Get Patrick Mahomes protection, sign Travis Kelce successor - Chiefs' route back to top

The Kansas City Chiefs' dream of a Super Bowl three-peat remains a distant thought after they were stunned 40-22 by the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

The Chiefs put up one of their worst offensive performances of the season in Super Bowl LIX, failing to put any points on the board until the final seconds of the third quarter.

Patrick Mahomes had a hugely unsuccessful first half, making just six of his first 14 passes for 33 yards, and was intercepted twice - one leading to a pick-six touchdown from Eagles rookie Cooper DeJean and the other handing AJ Brown a simple catch to make it 24-0 before the whistle.

The quarterback was sacked six times and hit under pressure 11 times in total, and his offensive weapons also posted some damning stats during the game.

Veteran tight end Travis Kelce made four carries for a total of 39 yards throughout the game, with zero touchdowns, and the majority of the points scored for the Chiefs came late into the fourth quarter, where the Eagles had already begun celebrating.

This dominant Eagles win shocked many fans and players, with Mahomes admitting that the loss was the "worst thing in the world" to happen.

After the game concluded in New Orleans, the 29-year-old said: "There's no way around it.

Anytime you lose a Super Bowl, it's the worst thing in the world...it will stick with you the rest of your career.

I mean these will be the two losses that will motivate me to be even better, for the rest of my career.

Because you only get so few of these [Super Bowls], and you have to capitalize on them.

"It's going to hurt for a while, but how can you respond from it?" Despite the Chiefs' wounds being fresh right now, their success in recent years has shown that they can bounce back when required and head to the top again.

Winning two Super Bowls in a row is an enormous achievement in itself, and their route to the third consecutive appearance on the biggest stage is a testament to their dedication and desire to be the best.

Here, Mirror US Sport have identified some of the key areas that the Chiefs can work on to improve in a bid to go all the way again next season.

One thing that Chiefs fans may struggle to admit is the age of their successful head coach, Andy Reid.

The 66-year-old boss has been part of the franchise since 2013 and has won three Super Bowls with Kansas City.

Reid has had unprecedented success in Missouri and built a dynasty in Kansas City after leaving the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012.

Before the Super Bowl, Reid confirmed that he would be returning for at least one more season with the Chiefs in 2025.

However, there has been much speculation on whether Reid will bow out from the game sooner than planned, given that he has won everything there is to win in the league.

Tight end Kelce once admitted that he would only leave football for good if he wasn't going to be coached by Reid anymore, claiming the California-born coach is the best to ever do it.

If Reid did decide to say goodbye to his glittering NFL career, there would be plenty of talk about who would take over the Chiefs and do the job justice.

Eight-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick is a name often mentioned, given that he is the only other head coach in the NFL to have won more than Reid himself.

The former New England Patriots boss is currently the head coach at the University of North Carolina - and talkSPORT reports that his release clause drops from $10million to just $1m after June this year.

While Belichick looks to be enjoying his time at the Tar Heels, the Chiefs may well be the only team that could tempt him back to the NFL.

The Chiefs should do all they can to convince Reid to stay on, but if he does decide to go, then Belichick could be the man to take this bunch of players back to the top.

In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chiefs have six picks in total across the seven rounds: the 31st overall pick, one two-round pick, two three-round picks, and one pick in rounds four and seven, respectively.

While they have a strong squad on paper, the offensive line's failings in Super Bowl LIX may force Reid and his recruitment staff to opt for some weapons on the line to bolster Mahomes' protection in the backfield.

Across the 2024 season, the Chiefs' offensive line allowed a 24% pressure rate on quarterback dropbacks, according to Sports Reference.

In the Super Bowl itself, Mahomes was sacked six times and almost 50% of his dropbacks were pressured by the Eagles defensive line - leading to two interceptions and many missed passes.

The Eagles exposed a flaw in the Chiefs' team, and Mahomes will need better in front of him if he is to lead them to glory next season.

One offensive line option that Kansas City can snap up right away in the first round of the Draft is Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr.

The Ducks player won the 2021 Anthony Munoz Award for the best lineman in high school football and has been an impressive watch in college.

The two-year starter has made 28 career appearances at left tackle and has speed on his side - after he initially started out as a running back before transitioning to the line as a sophomore.

Another offensive tackle catching fan's eyes is Aireontae Ersery, who plays out of the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The three-star recruit became a solid part of the Gophers offensive line, only allowing two sacks across the 2023 and 2024 seasons each.

This protection of his quarterback could make him a perfect fit for the Chiefs, who need to look after their franchise quarterback more.

His perfect weight of 330 lbs also makes him a force to be reckoned with for any defensive end.

If Travis Kelce does stick around, the Chiefs might also consider recruiting another tight end to learn the ropes from him - and eventually succeed him.

The veteran tight end has discussed retirement recently but has said he will be playing "until the wheels come off." Many had speculated that Kelce would retire from the NFL had the Chiefs won Super Bowl LIX, but the blow-out loss could have changed his plans to bow out with success.

With his 12 years of experience in the NFL, including three Lombardi trophies and 10 Pro Bowl selections, there are definitely worse athletes for a rookie tight end to learn from.

One such offensive weapon they could add is Harold Fannin Jr, who played for the Bowling Green Falcons in college.

In 2024, Fannin Jr had 1,555 receiving yards for 10 touchdowns, averaging 13.3 yards per catch across each game.

He can also be used as a slot or wide receiver, according to Bleacher Report, and his threat in the passing game could be a valuable asset to Mahomes in the future - and a potential replacement for Kelce when he does hang up his cleats.

The Chiefs could also look to the free agency market to freshen up their squad and excite fans with a potential star signing to begin the journey to another Lombardi.

There are so many solid athletes who will be free agents this offseason, and many NFL teams will likely try to profit from this market as soon as possible.

In terms of the Chiefs' own free agents, linebacker Nick Bolton, wide receiver Hollywood Brown and running back Kareem Hunt are all names who could leave Kansas City without a contract extension agreed.

While it is likely that Brown and Hunt all remain, some of the offensive line are also on the free agency list.

DJ Humphries and Mike Caliendo both played in the Super Bowl on Sunday and could be out the door this week if they don't re-sign.

Moving some players off the roster and securing some better options off the free agency market could be the best move for the Chiefs, bringing them right back to the top in 2025.

Regarding the line, Baltimore Ravens star Ronnie Stanley will enter free agency as a 31-year-old this year and had a 92.5% pass block win rate in 2024.

This could be a perfect option for Reid to add to his line and give Mahomes the protection he needs to sling that ball without any pressure.

Defensively, Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack will be available during the offseason - and his experience sets him aside from other players his age.

The 34-year-old has 107.5 career sacks and is well-versed in the NFL after 11 pro seasons.

However, the Chargers look to be trying to re-sign Mack in 2025, but the temptation of joining a Super Bowl-winning squad may be the turning point in this deal.

Finally, one man who is top of the list for many teams is Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.

The 26-year-old could head elsewhere in the AFC or NFC this offseason, as Higgins is just entering his prime years as a receiver - and whoever snaps him up will be getting a solid catcher and runner on their team.

Despite playing just 12 games in 2024, the Bengals star still finished with 73 receptions for 911 yards, and his 10 touchdowns tied for sixth most in the league in his position..

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