In the offseason, the Chiefs released the longest tenured player in franchise history, punter
Dustin Colquitt, who had been with the team since 2005. Colquitt was later signed to the Chiefs practice squad shortly before the playoffs.
The biggest move of the offseason, however, was signing
quarterbackPatrick Mahomes to a ten-year, $503-million-dollar extension, the largest contract in American sports history.[1]
On August 17, the Chiefs announced that due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, their stadium will be filled at about 22% capacity, or about 16,000 fans. Additionally, fans in attendance will be required to wear a face covering when they are not actively eating or drinking. Season tickets were not sold, however, season ticket holders from 2019 that did not cancelled season tickets, still had the option to buy season tickets in 2021.[2]
After a 34–20 Week 3 win over the
Baltimore Ravens, the Chiefs set a franchise record for consecutive wins including the playoffs with 12.[3] The streak was snapped two weeks later at 13 with a Week 5 loss to the
Las Vegas Raiders.[4] Following a Week 4 victory over the
New England Patriots, the Chiefs became the first team in NFL history to open their season 4–0 in four consecutive seasons.[5] The Chiefs clinched their fifth consecutive AFC West title after defeating the
Miami Dolphins in Week 14. The victory also gave the Chiefs their first 12–1 record in franchise history.[6] A Week 16 victory over the
Atlanta Falcons gave the Chiefs their franchise record 14th win. It also clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Chiefs finished the season undefeated on the road for the first time in franchise history and with a 14–2 overall record, the best in the NFL during the season. In doing so, the Chiefs became the first team since the
2016 New England Patriots to achieve an 8-0 road record in the regular season.
Following their win in the divisional round of the playoffs against the Browns, Kansas City became the first AFC team ever to host three consecutive conference championship games, and the second team in NFL history to host three consecutive conference championships. The other team was the
Philadelphia Eagles from 2002–04, who were also coached by Andy Reid.[7] The win also gave the Chiefs their 3rd consecutive season winning at least one playoff game, after losing 11 of their previous 12 playoff games. In the AFC Championship, the Chiefs beat the
Buffalo Bills 38–24 and advanced to
Super Bowl LV, their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance and fourth all-time Super Bowl appearance. They went on to lose to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl, becoming the first team since the
2017 New England Patriots to win a Super Bowl but lose the following one the next season.
The Chiefs had six players named to the Top 100. Tight end Travis Kelce is the only player who was ranked higher than the previous season. Defending Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the highest rated Chiefs player on the list at fourth. Mahomes selection of fourth (behind fellow quarterbacks
Lamar Jackson and
Russell Wilson, as well as defensive tackle
Aaron Donald) drew criticism from multiple NFL analysts and fans.[8]SB Nation’s Chiefs site Arrowhead Pride said they will no longer report on the Top 100 following Mahomes being selected fourth.[9]
*Mike Kafka will continue serving in his role as quarterbacks coach, but will have additional duties as passing game coordinator
Players added
Below are players signed following the conclusion of the
2019 season, some of the players signed spent a portion of the 2019 NFL season on the practice squad and/or active roster.
The Chiefs traded linebacker
Dee Ford to the
San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their 2nd round draft pick (63rd overall).
The Chiefs traded their 2nd round selection (64th overall), in addition to 2019 draft picks, to the
Seattle Seahawks in exchange for defensive end
Frank Clark and a 2019 draft pick.
The Chiefs traded their 6th round selection (211th overall) to the
New York Jets in exchange for linebacker
Darron Lee
The Chiefs traded their 7th round selection (246th overall) to the
Miami Dolphins in exchange for safety
Jordan Lucas.
The Chiefs traded their 6th round pick in
2021 NFL Draft to the
Tennessee Titans in exchange for their 237th pick in the 2020 draft.
Below are players who were signed and released in the offseason before playing a game for the Chiefs in the
2020 season. These players were not a part of the final roster cut downs prior to the start of the regular season.
2020 Kansas City Chiefs Signed and released in the offseason
On July 24, 2020, NFL owners and the
NFL Players Association approved giving players the option to opt out of playing during the entire 2020 season as precaution due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. The players listed below opted-out before the August 6 deadline and did not play.[10]
The following players were released to bring the roster to the league mandated 53 players before week 1. In addition to the following 24 players being released, the Chiefs also placed two players on the reserve/suspended list and placed one player on the PUP list.
^
abTennessee finished ahead of Indianapolis based on division record.
^
abBaltimore finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory. Division tiebreaker used to eliminate Cleveland (see below).
^
abBaltimore finished ahead of Cleveland based on head-to-head sweep.
^
abCleveland finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory.
^
abNew England finished ahead of the LA Chargers based on head-to-head victory.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.
^
abcDespite being played in the Buccaneers home stadium, the Super Bowl is still officially considered a neutral site game.
^
abDue to positive
COVID-19 tests from Chiefs' practice squad quarterback
Jordan Ta'amu and Patriots' quarterback
Cam Newton, the NFL announced the game would be postponed to give both teams time to see if any other players had caught the virus. Following all additional tests coming back negative, the NFL announced the game would be played on October 5.[14]
^
abThe Chiefs' Week 6 game at the
Buffalo Bills was rescheduled from October 15 (Thursday) to October 19 (Monday), due to a
COVID-19 outbreak within the Titans' organization that forced the Bills–Titans game during Week 5 to be rescheduled from October 11 to October 13.[15]
In the offseason, the Chiefs released the longest tenured player in franchise history, punter
Dustin Colquitt, who had been with the team since 2005. Colquitt was later signed to the Chiefs practice squad shortly before the playoffs.
