Kansas City players and coaches reflect on their 26-9 loss to Tennessee in Week 16.
After last week’s elimination from playoff contention — and the devastating loss of quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a torn ACL — it was difficult to imagine the Kansas City Chiefs’ season getting any worse. Yet in Week 16 against the Tennessee Titans, the nightmare continued, adding another painful chapter to an already brutal campaign.
Already operating with a severely depleted offense, Kansas City absorbed another blow in the second quarter, when quarterback Gardner Minshew exited with a left knee injury. The Chiefs were forced even further down the depth chart, turning to quarterback Chris Oladokun — a former practice squad regular making only his second regular-season appearance — who threw his first NFL passes.
The scoreboard told an ugly story. Kansas City’s only lead came when placekicker Harrison Butker’s field goal put the team ahead 3–2 in the second quarter. From there, Tennessee seized control, capitalizing on the Chiefs’ inability to sustain offense on the way to a 26–9 victory — just its third win of the season.
“It’s not as smooth as you want it,” head coach Andy Reid said after the game. “We’ve had penalties all over the place, so that’s not helping us get off the field or stay on the field. We’ve got to clean that up — but the positive you can take out of this is you get an opportunity for guys to play.”
That opportunity fell to Oladokun, who was thrust into action with minimal preparation. Despite the circumstances, 2022’s seventh-round pick showed poise, helping guide the offense to three field goals.
“He was able to get us moving a little bit,” Reid said of Oladokun’s performance. “I probably could give him better stuff to work with — in particular, give him some more reps during the week. He didn’t have any reps, but for what he was asked to do, I thought he did a nice job.”
For Oladokun, the moment proved less overwhelming than he anticipated.
“The moment wasn’t too big for me,” he said. “I felt really calm out there. I felt like I was seeing things pretty good. The game didn’t seem too fast. You just never know how you’re going to react in those situations until you’re in [them].”
Reid made a point to highlight the veterans who continued to compete through a season that has gone off script, praising defensive tackle Chris Jones, linebacker Nick Bolton, tight end Travis Kelce, center Creed Humphrey and guard Trey Smith for their efforts — despite having every reason to shut things down.
“Those are guys that very easily could take a day off,” noted Reid. “But I appreciate the effort they put in.”
No one embodied that message more than Jones, whose postgame comments cut through the disappointment as the Chiefs approach the final two games of the season.
“No matter the record, I’m still who I am,” he declared. “I still play the game with passion. I still love what I do. I’m still going out there fired up for every play, for every opportunity I’m on the field — and for everybody else on defense. It’s not our job to predict this situation. We’re in a very unfortunate situation. Sometimes you can’t control it — and that’s OK.”
For Jones, moments like this reveal the true character of a team.
“You can finish strong, and you can focus on what you can control: your attitude and your effort,” he said. “A lot of people can talk when they’re up, but it’s about having character when you’re down or when you’re not in a favorable position.”
The loss carried heavy significance. The Chiefs are now staring at their first losing season in more than a decade — a jarring reality for a franchise that reached its third straight Super Bowl just one year ago. Rather than deflecting it, Reid acknowledged the pain of the defeat — noting that it may prove instructive.
“Nobody likes losing in this business,” Reid said. “But my hat goes off to the guys who put together all these years. That’s part of it. We can learn from it — and we need to do that going forward.
“Sometimes a good kick in the tail helps you there — for coaches and players.”
Category: General Sports
