Arrowheadlines: Sim of 2025 season has the Chiefs and Eagles missing the playoffs

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2025 NFL season sim: Predictions, surprises, playoff teams | ESPN

Both Super Bowl LIX teams miss playoffs Eleven months after the Chiefs and Eagles squared off in Super Bowl LIX, both teams cleaned out their lockers following Week 18. Neither managed to make it back to the playoffs, easily the shocker of the 2025 campaign in this simulation. The Eagles were actually done before the final week. Thought to be infallible heading into the season, the Eagles were 5-4 after Week 10 — a game behind the Cowboys

but still seemingly in control of their postseason destiny. But that turned into a 6-8 record, leaving Philadelphia in pure panic mode. In the end, the Eagles couldn’t make up the gap, falling short in the NFC East and wild-card battle. The Chiefs’ collapse was much more startling. Kansas City controlled its destiny in the AFC West after beating the Broncos on Christmas Day to improve to 9-7. It needed to only to beat the Raiders to secure its 11th straight playoff spot. But Patrick Mahomes‘ clutch gene was nowhere to be found as the Chiefs fell 28-19, allowing the Broncos — who won their Week 18 game — to win the division on a tiebreaker. No wild-card bid for the Chiefs either. The two defending conference champions weren’t the only surprising teams to miss the playoffs in 2025. The Commanders, 49ers and Packers all missed the postseason, too.

Each NFL team’s ceiling and floor for 2025: Who can knock off Eagles, Chiefs? Teams with no shot at winning? | CBS Sports

Ceiling: 15-2, win Super Bowl

The expectation in Kansas City is a world championship. The Chiefs have won three Super Bowls in the past six years and have been to five of them in that span. They have the best head coach-quarterback duo in Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, never missing a conference championship game since Mahomes became the starting quarterback. Josh Simmons should solve the left tackle problem and Mahomes looks primed to have another MVP-caliber season. Let’s not forget the offense has more downfield playmakers and Travis Kelce appears ready for a bounce-back year. The Chiefs are going to be very good again.

Floor: 12-5, lose in conference championship game

A down year for the Chiefs is a conference championship game loss. That’s the standard Kansas City has set for itself in the Reid-Mahomes era. There are some cracks in the pipe for the Chiefs, as the left side of the offensive line has its flaws (even with Simmons) and the depth of this team will be tested. They also have won a lot of one-score games (11-0 last year), so a reversal of fortune may be in order. Regardless, the Chiefs are still one of the best teams in football. If Mahomes is on the field, they have an excellent shot at making a deep playoff run.

NFL Schedule 2025: Ranking Every Week 18 Option for ‘Sunday Night Football’ Flex | SI

10. Chiefs at Raiders

It seems fitting to have the Chiefs one spot ahead of the Cowboys, given the conversation in recent years about whether Kansas City has overtaken Dallas as the new king of television ratings. NBC similarly would be thrilled to have a bonus Chiefs game on the schedule in January. However, the schedule makers didn’t pair up K.C. with either of the AFC West teams that earned wild-card spots last season and are expected to contend. If Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly have the Raiders in the mix, this would be a great rivalry game to finish out the season. But in a world where the league really does prioritize playoff stakes over ratings for this time slot, this game has a ceiling.

Kansas City Chiefs Announce Partnership with Cheez-It as They Launch in Germany | The Mothership

Cheez-It, a fan favorite in the United States for more than a century, officially launched in Germany in August 2025 and is now available in more than 40,000 locations nationwide, including supermarkets, gas stations, and vending machines. Like the Chiefs, Cheez-It stands for excitement, entertainment, and loyal fans – making the two a natural fit.

“Cheez-It is one of America’s most beloved snack brands, and this partnership is a great way to share that tradition with fans in Germany,” said Kellen Begnoche, Chiefs Vice President of Partnership Strategy. “With Cheez-It making its debut, we’re thrilled to give fans another way to experience the thrill and flavor of NFL game day.”

Andreas Billker, Senior Marketing Activation Manager Salty Snacks for Kellanova adds: “Cheez-It is more than just a snack – it’s a cultural icon with deep roots in American fandom. Partnering with the Kansas City Chiefs, one of the most iconic franchises in American sports, is a natural fit for us. As we expand into Germany, we’re excited to bring the energy, passion and game-day spirit of both our brands to a whole new fanbase.”

2025 NFL projected win totals: Floor & ceiling for each AFC team | NFL.com

11.2 wins

Kansas City Chiefs

AFC WEST CHAMPIONS

Ceiling: 13.4

Floor: 9.5

Even with Rashee Rice suspended to start the season, I think we’ll see Patrick Mahomes bounce back near the top five of the passing leaderboards; he ranks in the top five in passing TDs in just over 35 percent of simulations. (For context, Joe Burrow has the highest odds to be in the top five, doing so in 57 percent of simulations.) Mahomes is my QB6 in fantasy (and Travis Kelce is my TE6).

Around the NFL

Rams’ Matthew Stafford expected to start opener against Texans | ESPN

Stafford missed nearly the first month of training camp while dealing with the injury but has been a full participant in practice since his Aug. 18 return. McVay said Monday that Stafford will participate in the full week of practice leading up to the Rams’ Week 1 game against the Texans.

McVay also said left tackle Alaric Jackson, who is dealing with lower leg blood clots, participated in Monday’s practice. McVay said that although the blood clots will “always [be] something that you have to manage,” the plan is for Jackson to play against Houston.

“I do believe that we’ll be at our best with him out there,” McVay said.

Steelers starting RB Jaylen Warren signs 2-year extension | ESPN

The deal includes $12 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The deal also includes a $5.95M signing bonus, upping Warren’s pay to $7-plus-million in 2025 (he was due $5.346M on a restricted tender), a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Warren gets $5.05M in 2026 and $5.15M in 2027 for a total of $17.25M over three years, a source told Fowler.

Warren, who initially made the Steelers’ roster as a rookie undrafted free agent in 2022 after turning heads in his first training camp, enters the 2025 season as the team’s starting running back after three seasons as a complementary player to former first-round pick Najee Harris. The Steelers declined Harris’ fifth-year option and let him walk in free agency earlier this year, leaving Warren leading a position group that also includes rookie third-round pick Kaleb Johnson and former Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs Roster: GM Brett Veach gives clarity wideouts, Mike Pennel cut

Without Rice — who is clearly the team’s top wideout — there will be more pressure on other wide receivers to produce during the opening weeks of the season. Veach believes rookie wideout Jalen Royals has a similar skill set, but he’s presently battling tendonitis. Still, Veach thinks there’s another wideout who can pitch in — and as long as veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster is on the team, Veach isn’t worried.

“I think both of those guys have a similar skill set,” said Veach. “Obviously JuJu’s been here for a while, and JuJu — to his credit — I think he looked better with this camp than he did the last camp he was here. He’s really taking care of his body, so that’s a good thing because we’re getting JuJu fresh and at the beginning of the season.”

Veach also addressed the situation with 34-year-old defensive tackle Mike Pennel — a fan favorite who was released at final cutdown. There was immediate speculation that Pennel would be brought back after another player had been placed on the Reserve/Injured list — a common tactic among GMs working to get their rosters to 53 men — but Veach said there is more to the story than that.

“I think with every position group, we’re trying to get better, and we’re trying to add competition,” he said, per Chiefs Digest. “I think that was one position group we were trying to continually get deeper, get younger, get more athletic.”