Arrowhead Pride
The Kansas City Chiefs closed their regular season with a 14–12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon. Unlike previous years, the finale was neither a tune-up nor a strategic rest stop ahead of a playoff run. Instead, it marked the final chapter of a nightmare season that ended with a disappointing 6–11 record.
After the game, head coach Andy Reid acknowledged the reality of the moment — while still striking a tone of gratitude and perspective.
“My hat goes off to the fans for all the support they gave us throughout the season,” Reid told reporters. “Easily could have not shown up by some of the performances — but they did a great job, and we appreciate that.”
The game mirrored much of the Chiefs’ season. Injuries forced Kansas City to rely heavily on backups, yet the team kept the score close throughout the afternoon. Both offenses struggled to finish drives, each scoring just four field goals. The game ultimately came down to a costly safety surrendered by the Chiefs’ offense late in the fourth quarter.
Despite the result, Reid pointed to several individual milestones as rare bright spots in an otherwise difficult finale.
Tight end Travis Kelce eclipsed 13,000 career receiving yards, becoming only the third tight end in NFL history to reach the mark. Chris Jones added two sacks to finish the season with a team-high seven, while rookies Brashard Smith and Jalen Royals received extended action. Smith rushed for 56 yards on 12 carries, and Royals recorded his first career reception.
“It was great to get the young guys some playing time,” Reid said. “If there was a positive to take out of this whole thing, I would tell you that’s probably the biggest positive there.”
Those moments did little, however, to obscure the season’s disappointment.
“Nobody wants a season like this,” said Reid. “That’s not what we strive for — [and] work hard for. But there are obstacles that come into play, and you’ve got to work through those. And there’s a learning curve here that you can set with some of the experiences we had for all of us — and then never do it again.”
For a franchise that had defined the AFC for much of the past decade, the final whistle felt closer to relief than heartbreak. With the season completed, attention shifted forward — and for players like Jones, the ending fueled motivation rather than resignation.
“I’ll be even more motivated to get this offseason started, just the way this season ended,” he said. “[I’ve] been here 10 years. [It’s the] first time being in this position, so [there’s] definitely a lot of motivation coming on my end — especially finishing the way we did.”
Reid, meanwhile, emphasized optimism rooted in continuity, stressing that the team’s foundation remains intact.
“We’ve got a good nucleus of guys that are veteran players,” he noted. “They’ll be back. I think you want that foundation; that’s where you start.”
General manager Brett Veach...
