The Kansas City Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions. They’ve won at least one playoff game in each of the last five seasons and have a future Hall of Fame coach (Andy Reid), a future Hall of Fame tight end (Travis Kelce), and perhaps the best quarterback ever to play the game of football (Patrick Mahomes). If, and that still remains a big IF, 2023 is indeed a down year for Kansas City after losing 27-19 to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night, then surely they’ve earned a little grace, right?
According to former Chiefs offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz, he thinks some fans are being a bit overdramatic about the NFL’s gold standard showing some fatal flaws. In an epic rant, Schwartz singled out some supporters (who he clarified aren’t the majority) for losing perspective about the special team they root for.
Schwartz told not one lie. Not one. Let’s run through it:
This is not for the majority of you but some of you need to hear it: you got to chill if you're this upset. Calling out the team for complacency or effort? Stop it. One guy got his leg snapped in half, another got kneed in the head by a 260 lb RB and laid face down for minutes.
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) December 4, 2023
Yeah, I’m personally against critiquing the effort of a team that’s played in three of the last four Super Bowls and remains a clear top-tier AFC contender. They’re not losing because they’re not trying.
Unhappy with the GM or front office? 5 straight AFCCG hosted at Arrowhead, 3 Super Bowl appearances, 2 Super Bowls won, ONE OF WHICH WAS IN FEBRUARY. We're 8-4, leading the division comfortably, and one game off the 1 seed. Great cap situation moving forward. They've done well.
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) December 4, 2023
The track record speaks for itself. If anyone’s earned the benefit of the doubt and a down game now and then, it’s the Chiefs. It’s not their fault that an 8-4 record in early December is “disappointing” based on their established high standards.
It's a much different team than we're used to. The offense is a lot worse compared to previous years. Guys don't win on the outside, the OL creates a ton of penalties and negative plays, and the QB is bearing the brunt of that. You're going to have to adjust your expectations.
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) December 4, 2023
But guess what? Our defense is better than it's been with Pat. One game in GB doesn't define that side of the ball. They've been great all year and been holding this team together. It's a well rounded team, just not the dominant one (offensively in particular) that we're used to.
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) December 4, 2023
Indeed, these are not the same explosive Chiefs we are accustomed to. They might have Mahomes, yes — who remains an efficient, game-breaking player — but these Chiefs are grinders. They win with a strong running game, a young top-10 defense, and timely offensive playmaking from Mahomes and Co. They’ve lost perhaps the most dangerous element of a contending offense and essentially must matriculate perfect long drives even to have a chance to score. But they play more balanced and complete football overall, which shouldn’t be discounted.
There's no dominant teams in the AFC. We beat 2 of the 3 division leaders. In NFC SF had a 3 game losing streak, something we've never sniffed. Philly is an unhappy 9-2. All the top teams have flaws. We have experience on our side once playoffs start. Stay patient and have trust.
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) December 4, 2023
This is the evergreen point any Chiefs fan panicking about their team should remember.
Kansas City remains a clear heavyweight in the AFC, even in a perceived down year. The Miami Dolphins have a buzzsaw offense and a playmaking defense, but they must still prove themselves in the postseason. The Baltimore Ravens, while great with Lamar Jackson, are similarly offensively challenged in an explosive sense. And considering Trevor Lawrence’s inconsistencies in his own moving parts offense, I see little reason to trust the Jacksonville Jaguars more than Kansas City.
Sure, the Chiefs could indeed finish with fewer than 12 regular season wins for the first time since 2017. But this is clearly a team still figuring out its new identity for the playoffs. If anyone in the NFL deserves patience, it’s a squad coached by Reid and quarterbacked by Mahomes. I will only write them off when they’re officially eliminated because their problems aren’t much more glaring than their peers.
And guess what? Even if the Chiefs don’t repeat as Super Bowl champions this season — which hasn’t been achieved by any team in nearly 20 years — it doesn’t change that their future is impeccably bright. The oldest starting defender on that mentioned elite defense is Chris Jones, who is 29. Add a legitimate downfield threat or two in the offseason, and these Chiefs are right back in the mix next season. As long as they have Mahomes and Reid, they’re always relevant as a significant January fixture. The sky is never falling.
Despite their struggles, Schwartz is absolutely right to shine a light and offer a grounding perspective about these Chiefs.