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In 2025, it wasn’t fun to be on the wrong side of the extreme results in one-score games after the Kansas City Chiefs were undefeated in such contests during the 2024 season. Last year, the Chiefs faltered in nearly every tight game with incredibly poor situational play.
From the positive extreme to the negative over the last two years, the Chiefs are set up to find their level, which should help them dramatically improve on last season’s 6-11 record.
Predicting NFL teams most likely to improve in 2026
season | ESPN
Kansas City Chiefs
I don’t think there will be much pushback against the idea that the Chiefs will improve in 2026. How much they improve, though, might be the more meaningful discussion. And unless we see a dramatically different underlying level of play from this team, so much of that might come down to those one-score games and how things pan out in the final minutes of close contests. Winning half of such games would get the Chiefs back into the playoffs. And winning about 65% of the time — which is Mahomes’ new career rate in games decided by seven points or fewer — might push Kansas City back atop the AFC West.
Andy Reid remains patient with Chiefs rookie offensive tackle Kahlil Benson | The Kansas City Star
What also didn’t aid Benson is that the Chiefs had their quarterbacks use a silent count in Tampa to replicate a true road environment.
“We went silent count too, which was new to him,” Reid said, “so you saw he was late off the ball a couple times.”
Still, it seems Kansas City isn’t ready to give up on Benson’s path to a rookie starting role.
“All of that he banks, and it’ll be important once we start the season for him,” Reid said.
Chiefs just watched their best remaining wide receiver option disappear | Arrowhead Addict
The options weren’t all that exciting if the Kansas City Chiefs were considering a preseason upgrade to the wide receiver corps. But on Monday, with only six days to go before active roster cuts were due, the Houston Texans removed the best remaining player from the trade block.
The Texans and New England Patriots agreed to a trade that sends wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to Houston in exchange for a player and a pick.
Andy Reid says Mahomes ‘doing great’ as playing status for Week 1 remains undecided | KCTV5
The Chiefs will host the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football on Sept. 14 – a game Mahomes has been very open about wanting to play in.
“I’m going to be ready to go for that first game of the year, God willing,” Mahomes said on the broadcast of Saturday’s second preseason game.
But whether or not he’ll be medically cleared to play – exactly nine months after tearing his ACL and LCL – is the deciding factor.
5 position groups Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach must try to upgrade via trade or waiver wire during 53-man roster cuts | A to Z Sports
Offensive Line
Things weren’t much better when players like Esa Pole, Ethan Driskell, and Chu Godrick got into the game. Generally speaking, this feels like a situation not too dissimilar from a season ago. The Chiefs’ starting offensive line was very capable, but a couple of injuries quickly changed that. They don’t have the depth to sustain those injuries, and that’s not just an issue at tackle. It’s also an issue on the offensive interior.
Around the NFL
Browns name Deshaun Watson starting QB for Week 1 of 2026 season | NFL.com
For a variety of reasons, it is likely to be an unpopular decision, easily the most important so far for Todd Monken in his first year as head coach.
“[I] took in the whole body of work over the course of offseason to training camp to games, the joint practice,” Monken said Monday, “and ultimately felt like, to start the season on the road, Deshaun gave us the best chance to move the ball and score points. That’s really what it’s about.
“I felt that way going into the last game but wasn’t sure. After we talked as a staff and after we re-looked at everything, we’re gonna go in that direction.”
49ers owner Jed York arrested on suspicion of engaging in prostitution | ESPN
According to Columbiana County (Ohio) court records obtained by ESPN, York allegedly responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and “arranged to have sexual activity with the female in exchange for $140.”
York was arrested upon arriving at the meeting location with the cellphone used to arrange the meeting, according to the records.
An arrest report filed by the East Palestine Police Department notes York was arrested Sunday at 9:35 a.m. at the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community. East Palestine police assisted the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force in York’s arrest, according to the report.
Saints trade LB Deion Jones to 49ers for RB Zamir White: Sources | The Athletic
With Alvin Kamara out at least a month with a knee injury, the Saints were looking for running back depth, and one of the 49ers’ backup linebackers, Nick Martin, injured his hamstring in Thursday’s preseason game. Martin has been backing up Dre Greenlaw, who has been beset by injuries the past two seasons, at weakside linebacker. Two other linebackers — Luke Gifford (hamstring) and Jalen Graham (undisclosed) — also have missed recent practices.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs 53-man roster prediction 2.0
Cornerbacks (5): Mansoor Delane, Nohl Williams, L’Jarius Sneed, Jadon Canady and Kevin Knowles
CHANGES: Cut (or trade) Kristian Fulton
Kevin Knowles in place of Kader KohouThere has not been any evidence that veteran Kristian Fulton has any kind of role in the Chiefs’ defense through two preseason games. He has been with the second-team defense through camp and the exhibition games, even playing behind Melvin Smith Jr. in the opening exhibition. The team would immediately save $5 million by cutting him, which is probably more likely than finding a trade partner.
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