The Kansas City Chiefs started the 2025 season on the wrong foot, dropping a 27-21 decision to the Los Angeles Chargers in an International Series game in São Paulo, Brazil, starting the season 0-1 for the second time in three seasons.
First Quarter
The Chargers won the coin toss and deferred, putting Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense on the field to start the game. Wide receiver Tyquan Thornton took the ball near the Chiefs’ five-yard line and returned the ball near midfield. Unfortunately, a holding penalty
would see the Chiefs starting the international contest at the 25.
The Chiefs would start the season with a three-and-out with two short runs by Isiah Pacheco and Xavier Worthy before Mahomes was incomplete to Worthy on third down. The second year wideout also appeared injured on the play with his shoulder receiving attention. Matt Araiza came on for a 40-yard punt to start the Chargers at their own 38-yard line.
The Chargers marched the field with little resistance from the Chiefs defense. On their second play of the drive, quarterback Justin Herbert connected with receiver Quintin Johnston for a 33-yard gain. Five plays later, the Chiefs appeared to have stopped the Chargers on third down at the ten-yard line. An offsides call against George Karlaftis, however, gave Herbert a second chance, and he found Johnston for the short score. Cameron Dicker’s extra point opened the scoring at Chargers 7, Chiefs 0.
After a touchback, the Chiefs started on their on 35-yard line. Two familiar plays — a Mahomes scramble and a toss to Travis Kelce — quickly put Kansas City into Charger territory. Their drive would unfortunately stall near midfield after rookie Josh Simmons’ first penalty. Mahomes missed Thornton deep, before Hollywood Brown dropped a perfect punt. Araiza was able to pin the Chargers deep at their own two-yard line to start their next drive.
The Chiefs held the Chargers to a three-and-out with Herbert under heavy pressure from rookie Ashton Gillotte in the end zone on a first down throw. Punter JK Scott got the ball off from his own end zone, and return man Nikko Remigio took it at the Kansas City 33. Remigio would return the ball to the Chiefs’ 42-yard line to start the team’s third offensive drive.
Kansas City’s offensive woes continued with another three-and-out with only a one-yard gain by running back Kareem Hunt. Araiza could not pin the Chargers as deep this time, with a fair catch starting the drive at the Charger 20-yard line.
The Chargers quickly marched the field inside the red zone with minimal resistance from the Chiefs. They did find resistance, however, from the officiating crew with a pair of holding calls on consecutive plays after advancing to the 15-yard line. The first quarter came to an end with Los Angeles facing first-and-30 from the Kansas City 35-yard line.
Second quarter
The Chiefs held the Chargers in check, and Dicker came out for a successful 39-yard field goal to extend the lead to Chargers 10, Chiefs 0.
Remigio fielded the kickoff and advanced to the Kansas City 34-yard line to start the drive. Mahomes completed two short throws to Brown and Thornton, but appeared in danger of a third three-and-out. On fourth-and-1, the Chiefs kept the offense on the field, and Hunt took a handoff just shy of midfield. The next four plays would advance to the 31-yard line to set up a third-and-1. Mahomes then fumbled the snap, but was able to complete a short pass to Brown to avoid a loss of yardage. Hunt converted a second fourth-down of the drive, this time with a six-yard pass. A holding call on tackle Jawaan Taylor momentarily pushed the Chiefs back outside of the 35, but a reception by JuJu Smith-Schuster and ten-yard run by Pacheco quickly put the Chiefs at first-and-goal from their own ten-yard line. The ineptitude of the Kansas City offense would continue, however, as the Chiefs barely gained another yard before Mahomes took an eight-yard sack. Butker came on for a successful 35-yard field goal to trim the score to Chargers 10, Chiefs 3.
Butker sent a touchback into the end zone to start the Chargers at their own 35. The Chiefs quickly put the Chargers in a third-and-long, but Herbert found second-year man Ladd McConkey to move the chains. Two plays later, McConkey caught a deep pass to the Kansas City 31, bringing the first half to the two-minute warning. On the other side of the break, Herbert could not connect with his favorite wideout on what likely would have been a touchdown. The Chiefs called timeout after a four-yard Herbert scramble. They could not get off the field as Herbert connected with Allen to the 20-yard line. From there, sloppiness by the Chargers prevented them from being about to run out the clock. A delay-of-game pushed them back before Herbert threw an incomplete pass on second and rookie running back Omarion Hampton ran out of bounds on third down. Dicker did kick a 36-yard field goal to extend the lead to Chargers 13, Chiefs 3.
Rookie running back Brashard Smith took the kickoff to the Kansas City 29-yard line with 40 seconds remaining. Mahomes finally executed a big play, finding Thornton deep to the Los Angeles 33-yard line. Mahomes spiked the ball with 21 seconds left. The Chiefs then appeared set for disaster as both tackles were called for false starts on consecutive plays and a third down pass to Noah Gray saw the tight end unable to get out of bounds. With time expiring, Butker came on for a successful 59-yard field goal to trim the lead to Chargers 13, Chiefs 6.
