The Kansas City Chiefs got a major blowout win over the division-rival Broncos on Monday Night Football, opening the 2026 season with a big statement on a national stage. All doubts were silenced with a 31-10 Chiefs win over the reigning AFC West champions.
All eyes were on Kansas City on Monday: how would Patrick Mahomes look in his first game back from a major knee injury? Could Kenneth Walker III make a substantial impact behind an offensive line starting an undrafted rookie at left tackle? How would the new-look Chiefs defense perform?
While not all of those questions got concrete, projectable answers in just one game, the no-doubt nature of the Chiefs win makes them, at least for one week, a bit of an afterthought. And Chiefs fans aren’t the only ones taking notice: a former Kansas City star might be on his way to rejoin the team.
Former Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill Still ‘Fond’ of the Team
On Wednesday, ESPN NFL insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano published their notebook for the week, gathering storylines and tidbits they’d heard from around the league in one place.
“Also on the Chiefs front, free agent receiver Tyreek Hill remains fond of the Chiefs, and a potential in-season signing would make a lot of sense,” Fowler wrote. “He should be closer to playing around October.”
Hill last played for Kansas City in the 2021 season, winning his second Super Bowl with Mahomes and the Chiefs before he was traded to the Dolphins in 2022. The two best seasons of his career came in Miami — Hill twice topped 1,700 receiving yards with the Dolphins, but never had the team success he enjoyed in Kansas City. The wheels began to fall off of that Miami squad in 2024 before Hill suffered a major knee injury in 2025, one he’s still recovering from.
Now a free agent, Hill is free to sign with any team. A reunion with the Chiefs makes a lot of sense, but as Fowler noted, he won’t be ready to play until potentially October.
The Chiefs Defense Played Lights-Out Against the Broncos
Flipping to the other side of the ball, the Chiefs defense played an incredible game against the Broncos, despite losing rookie No. 6 pick CB Mansoor Delane early in the game. They held the Broncos to just 176 yards of total offense, forced two turnovers, and Denver was just 2-12 on third downs.
The Chiefs are known for their explosive offense with Mahomes under center, but when they’ve won Super Bowls in the past, their defense is always at the forefront, too. Kansas City made a good first impression with their new defensive unit.
Chiefs Get One-Word Descriptor on Potential Tyreek Hill Reunion