Chiefs headlines for Saturday, June 28
The latest
The Kansas City Chiefs have requested an extension to an end-of-June deadline for a stadium financing package from the state of Kansas, an indication that the NFL franchise’s potential move across the state line from Missouri is a legitimate possibility.Chiefs president Mark Donovan requested the extension Thursday in a letter to Kansas Senate president Ty Masterson, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. Donovan explained that the Chiefs have made “significant progress” on plans for a new stadium development but that more time is needed to “bring the effort to full fruition.”
Big Ben delivers surprising verdict on Patrick Mahomes’ prime years | Arrowhead Addict
There’s no denying the fact that Patrick Mahomes will, at some point, no longer be in his prime years. It happens to every player who continues to play as long as his skill set allows, and the Kansas City Chiefs superstar will fall prey to the same.
Very few understand the nature of the quarterback position and what it would feel like to fade from greatness like former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. And if you ask Big Ben, he’ll tell that Mahomes is already on the way down.
On a recent episode of his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, the former Steeler talked at length about veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who recently signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh. When asked about a comparison with Rodgers and Mahomes, Roethlisberger had something interesting to note about Mahomes’ trajectory.
AFC West 2025 preview examining the Chiefs, Broncos, Chargers and Raiders | The Athletic
Chiefs (11.5 wins)
Key question: Was their 2024 success a fluke, or was the Super Bowl the outlier?
Kansas City went 12-0 in one-score games last season, a record that began after an Isaiah Likely toe cost the Ravens a chance at overtime. That run of good fortune continued until the Super Bowl, when their blowout 40-22 loss to the Eagles exposed this offensive line (six sacks allowed despite zero blitzes) and might have shared the blueprint for stopping Kansas City.
Position to watch: Left tackle.
2024 second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia, last year’s expected starter, was awful (his PFF grade ranked 136th of 140 tackles), forcing Kansas City to eventually move former G Joe Thuney there. That weakened the interior line and run game. An overhaul came this offseason, with former 49ers backup Jaylon Moore signed for two years and Ohio State’s talented (but injured) Josh Simmons drafted in the first round.
10 late-career NFL veterans still playing at a high level | PFF
Thuney has been a model of consistency over his career, grading no lower than 74.2 overall since 2017. Although his grade last year (80.0) fell short of his career-best mark (81.2) in 2021, it’s important to point out that he was playing out of position at times. Thuney started at left tackle from Week 15 on through the Super Bowl, with 30.2% of his snaps for the season coming there.
Around the NFL
49ers’ Deommodore Lenoir arrested in L.A. on obstruction charge | ESPN
San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir was arrested in Los Angeles on Thursday night on a charge of obstruction of justice, police said.
Lenoir, a 25-year-old Los Angeles native, was released from jail early Friday morning and is scheduled to appear in court next month, according to jail records.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers had approached a group that included Lenoir and observed a gun inside a parked vehicle. When police asked for the keys, another man tossed them to Lenoir. Lenoir then threw the keys to a third man who tried to hide them, according to multiple reports.
“We are aware of the matter involving Deommodore Lenoir and are in the process of gathering further information,” the team said in a statement.
Alvin Kamara to the Broncos
Why it makes sense: Kamara may be a Saints mainstay, but he’s approaching 30 with an annual injury history, and New Orleans isn’t necessarily geared to compete for meaningful wins in 2025 with a rookie coach and quarterback in Kellen Moore and Tyler Shough, respectively. The Broncos, meanwhile, could still use additional big-play weapons for Bo Nix. And their coach, Sean Payton, was responsible for drafting and unleashing Kamara during his time with the Saints. So what if Denver signed J.K. Dobbins and drafted RJ Harvey? Payton wants depth to win on the ground, and besides, Kamara’s best attribute is collecting passes out of the backfield; he could be Nix’s top safety valve.
Baker Mayfield for MVP? Josh Jacobs for OPOY? Long-shot picks for major NFL awards in 2025 | NFL.com
Coach of the Year
Sean McVay
Los Angeles Rams · HC
Current odds to win COY: +1800
It’s time for the football world to once again acknowledge the offensive wizard as one of the best team-builders in the game. After the Rams overcame slow starts in each of the past two seasons to earn playoff berths, perhaps McVay will walk away with honors for his work with a team that could steamroll through the division from the jump this time around. As free-agent signee Davante Adams and Puka Nacua team with Matthew Stafford to spark a high-flying offense, the coach’s superb management skills should shine as he chalks up wins utilizing a complementary approach that binds the spectacular offense with a gritty defense and special-teams unit to outduel opponents.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs News: Trey Smith joins Travis Kelce on New Heights Podcast
1. Rookie left tackle Josh Simmons
If you’re a Chiefs fan, you’ve probably been waiting with bated breath to see rookie first-round draft pick Josh Simmons in action.
Well, if Travis Kelce’s early reaction is any indication, the Chiefs may have landed the steal of the draft.
During the podcast, Travis recounted going up against Simmons during practice when the rookie was filling in on the scout team.
“He was being a scout team defensive end,” said a wide-eyed Travis, “and I felt that man’s hands grab me, and I was like, all right, all right…”
Smith confirmed the assessment, noting that while he hadn’t met Simmons yet, he’d already heard about his strength.
“I just heard that he is so strong — like unbelievably strong. Obviously the talent is there. I think he’s going to be a great asset to the team.”
But it was Jason who delivered the biggest compliment — and the most reason for optimism — when he said after watching Simmons’ tape:
“He’s the closest thing I’ve seen to a Trent Williams… that next-level strength and athleticism.”
If that’s true, Kansas City might be about to unleash something unstoppable.
Social media to make you think
This is pretty sweet. There’s a secret underground tunnel that connects Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums.
It’s called the “commissary” and splits into a right turn for the Royals, or a left for the Chiefs. If you miss the directional signage, you could always follow the blue or… pic.twitter.com/gyOUVmOqOq
— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) June 26, 2025
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