The No. 7 overall pick in a 1988 draft that also included Hall of Famers Michael Irvin and Tim Brown, Pro Bowler Anthony Miller and single-game receiving yardage king Flipper Anderson, Sharpe was the first wideout off the board. The physical South Carolina product, who entered the league two years before brother Shannon (and with much greater fanfare), posted a 1,400-yard season in 1989, helping QB Don Majkowski finish second in MVP voting. Sharpe added another 1,100-yard year in 1990 and soared back to the All-Pro level when the Pack landed Favre in ’92.

Sharpe’s first year with Favre featured the wideout break Art Monk’s single-season record by catching 108 passes. Becoming the first receiver to post back-to-back seasons with 100 catches, Sharpe broke his own mark with 112 grabs in 1993. Sharpe led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 1992 (13) and ’94 (18), reaching the latter perch despite dealing with the neck injury and other ailments.

The Favre-Sharpe connection played a central role in the Packers snapping a 10-year playoff drought, and in the duo’s first playoff game, they hooked up on a game-winning score to beat the Lions in Detroit. Sharpe scored three touchdowns in Green Bay’s wild-card win. Sharpe never missed a game and retired ranking 13th in career catches (595) and 18th all time in TD receptions (65).

Chiefs’ Clark Hunt: Andy Reid Will Remain HC For 2025

February 4th, 2025 at 10:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

In recent years, Andy Reid‘s future has been a talking point around the time of the Super Bowl. In this instance, though, the Chiefs are assured of having their head coach for at least one more campaign.

“I was always surprised when I heard those [retirement] rumors because I know how much fun Andy’s having,” owner Clark Hunt said on Media Day at the Super Bowl, via Cale Clinton of The Athletic (subscription required). “He, in a lot of ways, is rejuvenated by the success the team’s had. Certainly, he’s matched with the quarterback that’s the perfect complement for him in Patrick [Mahomes]. I know he loves what he’s doing. I know for a fact he’s going to be back next year.”

While that statement is certainly more definitive than recent ones regarding Reid’s immediate outlook, it comes as no surprise. Reid – along with general manager Brett Veach and president Mark Donovan – signed an extension last April. As a result, he is under contract through 2029. Veteran coaches can obviously choose to retire with term remaining on their deals, but in Reid’s case he is set to have Mahomes available for the foreseeable future.

Kansas City’s Super Bowl LIX participation will mark the team’s fifth appearance in the big game over the past six years. In the wake of that success, Reid has added considerably to his all-time marks. The 66-year-old has 273 regular season wins, which places him fourth in NFL history. Reid’s 28 postseason victories are the second-most, behind only Bill Belichick‘s 31.

With those figures along with three (perhaps four, in one week’s time) Super Bowls on his resume, Reid has little left to accomplish. He was the league’s oldest coach in 2024, and he will be second on that list next year with Pete Carroll taking over the Raiders. Veach has assumed a greater share of control regarding roster-building decisions in recent years, with Reid ceding those responsibilities to an extent. That tandem will remain in place for at least one more offseason, however.

Given the fact Mahomes and other members of the Chiefs’ core are not going to be on the move in the near future, the team could be positioned for long-term stability through the remainder of the 2020s. On the sidelines, that degree of continuity will include Reid carrying on his current capacity.

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