Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes injured his left knee late in Sunday’s 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, a defeat that officially knocked the Chiefs out of playoff contention and brought a decade-long postseason streak to an end.
The Chiefs have been eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2014. pic.twitter.com/VW9CdIymTl
— ESPN (@espn) December 14, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Mahomes was hurt with less than two minutes remaining as Kansas City attempted a final drive to keep its season alive. Rolling out of the pocket near midfield, he was dragged down by Chargers defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand as he released a pass. Mahomes immediately clutched his left knee and stayed on the turf for several minutes while trainers examined him. He eventually stood and made his way to the sideline, then briefly entered the medical tent before limping toward the locker room with a towel draped over his head, assisted by team staff. Mahomes finished the game 16 of 28 for 189 yards with one interception. He was sacked five times but did score on a short rushing touchdown.
Gardner Minshew replaced him for the final snaps, and while he briefly moved the Chiefs into position for a potential comeback, Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. intercepted a late pass intended for Travis Kelce, sealing the victory and completing a season sweep of Kansas City. The Chargers improved to 10-4, while the Chiefs fell to 6-8.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after the game, “He will get an MRI tomorrow or this evening,” and when asked about the seriousness of the injury, Reid added, “I don’t know, but it doesn’t look good.”
Minshew added: “I hate the situation. I hate that I couldn’t deliver the win and keep our hopes alive. It’s very frustrating, man. It’s been hard to watch for Pat, a dude that puts so much into it.”
The loss, combined with wins by Jacksonville, Buffalo and Houston earlier in the day, eliminated the defending AFC champions from playoff contention and snapped the Chiefs’ 10-year postseason streak — the second-longest in NFL history — to ensure that Mahomes will miss the playoffs for the first time in his nine-year career.
With Kansas City now eliminated and three games remaining, Mahomes’ availability for the rest of the regular season remains uncertain as the team awaits MRI results.
Editorial credit: Ringo Chiu / Shutterstock.com
