Kansas City Chiefs Clinch Top Seed in AFC with Dominant Performance
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the charge for the Kansas City Chiefs as they secured the top seed in the AFC with a dominant performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mahomes threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns on 29-of-38 passing, with eight of those completions going to tight end Travis Kelce. Kelce contributed 84 yards and one touchdown, becoming the third tight end in NFL history with over 1,000 catches and the franchise leader in career TD receptions.
The Chiefs’ supporting cast, including Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, DeAndre Hopkins, and rookie Xavier Worthy, have all delivered in crucial moments this season. The team recently received a boost with the return of Marquise Brown from injury. The defense, anchored by Chris Jones, George Karlaftis, and Trent McDuffie, has been a top unit under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Despite some injuries, including Jones’ calf issue and Pacheco’s rib ailment, the Chiefs have time to mend and prepare for the playoffs. Kansas City (15-1) is on a quest to three-peat, having won back-to-back Super Bowls. The team has not been the No. 1 seed since 2022, when they won Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Head coach Andy Reid emphasized the importance of staying sharp, saying, “We know that our work isn’t done for sure. We’re going to celebrate this, but we’re going to get right back on. We’ve got a good Denver team that we’re going up to play, and we’ve got the playoffs coming up. We’ve got to make sure we stay sharp.” The Chiefs can choose to rest their starters in the final game of the season against the Denver Broncos in Week 18.