Defensive line coach Joe Cullen said Wednesday that Karlaftis played multiple games with a broken hand in 2025, Pete Sweeney of The Kansas City Star reports. Despite the serious injury he apparently sustained prior to Week 11 at Denver, Karlaftis only missed one game last season, sitting out in Week 18 when the Chiefs were already eliminated from playoff contention. Now fully healthy, he projects to again play a huge role on the edge for Kansas City in 2026.
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AFC West
(6-11, 3rd place)
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passing yards
3587rushing yards
611receiving yards
851tackles
73interceptions
2Passing
name GP CMP ATT CMP% YDS YDS/G TD INT SACK SYL RTG P. Mahomes,QB1431550262.7%3,587256.222113419389.6C. Oladokun,QB3355563.6%23578.31089379.0S. Buechele,QB171450.0%8888.00052269.9G. Minshew II,QB461346.2%379.3010021.0Rushing
name GP CAR YDS AVG LNG YDS/G TD FUM LST FD K. Hunt,RB171636113.73335.982755P. Mahomes,QB14644226.62230.153127B. Smith,RB17441513.4148.90145I. Pacheco,RB131184623.91635.5101327N. Remigio,WR1411111.0110.80201X. Worthy,WR1411877.9356.20044D. Pierce,RB14102.5410.00000C. Oladokun,QB35183.676.0040027131.976.50031T. Kelce,TE17111.010.10100R. Rice,WR85204.072.51202S. Buechele,QB1144.044.00000G. Minshew II,QB4620.380.50000Receiving
name GP REC TGTS YDS AVG TD LNG YDS/G YAC FD K. Hunt,RB17182514381228.4153.08J. Royals,WR72342020.64.00P. Mahomes,QB1411-10-10010-0.7-2.00B. Smith,RB172535172711710.1232.07I. Pacheco,RB13192610151317.8121.04N. Remigio,WR141121210211.53.01X. Worthy,WR1442735321314238.0193.022T. Thornton,WR1419374382336131.359.015R. Tonyan,TE171111010.10.0022295074.513.00E. Mitchell,RB10100000.00.001733453451013020.3191.019J. Wiley,TE51144040.88.01T. Kelce,TE17761088511154450.1422.046N. Gray,TE162137178802811.1107.09R. Rice,WR853785711154771.4414.028J. Brownlee,WR60100000.00.00H. Brown,WR1649745871255136.7190.029Defense
TacklesSacksInterceptionsFumblesname GP SOLO AST TOTAL SACK SCKYDS TFL PD INT TD FF FR FTD O. Norman-Lott, DT5 4 1 5 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 K. Hunt, RB17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Royals, WR7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 P. Mahomes, QB14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B. Cook, SAF17 49 33 82 0 0 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 T. McDuffie, CB13 45 18 63 1 3 2 7 1 0 1 0 0 J. Hicks, DB17 24 11 35 0.5 0.5 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 H. Butker, K17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X. Worthy, WR14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 M. Caliendo, OL17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Cochrane, LB17 2 4 6 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 T. Thornton, WR14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 E. Downs, OLB1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 R. Tonyan, TE17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N. Williams, DB17 22 15 37 1 8 4 7 0 0 0 0 0 N. Bolton, LB17 73 81 154 1 8 10 6 1 0 1 0 0 Z. Pickens, DT3 3 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 M. Pennel, NT8 4 7 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Watson, CB15 42 22 64 2 12 3 6 2 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Winchester, LS17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Simmons, OT8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Tillery, DT17 8 12 20 1.5 3.5 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 M. Danna, OLB15 8 17 25 1 10 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 D. Nnadi, DT15 10 6 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Wiley, TE5 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Christiansen, LB3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 G. Karlaftis, DE16 25 23 48 6 23.5 10 2 0 0 0 1 0 M. Edwards, SAF6 9 4 13 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 J. Williams, CB15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T. Kelce, TE17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 L. Chenal, OLB14 23 31 54 2 6.5 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 K. Fulton, CB8 12 4 16 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 M. Tuipulotu, DT3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Conner, DB17 68 39 107 2 14 4 2 1 0 2 0 0 A. Gillotte, DE17 14 23 37 1.5 2 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 11 15 8 23 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 D. Tranquill, LB17 55 48 103 2 13 10 1 0 0 1 1 0 K. Knowles, CB13 2 3 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 C. Jones, DT17 15 14 29 7 39 12 2 0 0 0 0 0 C. Omenihu, DE17 15 13 28 3.5 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Brownlee, WR6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N. Johnson, CB2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. McDonald, LB17 3 4 7 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Bassa, LB17 2 4 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 H. Brown, WR16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Chiefs Depth Chart
Chiefs Injury Report
Defensive line coach Joe Cullen said Wednesday that Karlaftis played multiple games with a broken hand in 2025, Pete Sweeney of The Kansas City Star reports. Despite the serious injury he apparently sustained prior to Week 11 at Denver, Karlaftis only missed one game last season, sitting out in Week 18 when the Chiefs were already eliminated from playoff contention. Now fully healthy, he projects to again play a huge role on the edge for Kansas City in 2026.
