The Kansas City Chiefs’ dominance in the AFC West over the past few seasons has cemented them as the class of the division. With a roster led by the most dynamic quarterback in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes, and a coaching staff under the direction of Andy Reid, the Chiefs have set a high bar for the rest of the AFC West to follow. As the offseason approaches, many teams in the division are looking for ways to close the gap, but some are finding it increasingly difficult to build a roster capable of dethroning the Chiefs. One key aspect that may affect the future direction of the division is the potential for head coaching candidates to avoid the AFC West entirely in favor of other opportunities.
The Chiefs’ Reign in the AFC West
The Kansas City Chiefs have established a dynasty over the past several years. Since 2018, the Chiefs have won the AFC West every season, including a Super Bowl victory in 2019 and a trip to another Super Bowl in 2021. The team has been led by Patrick Mahomes, who is arguably the most talented quarterback in the NFL today. Mahomes has the ability to make throws that other quarterbacks can only dream of, and his ability to improvise and make plays in crucial moments has led to consistent success for Kansas City.
In addition to Mahomes, the Chiefs have an incredibly well-rounded roster. Their offense features standout players like tight end Travis Kelce, who is one of the most reliable receiving targets in the league. On defense, the team has invested in key players like Chris Jones, who can dominate the line of scrimmage and disrupt opposing offenses. The Chiefs’ roster is a balanced one, and their ability to consistently draft and develop talent has allowed them to remain at the top of the AFC West.
The presence of Andy Reid as the head coach has also played a critical role in the Chiefs’ success. Reid is widely regarded as one of the best offensive minds in NFL history, and his ability to create innovative schemes that play to the strengths of his players has helped Kansas City maintain an edge over the competition. Under Reid’s guidance, the Chiefs have been able to adapt to the ever-evolving landscape of the NFL and stay ahead of their rivals.
The AFC West’s Struggles to Catch Up
While the Chiefs have been riding high, the other teams in the AFC West have faced significant challenges in their attempts to catch up. The Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Chargers have all been unable to challenge Kansas City for supremacy in the division, despite having talented rosters and making changes to their coaching staffs in recent years.
The Broncos, in particular, have been plagued by quarterback instability for several years. After trading for Russell Wilson in 2022, Denver had high hopes for a quick turnaround. However, Wilson struggled to perform at the expected level, and the team finished the season with a losing record. The Broncos then parted ways with head coach Nathaniel Hackett and brought in Sean Payton in 2023, hoping the veteran coach could revive the team’s fortunes. While Payton has undoubtedly been a successful coach in the past, his tenure in Denver has yet to yield results that can challenge the Chiefs.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been in a similar situation, undergoing numerous changes to their coaching staff and quarterback situation. Derek Carr, once considered a solid quarterback, was replaced in 2024 by Jimmy Garoppolo, but the team’s performance has remained inconsistent. The Raiders are also in the midst of a coaching change, with head coach Josh McDaniels being dismissed after a disappointing 2024 campaign. Despite these changes, the Raiders have been unable to put together a sustained run of success to challenge Kansas City’s supremacy in the division.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Chargers, led by quarterback Justin Herbert, have the most promising roster outside of Kansas City. Herbert is considered one of the most talented young quarterbacks in the league, and the Chargers’ offense has the potential to be explosive. However, the team’s coaching situation has been inconsistent, and there have been questions surrounding head coach Brandon Staley’s ability to lead the team to the next level. Despite having a competitive roster, the Chargers have failed to close the gap with Kansas City, and their playoff appearances have been few and far between.
Head Coaching Candidates: A Reluctance to Join the AFC West?
As the AFC West continues to be dominated by the Chiefs, there are growing concerns that head coaching candidates might start avoiding the division altogether. The prospect of taking over a team in the AFC West could be seen as an undesirable task for coaches who are looking for immediate success, as the Chiefs’ reign shows no signs of ending anytime soon.
One of the key factors here is the presence of Patrick Mahomes. Any coach coming into the AFC West must contend with the fact that the Chiefs are unlikely to fall off anytime soon. As long as Mahomes is under center, Kansas City will be a perennial contender, and that makes it difficult for other teams to compete for division titles and playoff spots. The reality is that no matter how good a new coach is, they may struggle to find success in a division where one team is likely to dominate for the foreseeable future.
Additionally, the Chiefs’ ability to draft and develop players gives them a competitive advantage that other teams in the division are unable to replicate. The Chiefs consistently find talent in the draft, even in later rounds, and they have a culture of development that allows players to reach their full potential. This means that any new head coach coming into the division would need to outsmart Andy Reid and his staff in order to build a team capable of matching Kansas City’s level of play. Given Reid’s track record of success, this is no easy task.
Furthermore, there is the reality of the job market in the NFL. Many teams are looking for head coaches, and some of the most attractive positions may be outside the AFC West. The NFC, for example, offers a number of teams that are either rebuilding or have less dominant competition. In these cases, a new head coach could potentially find a better path to success, where the competition is more balanced and there are fewer obstacles to building a playoff contender. The coaching opportunities in the AFC East, NFC North, and even NFC West may be seen as more enticing, given the relative parity in those divisions compared to the Chiefs’ dominance in the AFC West.
The Future of the AFC West
As the AFC West looks ahead, it’s unclear how other teams in the division can break the Chiefs’ stranglehold on the top spot. The Broncos, Raiders, and Chargers all have talent, but they continue to fall short of competing at the highest level. Their respective coaching changes may help bring about a turnaround, but it will be a long process to overhaul the roster and culture to match the Chiefs’ success.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, show no signs of slowing down. With Mahomes, Reid, and a strong supporting cast, they remain the team to beat in the division. The rest of the AFC West will need to be creative in their approaches, whether it’s through innovative coaching hires, shrewd player acquisitions, or a combination of both, if they are to close the gap with Kansas City.
In the end, the Chiefs’ reign over the AFC West may not be as easily disrupted as the other teams in the division would like. If the current trends continue, it’s entirely possible that head coaching candidates will increasingly look outside the AFC West for their next opportunity, wary of the uphill battle they would face in a division where one team continues to dominate. As long as the Chiefs remain the powerhouse they are today, the AFC West may remain a division in which others are constantly playing catch-up.