The biggest move of the offseason, however, was signing
quarterbackPatrick Mahomes to a ten-year, $503-million-dollar extension, the largest contract in American sports history.[1]
On August 17, the Chiefs announced that due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, their stadium will be filled at about 22% capacity, or about 16,000 fans. Additionally, fans in attendance will be required to wear a face covering when they are not actively eating or drinking. Season tickets were not sold, however, season ticket holders from 2019 that did not cancelled season tickets, still had the option to buy season tickets in 2021.[2]
After a 34–20 Week 3 win over the
Baltimore Ravens, the Chiefs set a franchise record for consecutive wins including the playoffs with 12.[3] The streak was snapped two weeks later at 13 with a Week 5 loss to the
Las Vegas Raiders.[4] Following a Week 4 victory over the
New England Patriots, the Chiefs became the first team in NFL history to open their season 4–0 in four consecutive seasons.[5] The Chiefs clinched their fifth consecutive AFC West title after defeating the
Miami Dolphins in Week 14. The victory also gave the Chiefs their first 12–1 record in franchise history.[6] A Week 16 victory over the
Atlanta Falcons gave the Chiefs their franchise record 14th win. It also clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Chiefs finished the season undefeated on the road for the first time in franchise history and with a 14–2 overall record, the best in the NFL during the season. In doing so, the Chiefs became the first team since the
2016 New England Patriots to achieve an 8-0 road record in the regular season.
Following their win in the divisional round of the playoffs against the Browns, Kansas City became the first AFC team ever to host three consecutive conference championship games, and the second team in NFL history to host three consecutive conference championships. The other team was the
Philadelphia Eagles from 2002–04, who were also coached by Andy Reid.[7] The win also gave the Chiefs their 3rd consecutive season winning at least one playoff game, after losing 11 of their previous 12 playoff games. In the AFC Championship, the Chiefs beat the
Buffalo Bills 38–24 and advanced to
Super Bowl LV, their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance and fourth all-time Super Bowl appearance. They went on to lose to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl, becoming the first team since the
2017 New England Patriots to win a Super Bowl but lose the following one the next season.
The Chiefs had six players named to the Top 100. Tight end Travis Kelce is the only player who was ranked higher than the previous season. Defending Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the highest rated Chiefs player on the list at fourth. Mahomes selection of fourth (behind fellow quarterbacks
Lamar Jackson and
Russell Wilson, as well as defensive tackle
Aaron Donald) drew criticism from multiple NFL analysts and fans.[8]SB Nation’s Chiefs site Arrowhead Pride said they will no longer report on the Top 100 following Mahomes being selected fourth.[9]
*Mike Kafka will continue serving in his role as quarterbacks coach, but will have additional duties as passing game coordinator
Players added
Below are players signed following the conclusion of the
2019 season, some of the players signed spent a portion of the 2019 NFL season on the practice squad and/or active roster.
The Chiefs traded linebacker
Dee Ford to the
San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their 2nd round draft pick (63rd overall).
The Chiefs traded their 2nd round selection (64th overall), in addition to 2019 draft picks, to the
Seattle Seahawks in exchange for defensive end
Frank Clark and a 2019 draft pick.
The Chiefs traded their 6th round selection (211th overall) to the
New York Jets in exchange for linebacker
Darron Lee
The Chiefs traded their 7th round selection (246th overall) to the
Miami Dolphins in exchange for safety
Jordan Lucas.
The Chiefs traded their 6th round pick in
2021 NFL Draft to the
Tennessee Titans in exchange for their 237th pick in the 2020 draft.
Below are players who were signed and released in the offseason before playing a game for the Chiefs in the
2020 season. These players were not a part of the final roster cut downs prior to the start of the regular season.
2020 Kansas City Chiefs Signed and released in the offseason
On July 24, 2020, NFL owners and the
NFL Players Association approved giving players the option to opt out of playing during the entire 2020 season as precaution due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. The players listed below opted-out before the August 6 deadline and did not play.[10]
The following players were released to bring the roster to the league mandated 53 players before week 1. In addition to the following 24 players being released, the Chiefs also placed two players on the reserve/suspended list and placed one player on the PUP list.
^
abTennessee finished ahead of Indianapolis based on division record.
^
abBaltimore finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory. Division tiebreaker used to eliminate Cleveland (see below).
^
abBaltimore finished ahead of Cleveland based on head-to-head sweep.
^
abCleveland finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory.
^
abNew England finished ahead of the LA Chargers based on head-to-head victory.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.
^
abcDespite being played in the Buccaneers home stadium, the Super Bowl is still officially considered a neutral site game.
^
abDue to positive
COVID-19 tests from Chiefs' practice squad quarterback
Jordan Ta'amu and Patriots' quarterback
Cam Newton, the NFL announced the game would be postponed to give both teams time to see if any other players had caught the virus. Following all additional tests coming back negative, the NFL announced the game would be played on October 5.[14]
^
abThe Chiefs' Week 6 game at the
Buffalo Bills was rescheduled from October 15 (Thursday) to October 19 (Monday), due to a
COVID-19 outbreak within the Titans' organization that forced the Bills–Titans game during Week 5 to be rescheduled from October 11 to October 13.[15]