Top 10 Kansas City Chiefs Players Going Into the 2025-26 Season
The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a disappointing Super Bowl loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The final score of that game is deceiving. It was never a dominant showing by the Chiefs at any point.Kansas City had some fluky and lucky moments throughout the season, which led some people to question whether they were actually as good as their record suggested. Personally, I think they were good but incredibly fraudulent, and it showed in that Super Bowl loss. They got exposed in a big way.
Going into 2025, the Chiefs are looking to bounce back. However, there are questions surrounding the future of their dynasty. Could this be the beginning of the end of their reign? Only time will tell.
The Chiefs should still be competitive and capable of making another deep playoff run, but this may be their Last Dance. They better make it count.
Patrick Lavon Mahomes II (born September 17, 1995) is an American football player who is currently a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. Who else could it be? Patrick Mahomes needs no introduction. He's the best quarterback of this generation and arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. While statistically, 2024 was his worst season since his rookie season, there's no denying that he knows how to win games. His accolades and accomplishments back it up. He's won 3 Super Bowls, 3 Super Bowl MVPs, and 2 League MVPs.
His elite arm strength, scrambling ability, and football IQ make him one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. He's one of the most clutch players ever, and his style of play has revolutionized the quarterback position and influenced plenty of other starting quarterbacks in the league. Patrick Mahomes will undoubtedly bounce back in 2025.
Chris Jones has been an elite defensive tackle and the anchor of the Chiefs defense for years now. He's a dominant force and constantly ranks among the league's top pass rushers and has one of the highest pressure rates, making any opposing quarterback's day a living hell. PFF has him as the third highest graded defensive tackle in the NFL.
Chris Jones is our defense. Even if his stats were down in 2024, he's constantly getting double-teamed by opponents because he's such a disruptive force. He finished the year with 37 tackles, 5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, and 20 quarterback hits. He's made six consecutive Pro Bowls and three straight First Team All-Pro selections. He got a nice new contract last year for very good reasons. He'll be in Kansas City for the foreseeable future.
Trent McDuffie is undoubtedly our best cornerback and one of the best in the league. He's played at an elite level and has really come into his own in the absence of L'Jarius Sneed. PFF has McDuffie graded as the 3rd best cornerback in the league. He had 49 solo tackles and 2 interceptions in 2024.
He's a very versatile cornerback who has good speed and good coverage abilities and is also good at pass rushing and run stopping, as well as preventing separation, making him a solid player all around. The Chiefs picked up his 5th-year option, and justifiably so, considering he made First Team All-Pro in 2023 and Second Team All-Pro in 2024. He's also won 2 Super Bowls in his first 3 years.
George Karlaftis has really come into his own over the course of his career. He's become an absolute menace for opposing teams and has been a nice complement to Chris Jones. Ever since being drafted in 2022, he's wasted no time making an immediate impact.
He had a breakout year in 2023 highlighted by 10.5 sacks. He's won 2 Super Bowls in his first 3 seasons and has been a steady, consistent piece of the Chiefs defense. Sure, he's still in Chris Jones' shadow, but he's only one step away from becoming a monster. He is only 24 years old, after all. I think the Chiefs have to be happy with how he's turned out so far.
Travis Michael Kelce is an American football tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. It pains me to say this, but I think this is Travis Kelce's final season. Had they won the Super Bowl, I think he would've retired then, but it looks like he's coming back for one more season. His productivity has noticeably declined since 2022. He finished the 2024 season with 823 yards and 3 touchdowns. He's still a top 10 tight end in the league and will still produce, just not at the same level as he did in 2022.
Kelce is just the old reliable target who can get yards and occasionally have those big plays. Kelce needs no introduction. He's had a very decorated career with countless accomplishments and accolades to his name. A lot of people consider him one of the greatest tight ends of all time. Ten Pro Bowls, four-time First Team All-Pro, three-time Second Team All-Pro, and three Super Bowl rings.
Honestly, I just hope we get at least one final strong season from him.
Creed Humphrey is an excellent center. Some call him the best center in the league. Humphrey has been named to 3 consecutive Pro Bowls and was named First Team All-Pro in 2024. He's an elite run blocker and pass protector.
With Jason Kelce now retired, he's the best center in the league. He's as consistent as they come. A lot of Patrick Mahomes' success can be attributed to having Creed Humphrey in front of him. Creed will be an elite center and key component of the Chiefs offensive line for the foreseeable future.
I feel like Drue Tranquill is our most underappreciated player. He's one of those guys whose impact makes the defense function better. His absence is very noticeable. Tranquill is a do-it-all type of player who can stop the run, be an effective pass rusher, and is overall decent in coverage. He's had a huge impact on the Chiefs defense alongside Nick Bolton.
Tranquill was a true godsend in 2023 when Bolton missed half the season to injury. Drue finished the 2024 season with 2.0 sacks, 94 total tackles, 54 solo tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 9 quarterback hits. Overall, a decent role player to have and one who helps make the linebacker room one of the best in the league.
Nick Bolton has been a solid, steady linebacker for the Chiefs for years, minus 2023 when he missed time due to injury. He got back into form in 2024. He's become a true leader on the defense and is someone Steve Spagnuolo has a lot of trust in. I'll admit I was initially skeptical about him re-signing with us this offseason, but I'm glad he did. He's familiar with the system, better than any other options, and fits an area of need.
Sure, he gets exposed in coverage situations, but makes up for it with his elite run-stopping ability. He finished the 2024 season with 3.0 sacks, 106 total tackles, 73 solo tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 7 quarterback hits. If he can just improve slightly in coverage, he will be such a dynamic force and a key component of the Chiefs defense.
The Chiefs picked Xavier Worthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He's had a decent rookie year with 638 yards and 6 touchdowns. Xavier Worthy boasts incredible speed, as evidenced by his record-shattering 40 time at the combine.
Worthy gives the Chiefs a true deep threat they haven't had since Tyreek Hill. Xavier showed a lot of potential in 2024, and I'm excited to see him paired with Rashee Rice going forward. I still think the best is yet to come for Worthy. He hasn't even scratched the surface of his sky-high potential yet.
It was nice to see Kareem Hunt return to Kansas City. One of the more underrated redemption arcs of the season. Once Kareem Hunt came back, he was a total game changer for us the rest of the season. An electrifying, consistent running back who can get the tough yards and is effective near the goal line.
Kareem had his best season statistically since 2020 with 728 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. He took over the starting role for the injured Isiah Pacheco, and even when Pacheco came back, he never really gave it up. I'm interested to see what his role looks like in 2025. Hopefully, we can get him a ring to complete his redemption story.