CHIEFS’ 2026 SCHEDULE: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE (Part 1)

“Those who ignore the lesson of the past, will be doomed to repeat it.”  The phrase attributed to George Santayana has given scholars to reflect more deeply on the past, even as it has also caused students in history classes to groan, knowing they will have more homework that semester.  Nonetheless, the premise is sound.  You cannot proceed into the future without knowing where you have been.  To try means to slog through the same sort of steps you took before, even if you got nowhere doing it.

The 2026 NFL schedule has been released and the dates of the games are known.  But for this article and the next, we’re going to take a historical perspective.  Let’s look at each opponent from this next year from the viewpoint of a memorable game or memorable stat from the past.  That way, we can follow Santayana’s advice and learn the lesson of the past.  And we will do this in two parts.  Part 1 will be horrible games that we lost, the heartbreakers, the ones that led Chiefs fans to consider jumping off their respective ledges, the worst of the worst.  Part 2 will be the best games we played against these teams, where the Chiefs faced these same opponents and beat them mercilessly, or defied the odds and came back to claim the victory.  Part 1 first.  Don’t jump off the ledge.

Week 1: Sep. 14, 2026 – Monday Night Football.  Denver comes to Arrowhead.

For this historic perspective, we’re going back to Nov. 16, 1998.  Broncos play the Chiefs in Arrowhead on Monday Night Football.  Only, it doesn’t go well.  This was the infamous “Monday Night Meltdown” game where Derrick Thomas committed so many penalties he would have fouled out if he was playing in the NBA.  This is the game that Lamar Hunt felt disgraced, that Marty Schottenheimer wept bitterly, and that DT was suspended the next game.  What caused the meltdown?  I found this out.  Apparently, one of the most annoying Broncos ever, one Mr. Shannon Sharpe, had learned the phone number of DT’s girlfriend before the game.  Every time Sharpe lined up against DT, he repeated that phone number before the snap.  DT lost it, and the Chiefs got a shellacking.

Lesson to be learned: Keep your cool.

Week 2: Sep. 20, 2026 – Sunday Night Football.  Indy comes to Arrowhead.

Jan. 4, 2014 was a game that brought many Chiefs’ fans to seek psychological counseling for severe depression.  A game Andy Reid will probably never forget, this was the Colt comeback led by Andrew Luck in the postseason.  Alex Smith and Jamaal Charles were beasts and the Colts could do nothing for one half.  The score was 38-10 in the 3rd quarter with KC ahead by a mile.  And in one of the most knife-in-the-heart endings for Chiefs’ Kingdom, somehow, the Colts scored, scored, scored, played defense, and then scored more.  45-44.  I will never forget how angry I was after that game.  (You can read more of the bitter details here, but only if your psychologist says you are mentally fit to do so – https://pigskindispatch.com/2014-luck-lead-colts-to-comeback/)

Lesson to be learned: Don’t let up.

(Andrew Luck drives a knife through the hearts of Chiefs’ Kingdom, Jan. 4, 2014)

Week 3: Sep. 27, 2026 – High Noon, Sunday.  Chiefs at Miami.

This one goes back to Oct. 11, 1987.  It was bad.  It was so bad, this game ranks 4th all time in Chiefs’ franchise history for the highest point differentials in a game we lost.  The ’87 Chiefs only won 4 games that year, and this wasn’t the only beatdown they got.  But this Dolphins game was the worst.  Chiefs were shut out 42-0.  The Dolphins ran over the Chiefs for 4 rushing TDs, and the Fins’ D had two fumble recovery TDs to add insult to the injury.

Lesson to be learned: Come prepared.

Week 4: Oct. 4, 2026 – Sunday mid-afternoon.  Chiefs at Raiders, at the stadium that is built on top of a Chiefs’ flag.

Len Dawson is a Hall of Fame player and Super Bowl winner.  But not even he could pull a win out on Dec. 22, 1968 at the Raiders’ home stadium.  In the 1968 playoffs, the Chiefs and Raiders had tied records at the end of the regular season, 12-2.  Each had won against the other in the regular season.  And each came fired up to play in the playoffs.  But the gauntlet was laid down at the coin toss.  Under the AFL rules at the time, any team that chose to defend a side of the field meant the other team could receive the ball both at kickoff and after halftime.  So in essence, one team would receive at the start of both halves, and the other team would not receive at all.  At the coin toss, Willie Lanier chose to defend the south end zone, trusting the Chiefs’ D to stop the Raiders both times.  The Raiders took this as an insult (because, quite frankly, they weren’t the brightest of people out there and didn’t simply get ecstatic because they were getting the ball twice).  Because the Raiders lacked brains, they didn’t get cocky.  They got angry and played lights out.  It ended up as the worse loss to the Raiders we’ve ever had.  41-6.  Len Dawson had 4 picks.  Yikes.

