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Patrick Mahomes could be returning from a major injury for one final season alongside Travis Kelce.
That sounds like appointment television.
ESPN apparently disagrees.
The Kansas City Chiefs placed only 22nd in Ben Solak’s ranking of all 32 NFL teams by watchability, landing behind teams such as the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons.
Yes, the Chiefs with Mahomes are considered less entertaining than 21 other teams. There is a statistical explanation for the surprising placement.
Chiefs no longer produce weekly fireworks
Kansas City’s reputation was built on Mahomes escaping impossible situations before launching the football halfway across Missouri. Those plays have become considerably less common.
The Chiefs generated an explosive play on only 9.3% of their snaps last season, according to ESPN. That ranked 26th in the NFL. Kansas City’s defense was equally committed to removing chaos from the equation. It surrendered an explosive play on just 8.9% of its snaps, the fourth-lowest rate in the league.
The result was a team that struggled to create sudden offense but also prevented opponents from doing the same. That might be effective football. It is not always exciting football.
Kansas City went 12-0 in one-score games during the 2024 season before crashing to a 1-9 record in those situations last year. The close games remained, but the familiar late-game magic disappeared. Instead of waiting for Mahomes to produce another absurd victory, viewers often watched the Chiefs search for an offense that no longer existed.
MORE: ESPN names Caleb Williams, Bears NFL’s most watchable team for 2026
Mahomes and Kelce still provide fascinating storyline
Kansas City’s low ranking does not mean its season lacks intrigue. Mahomes is returning from the first major injury of his career after tearing the ACL in his left knee. Every movement, scramble and off-platform throw will be examined as he attempts to regain the explosiveness that once made him the NFL’s most captivating player.
Kelce’s future adds another emotional layer. The veteran tight end could be entering the final season of his Hall of Fame career. If so, 2026 represents the last opportunity to watch the greatest quarterback-tight end partnership of its generation.
Those storylines should make Kansas City’s early games essential viewing. However, Solak’s ranking reflects how much the Chiefs have changed. Mahomes remains a superstar, but Kansas City has evolved from a weekly fireworks display into a team built around defense, field position and close finishes.
The Chiefs once were the easiest team in football to recommend to a casual viewer. Now, even Mahomes apparently cannot get them into ESPN’s top 20.
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