For Kansas City, the nightmare season didn’t just end with the final whistle — it cracked open the most unthinkable debate in franchise history.
The Chiefs are staring down a brutal offseason. Travis Kelce may be nearing retirement. Patrick Mahomes is recovering from a torn ACL. Dozens of roster decisions loom. And now, one national writer has dared to ask the question no one in Arrowhead wants to hear.
Should the Chiefs actually consider trading their quarterback?
The boldest take of the NFL offseason
In Bleacher Report’s Bold Statements Following the 2025 NFL Regular Season, analyst Brad Gagnon suggested Kansas City might need a total reset — even if that means listening to trade calls for Mahomes, the face of the franchise and owner of a 10-year, $450 million deal.
“Mahomes is probably not going anywhere,” Gagnon wrote. “But the Chiefs shouldn’t rule it out in the event of a blockbuster offer. Otherwise, this thing could start to rot.”
It’s a stunning thought — and yet, the numbers are even more shocking.
The contract bomb about to explode
Mahomes’ 2026 financials are staggering. His base salary jumps to $45.35 million. His cap hit explodes to a jaw-dropping $78.2 million.
According to Spotrac, only a handful of teams could even absorb that number: the Titans, Raiders, Chargers, Jets, Commanders and Rams.
And almost all of those paths feel impossible.
The Raiders and Chargers are division rivals. The Commanders and Titans already have young quarterbacks. The Rams have Matthew Stafford. And the Jets… well, Chiefs fans would rather not go there.
Fantasy or future?
Any team chasing Mahomes would need to offer a king’s ransom — multiple first-round picks and elite talent — all while gambling on his recovery from knee surgery.
So yes, this is probably just talk.
But for the first time in his career, Patrick Mahomes is not untouchable in the headlines. And that alone shows just how fragile Kansas City’s empire has suddenly become.
