The Kansas City Chiefs’ 2025 season officially came to a painful close with a 16–13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, a defeat that not only ended their playoff hopes but marked a historic turning point for the franchise. For the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, Kansas City will not be playing postseason football—a reality that felt almost unthinkable just a few years ago.

Unfortunately for Chiefs Kingdom, the loss itself may not even be the worst part of the night.

Late in the fourth quarter, with Kansas City trailing by three points and less than two minutes remaining, Mahomes did what he has done countless times throughout his career: he tried to extend a broken play and give his team one last chance. As he scrambled, Mahomes suffered an injury to his left knee and immediately went down, clutching it in visible pain.

The stadium fell silent.

Mahomes remained on the turf for several moments before eventually getting to his feet. But it was clear something was wrong. He did not return to the huddle. Instead, the three-time Super Bowl champion slowly made his way down the tunnel, hobbling heavily as he disappeared into the locker room. That would be the final image of the Chiefs’ season—and possibly Mahomes’ 2025 campaign.

After the game, head coach Andy Reid addressed the media and offered a brief but concerning update.

“It didn’t look good,” Reid said, adding that Mahomes would undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the damage to his knee.

Those words alone were enough to intensify the unease already gripping the fan base. Losing Mahomes in a meaningless late-season game, after playoff hopes were already slipping away, felt like a cruel final blow to a season that never quite found its footing.

Mahomes speaks out after brutal loss

Not long after the game, Mahomes took to X to share his thoughts in what was an emotional message following an all-around nightmare day for the Chiefs.

“Don’t know why this had to happen,” Mahomes wrote. “And not going to lie it’s hurts. But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again. Thank you Chiefs Kingdom for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I will be back stronger than ever.”

The message was raw, vulnerable, and very Mahomes—equal parts frustration, faith, and determination. While it offered reassurance that he plans to return, it also underscored how shaken he was by both the injury and the way the season ended.

Will Mahomes play again in 2025?

With only three games remaining and no playoff implications left, it is hard to envision a scenario in which Mahomes takes the field again this season. Even without knowing the full results of the MRI, the logic is simple: there is nothing to gain and everything to lose.

Mahomes is the franchise. He is Kansas City’s greatest asset and the foundation of everything the Chiefs hope to accomplish moving forward. Risking further damage to his knee in games that hold no competitive value would be irresponsible, regardless of whether the injury turns out to be minor or more serious.

You would be hard-pressed to find anyone inside or outside the organization who believes putting No. 15 back on the field this year would be a good idea. The smart move is to shut him down, allow him to fully recover, and begin planning for a reset heading into next season.

For the Chiefs, this ending is especially bitter. Not only will they miss the playoffs for the first time in the Mahomes era, but they will do so watching from home while dealing with uncertainty surrounding their superstar quarterback’s health.

Mahomes’ declaration that he will “be back stronger than ever” may hint at optimism regarding the injury, but until the MRI results are known, concern will linger. What is certain is that Kansas City’s 2025 season ended in the worst possible way—with three weeks left on the calendar, no postseason ahead, and their franchise quarterback walking off the field in pain.

Chiefs Kingdom can now only hope that this nightmare ending does not carry long-term consequences—and that Mahomes’ next appearance comes fully healthy, ready to reclaim the standard that Kansas City has lived by for nearly a decade.