Kansas City Chiefs’ 2026 Pro Bowl selections are just another reflection of the problems that sunk their season
The Kansas City Chiefs’ problems are very clearly reflected in the players selected for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games.
The NFL has announced rosters for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games, with four Kansas City Chiefs players selected and three named alternates. For the first time in three years, players will actually have the opportunity to attend the league’s all-star event because they won’t be competing for a Super Bowl title. Sure, the Pro Bowl is a popularity contest and no longer steeped in selecting the best-of-the-best. It’s still very much a reminder of this team’s failures, just as the players selected to attend are a reminder of how this team failed to build a competitor in 2025.
Chiefs’ personnel problems spelled out with 2026 Pro Bowl Games
There’s plenty to celebrate here when it comes to individual player success for the Chiefs.
For instance, Travis Kelce led Pro Bowl games voting with his 420,383 votes, topping second-place Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen by 157K votes. It’ll mark his 11th consecutive Pro Bowl selection, tying Jason Witten for the second-most Pro Bowl selections among tight ends all-time, trailing only former Chiefs tight end and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (14).
Chris Jones will earn his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl selection, Creed Humphrey his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl selection, and Trey Smith his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection. It’s a reflection of the players who have been the core of this team for many seasons now. What’s painfully apparent is that the names and positions missing from the list correspond to where the Chiefs failed this season.
Chiefs players selected for 2026 Pro Bowl Games
- TE Travis Kelce
- C Creed Humphrey
- RG Trey Smith
- DT Chris Jones
- QB Patrick Mahomes (alternate)
- CB Trent McDuffie (alternate)
- LB Nick Bolton (alternate)
36-year-old Travis Kelce was still the team’s workhorse in 2025, while Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Hollywood Brown failed to be the renewed passing attack everyone hoped for. The Chiefs haven’t had a Pro Bowl wide receiver since Tyreek Hill.
George Karlaftis couldn’t even make it as an alternate, which shows just how void the defensive line was of talent outside of Chris Jones.
The interior offensive line remained the strength for Kansas City, despite numerous investments made at the position.
Even in a contract year, the Chiefs couldn’t get a player like Jaylen Watson a Pro Bowl nod.
The last time the Chiefs had a running back selected to the Pro Bowl was in 2017, when Kareem Hunt was chosen during his rookie season.
Who knows if these four Chiefs selected will actually attend the 2026 Pro Bowl Games? They might opt against it, given the entire extra season of football they’ve played in the past three seasons of postseason success. Still, the names absent from this list reflect why the team is not playing in another Super Bowl and show exactly where they need to look to make improvements this offseason.
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