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With the Kansas City Chiefs’ move to Kansas all but official now, the countdown to the final games in Arrowhead Stadium — slated for the 2030 NFL season — is underway.
Ahead of a matchup with the AFC West rivals on “Monday Night Football,” it’s a reminder that the game will be one of only five left at the venue against the Denver Broncos — and you never know: this could be the biggest stage remaining of the contests at Arrowhead.
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Arrowhead through the years: Chiefs begin new season with games numbered at historic venue | KCTV 5
With a 2031 kickoff date for Chiefs games in Kansas, a finite number of games — somewhere just north of 40, depending on the Chiefs’ participation in international games and the playoffs — remain to be played at historic Arrowhead Stadium.
Before the Chiefs kick off another season of play at Arrowhead on Monday, Sept. 14, under the primetime lights against the Denver Broncos, here’s a look back at how we arrived here before the final half-decade of football at the iconic venue.
8 things I think I know about the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the 2026 NFL season opener against the Denver Broncos | A to Z Sports
Steve Spagnuolo’s defense will look sharper than it typically does in Week 1
Typically, when you have a lot of changes and new personnel on any side of the ball, it takes time for those pieces to mesh and gel into a cohesive unit. Steve Spagnuolo’s defense has traditionally taken time to get into the swing of football once the season starts. However, this season things looked and felt a little different during the preseason.
The Chiefs did not have their full complement of players due to injury. However, the players who were there and starting for Kansas City felt up to the task, especially late in the preseason. That starting unit was locked down and playing against units that were mostly a mishmash of starters and second-stringers.
One bold prediction for every NFL team: Vikings are NFC North champion; Drake Maye wins MVP | The Athletic
Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Worthy will post his first 1,000-yard season
Chiefs third-year receiver Xavier Worthy didn’t get much training-camp hype because he had to sit out most drills while protecting a shoulder injury. It’s too bad. He was the Chiefs’ practice MVP over summer drills and is in line for an expanded role after the team purposely limited his route tree last season as he played through a torn labrum. Worthy is still only 23 and should be a full go in Week 1. I think he easily clears his career high of 638 yards from his rookie season — and even gets to 1,000 while flashing higher upside. — Jesse Newell
Patrick Mahomes offers support to Chiefs analyst after tragedy | Awful Announcing
Tucker Franklin is a beloved host, producer, and all-around personality on KC Sports Network (KCSN) in Kansas City. He was reminded just how beloved he is when tragedy struck last week.
Doug Franklin, Tucker’s father, unexpectedly passed away on Aug. 31. Franklin shared the news on X (formerly Twitter), and the sports media community, both locally and nationally, rallied around him to the tune of 595 replies.
And while Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is preparing to face the Denver Broncos in Week 1 after making a miraculous recovery from a torn ACL, he also had Franklin on his mind.
Forget the stars. These 4 Chiefs players could quietly decide games in 2026 | The Kansas City Star
WR Xavier Worthy
Worthy was “never 100 %,” he said during training camp in St. Joseph. The consequences of that included, he said, not being able to “run a lot of the things that I would normally run … in the way that I would want to.”
So doubt him if you must. And yes, it’s hard not to attach an asterisk here because of reasonable questions about his health and durability.
Most of all, though, consider this: In the last game he was fully healthy, Worthy had eight catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns in the otherwise wretched 40-22 Super Bowl LIX loss to the Eagles. That night, he looked a whole lot like the future for the Chiefs. He still can be.
– Vahe Gregorian
Around the NFL
Sources: Christian Gonzalez, Patriots reach 4-year, $135M deal | ESPN
The New England Patriots and star cornerback Christian Gonzalez have agreed to terms on a four-year, $135 million extension, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler late Monday night.
The deal includes $102 million guaranteed, sources said.
Giants release WR Darius Slayton, team’s longest-tenured player | ESPN
The Giants signed Slayton to a three-year, $36 million deal before last season. He was due $13 million this season.
The move creates just over $3 million in cap space for this year.
“Grateful for my time in NY. 7 years a Giant nothing but love for one of the most prestigious organizations in the NFL. Excited to see what’s next,” he posted to X on Monday.
Falcons name Tua Tagovailoa starting QB for Week 1 vs. Steelers; Michael Penix Jr. to be inactive | NFL.com
Stefanski told reporters on Monday that Penix, who has been working his way back from last year’s season-ending knee injury, will be inactive against Pittsburgh on Sept. 13. Cooper Rush will serve as Tagovailoa’s backup.
“Mike is getting better and better and better, and I’m very proud of him for how far he’s come,” Stefanski said, “but this will continue to be something that we work (on) together with Mike. We’re all on the same page, which is great between myself, Mike, medical, you name it. Everybody feels good about where Mike is heading, and he’ll continue just to work like crazy. That’s his focus, and I think he’s told you guys that. He’s gonna focus on trying to get better every single day.”
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Will Chiefs’ offense or defense rank higher in 2026?
It’s a tough question. Last season, the Chiefs’ defense finished sixth in points allowed and 10th in total yards allowed; the offense finished 21st and 20th in the same categories, respectively. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit has outranked the offense in both for three consecutive seasons.
In 2022, the last season before offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy initially left the staff, the offense ranked first in points and yards while the defense ranked 16th and 11th. That was the last time the Chiefs’ offense clearly drove the team’s success.
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