| 2018 Kansas City Chiefs season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | The Hunt family (Clark Hunt Chairman and CEO) |
| General manager | Brett Veach |
| Head coach | Andy Reid |
| Offensive coordinator | Eric Bieniemy |
| Defensive coordinator | Bob Sutton |
| Home stadium | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–4 |
| Division place | 1stAFC West |
| Playoffs | WonDivisional Playoffs (vs.Colts) 31–13 LostAFC Championship (vs.Patriots) 31–37(OT) |
| All-Pros | 5
|
| Pro Bowlers | |
| Team MVP | Patrick Mahomes |
| Team ROY | Andrew Wylie |
| Uniform | |
The2018 season was theKansas City Chiefs' 49th in theNational Football League (NFL), their 59th overall, their sixth underhead coachAndy Reid, and their second under general managerBrett Veach. The Chiefs finished 12–4 and won their third consecutive AFC West title, made their fourth consecutive playoff appearance, but lost to the eventualSuper Bowl championNew England Patriots 37–31 in overtime in theAFC Championship Game. QuarterbackPatrick Mahomes won theAP NFL MVP award, becoming the first Chiefs player ever to be named MVP.[1]
In the offseason the Chiefs had several major changes, including trading 2-time Pro BowlerMarcus Peters, as well asAlex Smith. The team also voided the final year of the contract of their longest tenured playerDerrick Johnson and they released long time linebackerTamba Hali.
Under first year starting quarterbackPatrick Mahomes, the Chiefs would start the season 5–0 for the second consecutive year before losing to theNew England Patriots. The Chiefs then won their next four games beforelosing again to theLos Angeles Rams. A Week 14 win over theBaltimore Ravens clinched the Chiefs' fourth consecutive playoff appearance. After defeating their rival, theOakland Raiders 35–3 in Week 17, the Chiefs clinched their third consecutive division title and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time since1997.[2]
In the playoffs, the Chiefs advanced to theAFC Championship Game for the first time since1993 by defeating theIndianapolis Colts, 31–13 in the divisional round. This win ended the Chiefs' 6-game home playoff losing streak dating back to1993. It was only the Chiefs' second win in their last 13 playoff games. In the AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs lost to theeventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, 37–31 in overtime. Two days after the loss, defensive coordinatorBob Sutton was fired following multiple NFL analysts criticizing his lack of adjustments in the AFC Championship Game, as well as other games throughout the season.[3]
The Chiefs had three players ranked inNFL Network's annual Top 100 players countdown, the fewest the team has had on the list since 2012.
| Rank | Player | Position | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Travis Kelce | TE | |
| 33 | Kareem Hunt* | RB | NR |
| 40 | Tyreek Hill | WR/PR |
*Did not finish the season on the roster
| 2018 Kansas City Chiefs draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 46 | Breeland Speaks | Defensive end | Ole Miss | |
| 3 | 75 | Derrick Nnadi | Defensive tackle | Florida State | |
| 3 | 100 | Dorian O'Daniel | Linebacker | Clemson | |
| 4 | 124 | Armani Watts | Safety | Texas A&M | |
| 6 | 196 | Tremon Smith | Cornerback | Central Arkansas | |
| 6 | 198 | Kahlil McKenzie | Defensive tackle | Tennessee | |
| Made roster | |||||
Trades
Front office
Head coaches Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 9 | Houston Texans | L 10–17 | 0–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 17 | atAtlanta Falcons | W 28–14 | 1–1 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 25 | atChicago Bears | L 20–27 | 1–2 | Soldier Field | Recap |
| 4 | August 30 | Green Bay Packers | W 33–21 | 2–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texans | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| Chiefs | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
atArrowhead Stadium,Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 0 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 28 |
| Falcons | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
atMercedes-Benz Stadium,Atlanta, Georgia
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Bears | 14 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 27 |
atSoldier Field,Chicago, Illinois
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 33 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Notes
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 14 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 38 |
| Chargers | 6 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 28 |
atStubhub Center,Carson, California
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 21 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 42 |
| Steelers | 0 | 21 | 7 | 9 | 37 |
atHeinz Field,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 0 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 27 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 38 |
atArrowhead Stadium,Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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This game wasPatrick Mahomes’ home debut atArrowhead Stadium, which also happened to be against the team Mahomes wouldeventually defeat in his firstSuper Bowl victory.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 27 |
| Broncos | 3 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
atBroncos Stadium at Mile High,Denver, Colorado
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaguars | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 30 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 6 | 3 | 17 | 14 | 40 |
| Patriots | 10 | 14 | 3 | 16 | 43 |
atGillette Stadium,Foxborough, Massachusetts
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 45 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 7 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 23 |
| Chiefs | 3 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 30 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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With this win, head coach Andy Reid eclipsed win number 200, becoming theseventh coach in NFL history to do so (withDon Shula,George Halas,Bill Belichick,Tom Landry,Curly Lambeau, &Marty Schottenheimer).[11]
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 14 | 13 | 3 | 37 |
| Browns | 3 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 21 |
atFirstEnergy Stadium,Cleveland, Ohio
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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With this win, head coach Andy Reid won his 201st regular season game, passingMarty Schottenheimer to move to 6th most regular season wins in NFL history.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Chiefs | 10 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 26 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 16 | 7 | 21 | 51 |
| Rams | 13 | 10 | 17 | 14 | 54 |
atLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum,Los Angeles, California
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 10 | 9 | 14 | 7 | 40 |
| Raiders | 0 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 33 |
atOakland–Alameda County Coliseum,Oakland, California
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravens | 0 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chargers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 29 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 31 |
| Seahawks | 7 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 38 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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With this win, head coach Andy Reid won his 206th combined regular season & post season game, passingMarty Schottenheimer to move to 7th most combined wins in NFL history.[12]
| AFC West | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (1)Kansas City Chiefs | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | 565 | 421 | W1 |
| (5)Los Angeles Chargers | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 9–3 | 428 | 329 | W1 |
| Denver Broncos | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 329 | 349 | L4 |
| Oakland Raiders | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 290 | 467 | L1 |
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division leaders | |||||||||||
| 1[a] | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .480 | .401 | W1 |
| 2[b] | New England Patriots | East | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .482 | .494 | W2 |
| 3[b] | Houston Texans | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .471 | .435 | W1 |
| 4 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .496 | .450 | W3 |
| Wild Cards | |||||||||||
| 5[a] | Los Angeles Chargers | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .477 | .422 | W1 |
| 6 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .465 | .456 | W4 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 9 | 6 | 1 | .594 | 4–1–1 | 6–5–1 | .504 | .448 | W1 |
| 8 | Tennessee Titans | South | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .520 | .465 | L1 |
| 9 | Cleveland Browns | North | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 | 3–2–1 | 5–6–1 | .516 | .411 | L1 |
| 10 | Miami Dolphins | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .469 | .446 | L3 |
| 11[c] | Denver Broncos | West | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .523 | .464 | L4 |
| 12[c] | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .535 | .448 | L2 |
| 13[c] | Buffalo Bills | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .523 | .411 | W1 |
| 14 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .549 | .463 | L1 |
| 15[d] | New York Jets | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .506 | .438 | L3 |
| 16[d] | Oakland Raiders | West | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .547 | .406 | L1 |
| Tiebreakers[e] | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | First-round bye | |||||
| Divisional | January 12 | Indianapolis Colts (6) | W 31–13 | 1–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| AFC Championship | January 20 | New England Patriots (2) | L 31–37(OT) | 1–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 31 |
atArrowhead Stadium,Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots | 7 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 37 |
| Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 0 | 31 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
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