The 2025 NFL trade deadline came and went — and the Kansas City Chiefs, once again, decided to bet on themselves. No splashy deals. No new stars. Just silence.
For a franchise chasing its third Lombardi in six years, that silence spoke louder than any trade announcement could have. General manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid chose patience over panic — but fans aren’t buying it.
Social media erupted within minutes of the deadline passing. “Mahomes needs help, not hope,” one viral comment read on X. Others called it “a betrayal of ambition” and “a missed window that could haunt Kansas City.”
Rumors swirled that the Chiefs had shown interest in Jets running back Breece Hall, but no deal ever materialized. Instead, Kansas City will roll into the second half of the season with a running back room hanging by a thread.
Isiah Pacheco, the heart of their ground attack, remains sidelined with an MCL injury. Kareem Hunt is reliable but aging. Rookie Brashard Smith hasn’t found his rhythm. And offseason signing Elijah Mitchell? Still inactive.
On paper, the Chiefs still have Patrick Mahomes — the league’s ultimate equalizer. But even he needs support. Without a consistent run game, defenses can sit back, drop seven, and force Mahomes to carry the world on his shoulders once again.
Defensively, things aren’t much prettier. Chris Jones, once the anchor of Kansas City’s pass rush, has found himself increasingly isolated. Double-teamed, frustrated, and aging, the All-Pro desperately needed reinforcements — and none came.
“The Chiefs could have used a sparkplug on both sides of the ball,” wrote The Athletic’s Mike Jones, who listed Kansas City among the trade deadline “losers.” “They’re betting on internal improvement — and that’s a dangerous gamble in today’s NFL.”
Dangerous indeed. Because the road ahead is brutal. After the Week 10 bye, Kansas City faces a red-hot Denver Broncos team that just won its seventh game. Then comes a date with the surging Colts, followed by a Thanksgiving showdown in Dallas. Weeks 14 and 15? Houston and the Chargers — both desperate and dangerous.
At 5-4, the Chiefs no longer have the luxury of slow starts. Mahomes knows it. Andy Reid knows it. And somewhere deep down, Brett Veach probably does too.
Still, there’s a quiet confidence within the locker room — the same belief that has carried this team through every storm before. “We’ve been doubted before,” said a veteran player off record. “This is nothing new. We’ll fight with what we’ve got.”
Maybe that’s true. Maybe this team doesn’t need outside help to rekindle the magic. But if the losses pile up and January comes calling, fans will remember this week — the week the Chiefs did nothing.
And sometimes, doing nothing can cost everything.