Mahomes (knee) has been participating in OTAs this week in a limited capacity, Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride.com reports. As expected, Mahomes hasn't been cleared for 11-on-11 work, as he continues his rehab from a torn ACL and LCL suffered in Week 15 of last season. Still, Mahomes' progress has been impressive, and he looks to be well ahead of schedule with an eye toward being ready for Week 1 of the 2026 campaign.
Worthy (shoulder) has been limited at OTAs this week after he underwent offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Matt Foster of KSHB Kansas City reports. Worthy is doing individual drills and wearing a yellow non-contact jersey at practice this week. The 23-year-old suffered a serious shoulder injury on the third offensive snap of the season in the Chiefs' Week 1 loss to the Chargers last September and missed the following two contests. He dealt with the torn labrum for the entire 2025 campaign and finished his second NFL season with a meager 42-532-1 receiving line on 73 targets across 14 regular-season appearances. With Rashee Rice dealing with legal issues and Travis Kelce set to turn 37 years old this season, the Chiefs need Worthy to stay healthy and take a significant third-year leap.
Mahomes (knee) participated in the Chiefs' opening OTA practice Tuesday, Nate Taylor of ESPN reports. While the extent of Mahomes' participation wasn't revealed, the Chiefs did post a video of the QB making a throw on the field, while sporting a brace on his left knee. Mahomes is bouncing back from surgery that he had Dec. 15 to repair the torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, with his recovery ongoing. Still, his participation in Tuesday's session, in any capacity, is encouraging nonetheless. Mahomes' stated goal is to be ready for Week 1 action, with Taylor noting that in recent weeks, the Chiefs have expressed optimism that their star signal caller will be in uniform Sept. 14 against the Broncos.
Rice underwent a clean-up surgery on his right knee last week, which is expected to sideline the wideout for two months, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Per the report, the procedure was done to remove loose debris in Rice's knee -- which did not have any structural damage -- that was causing him inflammation. Rice is expected to be ready for training camp later this summer. Earlier Tuesday, ESPN reported that Rice was sentenced to serve 30 days in jail after testing positive for marijuana in violation of the terms of his probation for his role in a crash that left multiple people injured on a Dallas highway two years ago. Rice is set to be released June 16 and is thus not in line to be present for the Chiefs' upcoming voluntary practices, as well the team's mandatory minicamp, which is set to conclude June 11.
Rice was placed in custody Tuesday and sentenced to 30 days in jail for violating terms of his probation with a positive test for THC, Matt Foster of KSHB reports. Rice is scheduled to be released June 16, ruling him out for the rest of Kansas City's offseason program. An NFL suspension may be coming this summer, with Rice unlikely to get much sympathy after violating the terms of his probation from the same arrest that led to his six-game suspension to open the 2025 campaign. The league also looked into domestic-violence allegations against Rice at the beginning of the offseason, ultimately citing "insufficient evidence" in early April.
Walker suggested Tuesday that he might have an opportunity to catch more passes with the Chiefs than he did with the Seahawks, Eric Edholm of NFL.com reports. On the heels of being named the most valuable player of Super Bowl LX, Walker inked a lucrative three-year deal to lead Kansas City's backfield this coming season. Edholm notes that Walker earned a reputation as a run-first back during his four-year stint with Seattle, but the 2022 second-rounder -- who logged 31 catches in 17 regular-season games in 2025 -- has reportedly been spending time with QB Patrick Mahomes (who is bouncing back from a December ACL/LCL injury) this offseason in anticipation of a potentially expanded role as a pass-catcher. "We've been working on getting connected in the passing game and everything, so that's good," Walker said. "I feel like I'll be used more in the pass game." Either way, as the clear-cut RB1 for his new team, Walker figures to be busy out of the gate this coming season, while Mahomes works his way back to form. Competing for complementary work behind Walker will be a pair of newcomers in rookie Emmett Johnson and free agent addition Emari Demercado, as well as 2025 seventh-rounder Brashard Smith.
Johnson is competing with Brashard Smith and Emari Demercado for slotting on Kansas City's running back depth chart behind Kenneth Walker, Grant Gordon of NFL.com reports. The Chiefs almost completely remade their backfield compared to last season, letting Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco walk while retaining the 2025 seventh-round pick Smith, and signing Walker and Demercado before drafting Johnson in the fifth round. Kansas City also signed undrafted free agents Jaydn Ott and EJ Smith. Demercado and Brashard Smith both seem best suited for change-of-pace roles on passing downs, so Johnson could have a clear lane to getting the second-most carries behind Walker. Head coach Andy Reid compared Johnson's skill set to that of former NFL running back LeSean McCoy, who exceeded 1,000 regular-season rushing yards on six occasions.