Third quarter
Running back Hasaan Haskins fielded Butker’s kickoff in front of the end zone and advanced to the 28-yard line. The Chiefs defense started the second half with a three-and-out that saw Los Angeles only gain a single yard. Remigio fielded Scott’s punt at the Chiefs 20-yard line and was immediately tackled.
Mahomes started the drive with a ten-yard run for a new set of downs. Another holding call against Taylor then backed the Chiefs back to first-and-20, but Mahomes connected with Smith-Schuster and Brown to regain the yards and enter Charger territory. The remainder of the drive was not pretty, but it was effective. Mahomes scrambled to the 31-yard line before finding Brown on consecutive passes for nine total yards. After Hunt punched in a third-and-one to move the chains, Chargers defensive tackle Taiir Tart was called for a personal foul, which advanced the drive to the 11-yard line. On the next play, Mahomes scrambled for the 11-yard score. Unfortunately, Butker missed the extra point, and the Chiefs could not tie. They did trim the deficit to Chargers 13, Chiefs 12.
The Chargers started at their own 25 after a kickoff return. The Chiefs had another prime opportunity to get them off the field with linebacker Drue Tranquill sacking Herbert for an eight-yard loss on second-and-7. His third-and-15 pass to Johnston barely missed the line to gain, but Hampton was able to convert the fourth down. Tranquill appeared injured on the fourth-down play. From there, the Chargers moved the field with ease as they did in the first quarter. After a false start on guard Mckhi Becton, Los Angeles moved 61 yards over the next eight plays. Allen recorded a 15-yard reception before later hauling in an 11-yard touchdown from Herbert. Dicker’s extra point extended the lead to Chargers 20, Chiefs 12.
Brashard Smith returned the kickoff to the 35-yard line. The final play of the third quarter saw Hunt record a five-yard first down carry. The Chiefs would face second-and-5 from their own 40 coming out of the break.
Fourth quarter
The Chiefs quickly faced third down. Mahomes narrowly escaped a sack and threw a dangerous jump ball to Smith-Schuster as he was going to the ground to advance to the Chargers 48-yard line. After Mahomes’ legs were needed again to move the chains on third down, Kelce turned back time with a vintage move and hauled in a 37-yard touchdown pass. Mahomes could not find his other tight end, Noah Gray, on the two-point conversion, and the Chiefs could only trim the lead to Chargers 20, Chiefs 18.
Haskans advanced the kickoff return to the 26-yard line. The Chiefs again had no answers for the Chargers on defense. Herbert completed eight passes for 73 yards on the drive, punctuating it with a 23-yard throw to Johnston for his second touchdown of the night. The Chargers also converted a fourth down on the possession with a direct snap to tight end Tyler Conklin. The Dicker’s extra point extended Los Angeles’ lead to 27-18, giving them a two-possession margin with only 5:02 remaining.
The Chiefs were able to slightly trim the lead. Mahomes found Brown on the first set of downs for a 12-yard gain after starting from the Kansas City 28-yard line. Three plays later, Mahomes faced fourth-and-7 from his own 42. He unleashed a 42-yard bomb to Brown to advance to the Chargers nine-yard line. The Chiefs could not find the end zone, but Butker came on for a chip shot field goal to trim the lead to Chargers 27, Chiefs 21.
Butker found the landing zone before the ball hit the end zone, meaning the touchback only came out to the 20. It did not matter as Herbert found tight end Will Dissley for 17 yards on first down, and the Chiefs took their first time out. After stopping Hampton for only a yard gain and then seeing Tranquill again sack Herbert for a five yard loss, the Chiefs had a chance to get the ball back to Patrick Mahomes with time for a game winning drive. It was not to be. Herbert scrambled right on third-and-14 to find a wide open lane and ran to the Chiefs 47-yard line and a first down at the two-minute warning. With the Chiefs having exhausted their timeouts on the set of downs, the Chargers came out of the break in victory formation. Three kneel-downs sent the Chargers to 1-0 — and a very early AFC West lead over the Chiefs.
Injuries
Xavier Worthy appeared to injury his shoulder in the first quarter after colliding with tight end Travis Kelce. He was seen leaving the field on the Chargers’ first drive. He was announced as questionable to return, though he was reported to have received an x-ray. During the second quarter, Worthy was downgraded to out.
Linebacker Drue Tranquill left the field under his own power in the third quarter. He returned later on the drive.
Cornerback Jaylen Watson was injured in the third quarter while breaking up a pass in the end zone. He reportedly got up and ran off the field. Watson returned early in the fourth quarter.
Special teams
With only 13 seconds remaining in the first half and the clock running, the Chiefs field goal unit was able to get onto the field and execute a 59-yard field goal as time expired.
