Bold is the theme on defense for the Kansas City Chiefs as the 2025 season begins in a rare Week 1 setting — and with a division rival waiting — as Friday night lights and the NFL come to South America.
The Chiefs beat Jim Harbaugh and the AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers twice last season on the way to 15 wins and the top seed in the conference, falling short in a three-peat bid with a Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in February.
This week, the Chiefs begin a march they hope ends with another shot at the Lombardi Trophy on foreign soil in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Being a first-time visitor to the country, All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones views Week 1 as a celebration of Kansas City’s success — and a big test. Primarily of the Chiefs’ readiness, but also of Jones’ tourist acumen. He said he’s bringing two TVs — a new LG model that can be checked — and a serious appetite with fingers crossed he’s permitted to sample plenty of the culinary options.
“I think it’s sweet we get to play internationally first game of the season,” Jones said. “That’s a challenge for us as a team. Division rivalry. We also get a chance to test where we’re at.”
If Jones is fixated on feijoada, then the Chargers would be glad to serve a Week 1 upset and end a seven-game losing streak to the Chiefs.
The Chargers featured one of the NFL’s best defenses last year in Harbaugh’s first season as their head coach, then invested in multiple running backs in the offseason to further his preferred old-school approach.
After signing Najee Harris in free agency, the Chargers used a first-round pick to select Omarion Hampton. Known for his speed, Hampton wowed Harbaugh with his vision and ability to pick through traffic in the preseason. Harris missed training camp and preseason due to a July 4 eye injury, but Harbaugh said Monday there is a “possibility” he will be ready to play Friday.
“Everything he does — conditioning, everything — it’s too easy (for him). You have to try to pull him back,” Harbaugh said. “It’s clear and obvious, all of us have to pick it up to get on his level.”
Herbert had 23 touchdowns and three interceptions in his first season under Harbaugh. The Chiefs surrendered two total TD passes and sacked him five times in their two 2024 meetings.
Five weeks after reporting to training camp, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said he can sense energy on the rise for a “quote-unquote real game.”
Spagnuolo gave new cornerback Kristian Fulton, a free-agent addition from the Chargers who practiced daily against Ladd McConkey last year, the floor at the first defensive meeting of the week to stress the importance of knowing McConkey’s whereabouts and how he impacts the Los Angeles game plan.
“The first slide I put up last week said, ‘All 22 need to be aware of where 15 is,'” Spagnuolo said of placing McConkey on the top of the scouting report this week. “I asked the guys if (they) knew what we mean. It meant all 22 eyeballs. Every one of them, the D-line included, need to know where he is. We feel that strongly. That’s going to be a major, major focus.”
McConkey had 1,346 yards and 91 receptions between the regular season and playoffs last season to set team records. He’ll be Herbert’s lead target even with Keenan Allen back in the fold after one season in Chicago. Allen owns the Chargers’ franchise marks with 904 receptions and 10,530 yards in the uniform.
With Rashee Rice suspended for six weeks by the NFL, the pecking order at wide receiver is not as clear for the Chiefs. Xavier Worthy, a first-round pick in 2024, developed into the No. 1 option for Patrick Mahomes in 2024 with the speed to get deep. Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, and rookie fourth-round pick Jalen Royals are the other options for Kansas City, along with tight end Travis Kelce. Reid said Brown (foot, ankle) was able to “do everything” in practice on Tuesday while Royals (knee) remained out.
No NFL team has matched Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ level in the past decade. Kansas City has won nine AFC West titles in a row and played in the Super Bowl five of the past six seasons. Their 19-17 win over the Chargers on Dec. 8 clinched the division title last season.
In 12 career games against the Chargers, Mahomes has 3,270 passing yards and 27 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He’s only thrown more TD passes against one opponent: the Raiders (33). His last loss to the Chargers came in 2021: A 30-24 defeat with three TDs and two interceptions.
“We have a lot of motivation going into this season,” said Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis. “Prove some people right — prove some people wrong. Fired up and super excited to get this thing started and prove what we got and prove what we are made of.”
