When the season started, Kansas City Chiefs’ star tight end Travis Kelce believed his team would be competing for the AFC’s top seed. But now at 6-6, things couldn’t be any more different. The Chiefs are fighting for survival. On the latest episode of the New Heights podcast, the All-Pro tight end delivered a brutally honest assessment of what’s gone wrong.

“I’m sure everyone’s sick of us saying it, but we’re a few plays away from being a one-seed in my mind,” Kelce admitted on the podcast. “All the losses are within one score, and there’s a handful of plays within those games that are determining the outcome. Like my drop against the Eagles. It’s penalties that are keeping us behind the sticks, it’s coming away with three points instead of touchdowns in some games.”

The drop Kelce referenced had cost Kansas City dearly. In Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelce’s fourth-quarter miscue bounced straight into the hands of Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba. The Eagles converted that turnover into a touchdown and held on for a 20-17 victory. That was exactly the type of play Kelce knows should have been made, and it’s haunted the Chiefs all year.

Beyond the individual mistakes, KC has been plagued by self-inflicted wounds. The team has committed 27 penalties across their last three games alone, costing them 308 yards at critical moments.

Despite franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes ranking 2nd in QBR (73.1) and 3rd in passing yards (3,238), the shot caller’s firepower hasn’t translated into wins. The defense has tried to hold opponents at key moments, succeeding at times, faltering at others. But Kansas City simply isn’t scoring enough when it matters. Still, Travis Kelce is refusing to give up hope.

“It’s tough to be part of this reality right now cause we’re six and six and we’re fighting for our lives [to] find a way into the playoffs,” Kelce went on to state. “What’s real is that we still have a chance, and that’s all that f****** matters to me… I’m going to keep coming in to work with that mentality and the sense of urgency that we need to have to get this s*** fixed.”

With five games remaining, all against AFC opponents, the Chiefs still control their destiny, even if the margin for error has decreased. If they win out while their divisional rivals slump, their playoff probability jumps back up. But one more slip, and last year’s Super Bowl finalists are looking at an early end to their 2025 campaign. Because the team understands this reality, no one is more frustrated than Patrick Mahomes himself.

Patrick Mahomes’ candid admission for the team

Patrick Mahomes isn’t hiding his frustration anymore. After Kansas City’s 31-28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, the three-time Super Bowl champ delivered a stark warning and reality check to his teammates.

“You’ve just got to win every game now and hope that’s enough,” Mahomes said. “If we’re going to make the playoffs, we’re going to have to win them all. That’s got to be the mindset we step into the building when we get back.”

The quarterback’s exasperation has grown in recent weeks, particularly aimed at the defense and the team’s inability to execute in clutch situations. He’s still moving in the pocket, trying to make big plays, but his teammates seem to be out of sync.

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Even head coach Andy Reid has stressed the importance of player mentality in the final stretch.

“Got to make sure we’re mentally prepared to play four quarters and then have a positive attitude,” he said in a recent presser. “You’re not going to hear a lot of positive from the outside coming in. So you got to make sure that you understand where you really sit and the opportunities that you have sitting in front of you.”

With three divisional battles looming, Kansas City is still in the game. Mahomes knows what’s at stake. The quarterback who’s arguably redefined clutch football for a generation now faces the most pressure-packed five-game stretch of his career. Can they turn this season around? The Chiefs’ championship window hangs in the balance.