The Kansas City Chiefs have set a new but unpleasant record.

Since 2014, and for the first time in franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ career, the Chiefs did not make it to the playoffs.

After losing the Super Bowl last year and poorly playing this season, the Chiefs have begun rebuilding themselves and fired seven players on Monday.

According to an X post by NFL expert Charles Goldman, offensive guard Nick Broeker, wide receiver Jason Brownlee, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, defensive end Malik Herring, fullback Carson Steele, defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu, and tight end Tre Watson were shown the door. 

These players did not leave any mark or make noteworthy contributions to the franchise either.

Although Clyde Edwards-Helaire was believed to meet some big expectations. The Chiefs drafted him in 2020 in the first round, and he left the team as nothing but a practice squad member.

After this initial performance of 4.5 yards per carry across 33 games, injuries and unavailability became a major factor in the Chiefs' reconsideration of his contract.

In the 2024 season, he was mostly on reserve and was let go eventually after the disastrous Super Bowl LIX. Until he returned this season. Edwards-Helaire has been fired for a second time, and hopefully for the last time too.

Nick Broeker and Jason Brownlee were replacements, and the rest, Herring, Steele, Tuipulotu, and Watson, weren’t useful to the Chiefs. They ended the season with a 6-11 record, with Mahomes’ legacy in danger and star tight end Travis Kelce contemplating retirement. 

The Chiefs Need to Secure a Running Back for Patrick Mahomes

In 2025, their rushing stats stopped at 106.6 rushing yards per game, very close to last season’s 105.3. Except for Jamaal Charles in 2024 and Kareem Hunt in his rookie year, no running back has elevated their ranking from the bottom of the chart. 

The best these rushers have done is 788 yards. In 2025, Kareem Hunt managed 611 yards and 163 carries, while Isiah Pacheco followed with 462 yards. The Chiefs’ reluctance to invest in good rushers forced Mahomes to take that responsibility too.

This season marked his career-best performance of five rushing touchdowns for 422 rushing yards. 

The pressure took a toll, and Mahomes was out with a brutal injury that left him heartbroken. 

With both players, Pacheco and Hunt, up for free agency soon, the Chiefs have no one they can rely on. As the Chiefs are watching games instead of playing, they must find solutions that will work in the long run.

Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu