‘Our guys aren’t built that way’ — Kansas City Chiefs coaches confirm they won’t be tanking for better 2026 NFL Draft picks
The Kansas City Chiefs are going to play the final three games of the 2025 NFL season to win.
If you think that the Kansas City Chiefs are going to call it a season after Patrick Mahomes’ injury and phone in the final three weeks to get the best possible 2026 NFL Draft picks, think again.
Heading into Week 16’s game against the Tennessee Titans, looking at the Chiefs’ injury report, it might feel like when you’re a kid, and you play a game against an adult who is going easy on you. That’s not going to be the case at all for the Chiefs, though. They’re still deadset on winning games, even if it does nothing more than to prove that they can do just that: Win.
Speaking to media members on Thursday, Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo said that the thought of tanking for a better draft position (if the season ended today, they’d hold the No. 11 pick) hasn’t even crossed their mind.
“Our guys aren’t built that way,” Spagnuolo said. “I mean, I don’t think there’s a coach or a player that’s built like that. I know I always say this, if we had a basketball court right out here, and you took any six of the guys in that locker room and said, ‘Go play 3-on-3.’ They would be knocking each other over to win the game, right? Even if there was $1 on the line. That’s just how they’re built. So I think, I don’t think that will change in the game.”
For Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, the next three games are still very much about fixing the problems that plagued this team down the stretch as they fought to make the postseason. They have to work and find ways to get better for the future, whatever it may hold in store for them.
“I think it’s very important for us as a staff to make sure that right now, we know that we have three games left,” Nagy said. “We owe it to our players. We owe it as coaches. We owe it to the city to go out for these last three games… There’s no playoffs ahead of us. We still have to work to be better, and it’s our job. So there’s honest communication. We talk about accountability, we talk about honesty, we talk about commitment and consistency, and that’s all stuff that you want to do throughout the year and strive to be great in those times. And just for whatever reason, it hasn’t happened this year. And I will say to like, my role as an offensive coordinator, you run into these moments, in these situations, and you have to start with yourself and make sure that you’re real with the players, real with yourself, and then get answers. And I take I take that very seriously, you know, and that’s kind of where we’re at. And we have three weeks left, and these guys have had a loud, clear message that that’s what our job is. Moving forward is to end the season on three wins, and then we’ve got to dig into, you know, where we can be better?”
Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub had perhaps the most concise take on how the players will respond to Mahomes’ injury and Week 15’s loss in the final three games of the season.
“They’re professional,” Toub said. “They’re gonna come back and do everything in our power to win these last three games.”
Chiefs DT Chris Jones confirms that it’s not just the coaches thinking this way
Finishing the season strong is the clear message being preached by the coaching staff in Kansas City. Asked about what it has been like getting ready for the Titans game and these next three weeks, Chris Jones made it known what the team’s goals are.
“Most importantly, finish is strong,” Jones said. “I mean, unfortunately, plans didn’t go as planned within the season aspect. But you know, there’s still a name on the back of your jersey you’ve got to play for.”
There’s a sense of pride that comes with being an NFL player, and if these guys want to stick around in the league, they’ll keep the right attitude for the final three games. Asked if he thinks motivation will be an issue for the team this week, knowing that they don’t have the playoffs ahead of them, Jones explained what the final three weeks of the 2025 NFL season represent.
“No, it’s still opportunities, man,” Jones said. “Still opportunities for you to broadcast, finish strong as an individual and together as a team, from that perspective. So I don’t think I don’t ever need to be motivated when I step on the field.”
Kansas City Chiefs News
Kansas City Chiefs don’t seem particularly eager to do the one thing they need to do most in the final 3 weeks of 2025 NFL season
The Kansas City Chiefs’ priorities in the final three games of the 2025 NFL season might not entirely be where they need to be.
