Key Highlights
- Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Denver Broncos, 20-13, in a valiant performance by several young and inexperienced players.
- Tight end Travis Kelce continued his record-breaking career with five catches for 36 yards, moving past Anquan Boldin for ninth-most receptions.
- Quarterback Chris Oladokun made his first career start and led the Chiefs into Broncos’ territory multiple times despite facing a formidable defense.
- The Chiefs’ offensive line held their own against Denver’s high-powered pass-rush, yielding only four pressures in 52 combined pass-blocking snaps.
- Brashard Smith found the end zone for the first time in his career with a 5-yard receiving touchdown and a 44-yard punt return.
The Chiefs’ Resilient Performance Despite Loss
The Kansas City Chiefs faced a daunting challenge against the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, Dec 29, 2025. The game, played at 3:44 PM local time, saw the Chiefs lose by a score of 20-13 despite giving a valiant effort in all three phases of play.
Tight End Travis Kelce’s Historic Night
Travis Kelce, one of the NFL’s most prolific tight ends, continued his remarkable career during this game. He caught five passes for 36 yards and moved past Anquan Boldin to secure ninth place on the all-time receptions list with a total of 1,077 catches. If he manages just two more receptions in his next game, Kelce will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens (1,078) for sole possession of eighth place.
Chris Oladokun’s First Career Start
In a surprise move, quarterback Chris Oladokun, a member of the Chiefs’ practice squad since 2022, stepped up to make his first career start. Facing one of the league’s best defenses, Oladokun managed to keep Kansas City in contention throughout the game. He completed 13 out of 22 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown, completing an impressive 5-yard pass to tailback Brashard Smith early in the second quarter that led to a 5-yard score.
Despite not having many true possessions due to the short schedule (only seven), Oladokun successfully marched the Chiefs into Broncos’ territory on four occasions. Three of those drives resulted in points, demonstrating an admirable performance and giving the Chiefs a chance to win the game.
The Offensive Line’s Fortitude
Despite facing Denver’s high-powered pass-rush, which entered the week with 64 sacks (the most in the NFL) and had 12 different players with multiple sacks for the year, the Chiefs’ offensive line performed admirably. Esa Pole and Chukwuebuka Godrick, both young tackles, held their own against the formidable Broncos defense. Across 52 combined pass-blocking snaps (26 each), they yielded only four total pressures (and zero sacks).
While not enough to secure a victory, this performance is promising as both players continue to develop.
Brashard Smith’s First Touchdown
Defensive back Brashard Smith made headlines for the Chiefs when he scored his first touchdown in his career. During the game, he displayed multiple impactful plays, including a 5-yard receiving touchdown early in the second quarter and a remarkable 44-yard punt return later on.
Smith’s performance was encouraging, especially considering that he has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season. His Thursday night showing could be seen as a sign of things to come for next season.
The Chiefs’ Future Outlook
Despite coming up short, the Chiefs demonstrated plenty of reasons for optimism moving forward. Several young players had opportunities to showcase their talents against Denver, including Esa Pole and Chukwuebuka Godrick (both played 43 offensive snaps each), cornerback Nohl Williams (72 defensive snaps), defensive end Ashton Gillotte (45 defensive snaps), and linebacker Cooper McDonald (21 defensive snaps).
Williams was particularly impressive, as he was the Chiefs’ highest-graded player on Thursday based on Pro Football Focus metrics. McDonald ranked third in grading.
The performance of cornerback Kristian Fulton was also notable despite an injury-ridden offseason training program. He looked like the expected player and allowed just one catch on five targets (across 71 defensive snaps).
While the Chiefs did not reach their goals in 2025, these individual performances provided a positive outlook for next season as Kansas City looks to build on this promising start.
