The Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive struggles this season have drawn criticism from the outside, but now the questions are coming from inside the locker room. After the recent Patriots Chargers Wild Card game exposed pass rush flaws, a Chiefs star connected the dots to their own struggles. A now-deleted post from Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu is raising questions in Kansas City. 

“When you have a consistent 4 or 5 man pass rush, the shit is eventually gonna get home the more you let your guys go and rush… been a big theme in all these playoff games,” he wrote.

The Patriots’ defense played so well that the Chargers’ offense didn’t know what to do. Omenihu pointed out that the Patriots’ defense dominated the opponent by using a steady pass rush. The team sacked Chargers QB Justin Herbert six times and held them to just a single field goal. This ensured the team’s advancement to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

This Chargers situation was eerily similar to what the Kansas City Chiefs went through this season. The team’s defense struggled with its pass rush this year. The main trouble is that their recent draft picks haven’t lived up to expectations. Rookie defenders Ashton Gillotte and Omarr Norman-Lott didn’t contribute much in their first year, and former first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah missed the entire season after already struggling to make an impact previously.

The Chiefs’ defense showed measurable progress in 2025, improving its EPA-per-play ranking from 15th last season to 12th, but the numbers masked some recurring flaws. Pass rush remained the most persistent issue. Kansas City finished tied for 22nd in the league with just 35 sacks, leaning heavily on Chris Jones while failing to generate steady pressure elsewhere.

Even Steve Spagnuolo’s trademark blitz packages, once a reliable way to manufacture disruption, did not land with the same consistency this year, with questions being raised about Reid’s staff. Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator also recently interviewed for the head coach role at the Ravens, signaling signs of departure.

For the franchise, players like Mike Danna and Charles Omenihu seemed to slow down as the season progressed, leaving the defensive line exhausted and making it much easier for opposing quarterbacks to stay comfortable in the pocket.

Turnovers were another area where the defense fell short. The Chiefs tied for 26th in takeaways with only 14, often getting their hands on the football without finishing plays. While Spagnuolo pointed to flashes of high-level execution, including a must-win stretch against the Colts featuring four straight three-and-outs, those moments were isolated. Overall, Kansas City’s defensive season was defined by late-game lapses and missed opportunities.

In previous years, the Chiefs were able to hide these weaknesses by using creative blitzes to pressure the quarterback. However, that strategy relies on having elite defenders in the secondary who can cover receivers one-on-one. Because the defensive backfield wasn’t as strong this year, they couldn’t play man-to-man coverage effectively. 

The Chiefs are expected to strengthen their roster for the 2026 season

The Chiefs’ 2025 season was a major disappointment, ending with a poor 6–11 record and a painful six-game losing streak. The biggest blow happened late in the year when star quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL, ending his season. It has been nearly a decade since the Kansas City Chiefs last missed the playoffs. However, an early postseason exit has now put them in an unfamiliar position heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. Kansas City currently holds the ninth overall pick, giving the front office a rare opportunity to address roster weaknesses at the top of the board rather than working from the back end of Round 1.

Early draft projections suggest the Chiefs may lean toward offensive reinforcements, even if defensive needs remain glaring. In Pro Football Focus’ latest mock draft, Kansas City is projected to select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the ninth pick. With Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco both entering free agency, the Chiefs are facing the possibility of losing their top two rushers from the 2025 season. Love’s back-to-back elite PFF grades, including a nation-leading mark in 2025, make him an attractive long-term solution for an offense that struggled to consistently generate balance.

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That offensive focus, however, comes with trade-offs. The same mock draft saw impact edge rushers come off the board immediately after Kansas City’s selection, including Texas Tech’s David Bailey and Auburn’s Kedric Faulk, both of whom fit the physical and production profile Steve Spagnuolo typically covets.

With pass-rush depth remaining a persistent concern, the Chiefs face a defining decision in April: prioritize a difference-making weapon for Patrick Mahomes or reinforce the defensive trenches that have shown cracks in high-leverage moments. Either way, the ninth pick could signal how Kansas City plans to reset its championship window in 2026 and beyond.