The NFL has suffered one of the hardest blows in recent years. As the weeks went by, things didn’t improve much for the Kansas City Chiefs, and it was in Week 15 that the inevitable finally happened: the elimination of the team that had long dominated its division and the league.
In a nightmare evening, the Chiefs not only lost 16-13 to the Los Angeles Chargers, but they also watched their star quarterback suffer a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the final minutes of the game – confirming that, for the first time in Patrick Mahomes‘ career, he won’t even reach the AFC Championship Game.
Haters love It – but Is the NFL happy?
It’s clear that many fans celebrated the end of Kansas City’s dominance, as it could be good news for their own teams. But for the NFL as a whole? That’s uncertain, given the loss of exposure – both on the field and off it, thanks to the presence of superstar Taylor Swift, who occasionally attends games to support her partner, Travis Kelce.
For Rich Eisen, for example, he would have preferred to see the Chiefs in the playoffs, stating that the league will miss them and that the postseason won’t be as “fun” without them.
“You’re gonna miss them,” Eisen said. “You’re gonna miss the Kansas City Chiefs when the AFC Playoffs are hitting. You’re gonna miss the buzz, you’re gonna miss the pizzazz, you’re gonna miss Mahomes vs. fill in the blank. You’re gonna miss Mahomes vs. fill in the blank with no time left. You’re gonna miss something.
“The AFC Playoffs will have less juice to it without the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. And one day, all you Chiefs fatiguers out there will admit it… the league’s more fun when the Chiefs are good.”
It’s no secret that TV networks will miss the Chiefs too, as they were a huge promotional draw for the playoffs – which will now be headlined by other quarterbacks like Josh Allen, Jordan Love, or Matthew Stafford.
Dynasties generate endless discussion across leagues like the NFL or NBA, and it will feel very strange to look at the playoff bracket without the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes – who could even miss the start of next season.
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