Mahomes injures knee, Chiefs ousted from playoff race

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes went down with a knee injury in the fourth quarter of a 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers that eliminated Kansas City from postseason contention Sunday.

Head coach Andy Reid said postgame that Mahomes' injury "didn't look good," adding that the Chiefs superstar will have an MRI on his left knee Monday, according to McKenzie Nelson of KSHB 41 News.

Mahomes was hurt on a hit late in the fourth quarter while he was attempting a pass.

Cameras showed Mahomes receiving significant help getting to the locker room minutes later.

Gardner Minshew entered the game and threw a late interception with Kansas City approaching field-goal range and needing three points to force overtime.

The Chiefs fell to 6-8 with Sunday's home loss. The defeat - combined with wins from the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Houston Texans - mathematically ended the reigning AFC champions' chances of making the playoffs.

Mahomes completed 16 of 28 attempts for 189 yards and no touchdowns with one interception against the Chargers. He added 15 yards and one TD on the ground.

It's the first time the Chiefs will miss the postseason since 2014. They had reached the AFC title game each year since Mahomes became their starter in 2018, winning three Super Bowls in that span.

Kansas City started the 2025 campaign 0-2 but clawed back to 5-3 in the season's first half. However, Mahomes and Co. weren't able to replicate that success in recent weeks, losing five of their past six games.