Popping out of their bye week, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are 5-4 on the season, sitting third within the AFC West. To date, this season has proven little of the dominance displayed by the Chiefs since quarterback Patrick Mahomes took over the offense in 2018. Down the stretch, the staff should combat to make the playoffs.
One factor that can assistance is that after some early-season struggles, the Kansas Metropolis offense seems to be again on observe — aided largely by the staff’s fourth-down decision-making.
Throughout Reid’s early seasons with the Chiefs, the staff was routinely within the decrease third of the league in fourth-down makes an attempt. Throughout Mahomes’ first 4 seasons as a starter, Kansas Metropolis’s highest variety of makes an attempt was 16 in 2020. That season, the staff transformed solely 9 of these makes an attempt, which additionally ranked towards the underside of the league.
However in recent times, all of that has modified.
Will increase in makes an attempt and conversions
By now, many of the NFL has joined the high-risk, high-reward world of fourth-down makes an attempt. Over his profession, Reid has usually been one of many league’s extra conservative coaches on this space — however this season, he has bucked his personal development.
During the last three seasons, the Chiefs have elevated the variety of occasions they’ve gone for it on fourth down, staying consistent with a league the place these aggressive selections have turn out to be extra widespread.
In 2025, nonetheless, they’ve outdone themselves. The staff has elected to go for it on fourth down 20 occasions this season. Second to the Carolina Panthers (who’ve 21 this season), that’s simply Kansas Metropolis’s highest charge since head coach Andy Reid arrived in 2013.
The Chiefs’ 16 conversions from these makes an attempt leads the league. And whereas many groups have relied on variations of the tush push to succeed on fourth down, Kansas Metropolis has managed to guide the league and not using a single quarterback sneak.
The Chiefs’ fourth-down makes an attempt have been evenly divided between passes and runs — and the staff has transformed eight of the ten performs of every sort. This steadiness has made the staff unpredictable in these conditions — however it has additionally leaned closely on one participant: operating again Kareem Hunt, who transformed all eight speeding first downs. He’s additionally caught two fourth-down conversions — one in every of them good for a landing.
Broad receivers Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy have each collected a pair of fourth-down receptions — and every has additionally recorded a fourth-down rating. In any other case, Mahomes, the opposite wideouts (and tight finish Travis Kelce) have pitched in to maintain the sticks transferring.
Hunt grew to become the staff’s short-yardage again in 2024. He’s reprised this function in 2025, turning into an necessary issue within the staff’s success.
Whereas the offensive tackles have been inconsistent this season, the dependable inside trio of Kingsley Suamataia, Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith — with Mike Caliendo sprinkled in — have supplied Hunt with the blocking he’s wanted to be practically computerized in these conditions, incomes the total belief of the teaching employees.
Hunt won’t be the participant he as soon as was, however he’s actually profiting from his second act as a premier short-yardage again.
The some extent, Kansas Metropolis’s elevated aggression on fourth down is because of Reid’s supreme belief in his operating again, quarterback and inside offensive line. However the AFC’s postseason race can be an element. With key divisional video games on the horizon (to not point out an important Week 12 matchup in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts), the staff’s newfound aggression is nearly out of necessity. The AFC is loaded with expertise — and plenty of groups are going all-out to beat the Chiefs to allow them to capitalize on their very own Tremendous Bowl home windows.
Reid is aware of all of this — and in addition that with its 5-4 file, Kansas Metropolis is on the surface trying in. To do the unthinkable — for his staff to combat its manner again to a fourth consecutive Tremendous Bowl — he is aware of it is going to take a unprecedented effort. So his once-conservative method to fourth-down decision-making has disappeared.
And it’s precisely what the Chiefs want.
