Kansas City looks positioned to lead the NFL in 2025, with a Brazil opener on Sept. 5 and a projected 14-3 regular season that Jackson Jacobs forecasts will carry the Chiefs to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara.
Key Takeaways
- Week 1 in São Paulo, Brazil: Chiefs vs Chargers on Sept. 5, kickoff 7 p.m.
- Nick Jacobs projects the Chiefs to finish 14-3 and grab the AFC top seed.
- Predicted losses include Baltimore (Week 4), Buffalo (Week 9) and a late home loss to Denver (Week 17).
- Rashee Rice suspension is a season factor until his expected return in Week 7.
- Bye week is Week 10, offering a midseason reset.
- AFC playoff picture forecast: Chiefs, Bills, Ravens, Texans, Broncos, Bengals, Chargers.
- NFC projection highlights Packers and Eagles as the top conference contenders; Chiefs over Packers in Super Bowl LX.
Verified Facts
The Chiefs open the 2025 regular season on Friday, Sept. 5, in São Paulo against the Los Angeles Chargers, a game scheduled for 7 p.m. local kickoff in Brazil. That international opener and subsequent travel were factored into Jacobs’ early-season outlook.
The preseason evaluation cited improvements along the offensive left tackle spot, healthier receiver corps and new offensive pieces as reasons the Chiefs can repeat strong close-game results despite national skepticism. The team has held multiple preparation sessions since May to assess depth and fit.
Week-by-week projections list key turning points: an early loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4 attributed in part to Rashee Rice being unavailable, another defeat projected at Buffalo in Week 9, and a physical Thanksgiving stretch before a short-week loss to Denver on Dec. 25. The predicted bye falls in Week 10.
Jacobs released a full set of playoff seed predictions: AFC 1 Chiefs (14-3), 2 Bills (13-4), 3 Ravens (12-5), 4 Texans (10-7), 5 Broncos (12-5), 6 Bengals (11-6), 7 Chargers (10-7). NFC leaders projected were Packers, Eagles and Rams, with the Packers forecasted as the conference champion. The Super Bowl pick is Chiefs over Packers in Santa Clara.
Context & Impact
Within the AFC West, Denver is viewed as the primary challenger; Jacobs expects the Broncos to field one of the league’s stronger defenses and to press Kansas City for the division title. The Chiefs’ left tackle upgrade and healthier wide receiver room are framed as offsets to last season’s close-game variance.
On the national stage, the Bills remain a top AFC contender, while the Packers’ offseason moves, including a high-profile trade, reshaped NFC projections. Several franchises’ early-season form and injury developments are presented as decisive for Jacobs’ final seeding.
Practical effects of the schedule include the international travel to Brazil early on, a later-than-usual bye in Week 10, and a demanding December slate that could influence resting decisions for playoff seeding late in the year.
Possible ripple effects
- Rashee Rice’s return in Week 7 could materially alter Kansas City’s offensive balance.
- A Chiefs win streak into November would secure home-field advantages and change Week 18 stakes.
- Trades or injuries to key defenders across the AFC and NFC could shift predicted seedings.
Team communications have emphasized roster depth and preparation as central to the Chiefs approach this preseason.
Kansas City Chiefs communications
Unconfirmed
- How quickly Rashee Rice will regain pre-suspension form once he returns.
- The precise impact of the Brazil trip on Chiefs player recovery and performance.
- Long-term effects of midseason roster adjustments or late injuries to competing teams such as Buffalo and Denver.
Bottom Line
Jacobs projects the Chiefs as the team to beat in 2025, citing roster upgrades and improved health. The roadmap includes a 14-3 regular season, the AFC top seed and a Super Bowl LX win over the Packers, but several projections hinge on recoveries and in-season developments that remain uncertain.
Readers should view the week-by-week picks as a reasoned forecast, not a certainty; actual outcomes will depend on injuries, form and how teams adapt across the long season.