What we can learn from Chiefs' previous postseason losses to know what their offseason approach will be in 2025
The best way to get over a Super Bowl loss is to get into offseason mode. That's what the Kansas City Chiefs will be doing this week, as the league calendar never stops. We are just one month away from the free agent legal tampering period and 17 days away from the NFL Scouting Combine. […]
The best way to get over a Super Bowl loss is to get into offseason mode.
That's what the Kansas City Chiefs will be doing this week, as the league calendar never stops. We are just one month away from the free agent legal tampering period and 17 days away from the NFL Scouting Combine.
How will Kansas City approach the 2025 offseason? We can predict that answer by looking at what it did following previous postseason losses. Our friend Brandon Kiley posted on X how the Chiefs responded to their losses in the 2018 AFC Championship Game, Super Bowl LV, and 2021 AFC Championship Game.
Chiefs 2019 offseason
The Chiefs knew it was time to rebuild the defense after it was historically bad during the 2018 season. They started by parting ways with Bob Sutton, who was their defensive coordinator for the previous six years. Steve Spagnuolo was brought in to be his replacement, which has been one of the best decisions the team has made in recent years.
K.C. also signed several free agents, such as safety Tyrann Mathieu, defensive ends Frank Clark and Alex Okafor, linebacker Anthony Hitchens, and cornerback Bashaud Breeland. After a bit of a sluggish start, the newly constructed Chiefs defense hit its stride late in the season and helped the franchise win its first Super Bowl in 50 years.
Chiefs 2021 offseason
Much like their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, the Chiefs' Super Bowl LV loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was humiliating. K.C.'s offensive line was aging and devastated by injuries, leading general manager Brett Veach to give it a complete overhaul during the offseason.
The Chiefs entered the 2021 season with a new starter at each position of the O-line, featuring left tackle Orlando Brown Jr, left guard Joe Thuney, center Creed Humphrey, right guard Trey Smith, and right tackle Andrew Wylie. Although the Chiefs didn't make it back to the Super Bowl, a new foundation was laid in the trenches that would pay off over the following two years.
Chiefs 2022 offseason
After letting the 2021 AFC Championship game slip through their fingers, it was clear the roster need more of a shakeup than just in the O-line. The Chiefs made the bold decision to trade star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and it paid off in a big way.
K.C. hit a home run in the 2022 NFL Draft, selecting several players who have been vital to the team's success over the last three years – including CBs Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, DE George Karlaftis, LB Leo Chenal, S Bryan Cook, and RB Isiah Pacheco. The youth movement breathed new life into the team, propelling the Chiefs to back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 2022 and 2023.
Chiefs 2025 offseason outlook
It appears the Chiefs are at a crossroads with their roster once again. Legendary tight end Travis Kelce is mulling over retirement, and key players such as Trey Smith, S Justin Reid, LB Nick Bolton, and DT Charles Omenihu are set to hit free agency. Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis are now eligible to receive contract extensions.
If K.C. loses any of the aforementioned names above, it will create an instant need at those positions since they are all starters. Then we get to the Chiefs' most glaring need, left tackle. Four different players made starts at the position this past season, and the one who did the best job (Joe Thuney) is actually their starting LG.
The Chiefs could also use some quality depth at WR and RB after having to band-aid those positions with veterans such as DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Kareem Hunt, who are all on the last legs of their careers. K.C. currently has roughly $15.5 million in salary cap space per Over the Cap, and has six picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Most of the Chiefs' work in free agency will be focused around retaining their own. Extending one or both of McDuffie and Karlaftis would create more salary cap space. The odds of the Chiefs landing an expensive free agent or making a trade for a big name are low, making it crucial that they hit on several of their draft picks.
It may also be time for head coach Andy Reid to take a long, hard look at his coaching staff and consider a shakeup, specifically with offensive line coach Andy heck and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who have come under much scrutiny by Chiefs fans as of late.
What’s next for the Kansas City Chiefs after loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX
The Chiefs can bounce back.
