As the NFL calendar flips toward another season, the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in an unusual position: not as the outright betting favorites for the Super Bowl, but sitting third, with +750 odds to win Super Bowl LX. For a franchise that’s been the gold standard of the league for half a decade, this might seem like a slight. Yet, as Emmanuel Acho, LeSean “Shady” McCoy, and James Jones debated on “THE FACILITY,” the real question isn’t about odds or public perception—it’s about fear. Should NFL teams still be afraid to face the Chiefs, even after their stunning blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX?
The answer, as the panel made clear, is a resounding yes—at least for now.
The Myth of the “Fallen” Chiefs
It’s easy for fans and analysts to overreact to one game, even if it’s the Super Bowl. The Chiefs didn’t just lose to the Eagles; they were dominated. But as Shady McCoy—himself a Super Bowl champion with Kansas City—pointed out, even in a “down year,” the Chiefs were a few plays away from a historic three-peat. “They didn’t play great last year and they were still up for a three-peat,” McCoy said. “All they do is go to the Super Bowl.”
That’s the scary part. The 2024 Chiefs were far from their best. Patrick Mahomes spent the year without a true No. 1 receiver, and the offense was a patchwork of new faces and injury replacements. Yet, they still made it to the NFL’s biggest stage.
Mahomes: The Ultimate X-Factor
If there’s one reason teams should still fear Kansas City, it’s Mahomes. Even in a season where he lacked a reliable supporting cast, Mahomes was the difference-maker. “At his worst, AFC Championship Game. At his best, Super Bowl champ,” McCoy summarized. Few quarterbacks in history have been able to elevate their team the way Mahomes does, regardless of injuries or roster turnover.
James Jones took it further, pointing out Mahomes’ dominance over his peers in the AFC. “Patrick Mahomes versus Lamar Jackson—flawless. Patrick Mahomes versus Josh Allen—flawless. So at your best, you don’t beat me. And you think that now I got my healthy team with me, now y’all not going to fear me?” Jones asked rhetorically. The numbers back him up: Mahomes is 35-5 as a starter in conference games. When the playoffs arrive, he’s the last quarterback anyone wants to see.
The Travis Kelce Question
Of course, no conversation about the Chiefs’ future can ignore Travis Kelce. The soon-to-be 36-year-old tight end is coming off his least productive season since 2015—and, for the first time, there are whispers that he’s lost a step. Acho voiced what many are wondering: “I need to confirm that Travis Kelce has lost a step. I saw it on tape last year. He struggled more than ever beating man coverage. But give me one more year to truly confirm Travis Kelce is no longer the great Travis Kelce.”
Kelce himself has responded to the doubters, dropping 25 pounds in the offseason and arriving at minicamp in the best shape of his life. As McCoy noted, “When you get older, you get lighter, and when you get lighter, you get faster.” For now, the Chiefs are betting that Kelce still has at least one more elite season left.
The Supporting Cast: Reload, Not Rebuild
One of the secrets to the Chiefs’ sustained success is their ability to reload on the fly. General Manager Brett Veach rarely gets the credit he deserves, but as McCoy pointed out, “It’s one thing to draft great players and hope they become great. It’s another thing to draft great players and also draft really, really good players—a fourth, fifth-rounder that now is a Pro Bowl-type player. They have that.”
This offseason, the Chiefs have quietly addressed their weaknesses. Rashee Rice, their promising young receiver, is expected to take another leap. They’ve added Hollywood Brown for speed and explosiveness, and rookie Xavier Worthy brings even more firepower. With a healthy supporting cast and a slimmed-down Kelce, Mahomes will have more weapons than he did a year ago.
The Chris Jones Factor
On defense, Chris Jones remains the anchor. At 31, he’s still playing at an All-Pro level, and his presence in the trenches is irreplaceable. As Acho noted, “I need Chris Jones to stop being an All-Pro. He was first-team All-Pro still last year. Let Chris Jones move on from being an All-Pro, let Travis Kelce confirm that he’s lost a step, then you can no longer fear the Chiefs.”
Until then, the Chiefs’ defense is more than good enough to complement their high-powered offense. And with Andy Reid still calling plays, the Chiefs have a coaching advantage almost every week.
The Dynasty Timeline: When Will the Fear End?
Every dynasty eventually takes a breath. The Patriots, as Jones recalled, went a full decade without a title between their early 2000s run and their late-2010s resurgence. The Cowboys, too, faded after their early-90s dominance. The Chiefs will eventually face the same reality, especially when Kelce and Jones are no longer elite.
But that day isn’t here yet. “This team has been hurt for the last two, three years, and Patty and them have been in a Super Bowl,” Jones emphasized. “Now you’re talking about healthy… I don’t [see anyone stopping them]. Especially to think that the two baddest quarterbacks in the AFC ain’t beat me in the playoffs, healthy or not.”
The Real Reason to Fear the Chiefs
The Chiefs’ true advantage goes beyond talent. It’s their culture of accountability and resilience. “We don’t do no talking, no excuses. Either you win or you lose,” McCoy said, echoing Andy Reid’s mantra. Other great quarterbacks—Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow—have had excuses. Mahomes doesn’t make them. He just wins.
And as one unnamed NFL owner told McCoy, the Chiefs have everything in place for sustained success: a Hall of Fame coach, a generational quarterback, a top-tier GM, and a front office that knows how to find and develop talent. “They’re going to be good for a long, long time,” McCoy concluded.
Conclusion: One More Year of Fear
So, should teams still fear the Chiefs? Absolutely. Maybe not forever—dynasties always fade, eventually. But as long as Mahomes is upright, Kelce is catching passes, and Jones is wrecking game plans, the Chiefs are the last team anyone wants to see in January.
The betting odds may say otherwise, but in the NFL, true fear is earned on the field. And for at least one more year, the Kansas City Chiefs remain the league’s most terrifying opponent.