Lesson to be learned: Respect your opponent.

(The 1968 playoff loss to the Raiders)

Week 5:  BYE WEEK.

Lesson to be learned:  Rest up and spend time with your family.

Week 6: Oct. 18, 2026 – Sunday mid-afternoon.  Chargers come to Arrowhead.

The late 2000’s and early 2010’s were hard times for KC fans.  Such was the kind of game that took place on Oct. 25, 2009 at Arrowhead.  When the “San Diego” Chargers came to town, they picked off Matt Cassel three times and he only threw for 97 yards.  Ryan Succop missed a field goal.  Darren Sproles caught a 58 yard TD pass and couldn’t be caught.  Chiefs didn’t have a first down in the entire first quarter.  Chargers won 37-7, the lone Chiefs’ TD coming as a catch by Dwayne Bowe.

Lesson to be learned: Train harder and train smarter.

Week 7: Oct. 25, 2026 – Sunday Night Football!  Chiefs travel to Seattle to play last year’s Super Bowl champion.

For this historic lesson, we go back to the “Joe Montana was a Chief” days.  Nov. 27, 1994, the 7-4 Chiefs traveled to Seattle to face the lowly Seahawks who were standing at a lowly 4-7.  The game was a great one if you love defense and hate lots of scoring.  The only points for the Chiefs came by field goals from that one kicker in franchise history who shall not be named.  Chiefs were leading as time was winding down, until the Seahawks took a one point lead late in the 4th quarter.  With 1:01 left to go, Chiefs’ WR Lake Dawson fumbled the ball, and it was recovered and returned some 17 yards by Seahawks’ S Robert Blackmon.  Time ran out, and the Seahawks won 10-9.

Lesson to be learned: Make every opportunity count.

(Seahawks FB Steve Smith rushes for the game’s only TD on Nov. 27, 1994.  Losing by one point to a 4-7 team hurts).

Week 8: Nov. 1, 2026 – Sunday mid-afternoon.  KC at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium near some other corporation name Lane, etc.

They used to call it Mile High Magic.  Because whenever the Chiefs played their away game at Denver, somehow, some way, John Elway was going to pull out an amazing victory and snatch it away from the good guys.  So on Oct. 4, 1992, the Chiefs were up 19-6 over Denver with five minutes left to end the game.  Denver had fumbled on 4 drives and had lost 3 of them.  It looked like QB Dave Krieg and the Chiefs could finish off their hated rival.  And then, the Broncos came to life.  Scoring two TDs in the last two minutes, the Broncos stunned the Chiefs by a score of 20-19.

Lesson to be learned: Finish strong.

Week 9: Nov. 8, 2026 – Sunday at noon.  New York Jets fly to KC.  On a jet.

This one’s another one point game.  The exact same score as the previous game, too.  20-19 with the good guys losing.  This historical lesson happened on Sep. 15, 1968.  A battle of legends: Coaches Weeb Ewbank of the Jets vs. Hank Stram of the Chiefs, QBs Len Dawson vs. Joe Namath.  But sadly, this was a game where the Chiefs never led.  Not one single minute.  Namath threw for 302 yards, while our own Len Dawson couldn’t even crack 100 yards in the air (98 yards passing, and no INTs either).  WR Don Maynard of the Jets had 203 receiving yards and 2 TDs.  Frustrating day for a Chiefs’ fan.

Lesson to be learned: Rise to meet the challenge.

Week 10: Nov. 15, 2026 – Sunday at noon.  Chiefs go down south to face the Falcons in Atlanta.

The Chiefs have lost only three games to the Falcons.  The game on Sep. 21, 2008 was probably the worst.  Led by then-fan favorite QB Tyler Thigpen, the Chiefs struggled to score points throughout the game.  Thigpen threw three picks and was sacked twice.  Despite the Chiefs’ having a strong ground game with Larry Johnson rushing for 121 yards, it didn’t compare to what the Falcons brought.  Atl. RB Michael Turner ran for less with 104 yds, but had 3 TDs.  Falcons won decidedly, 38-14.

Lesson to be learned: Don’t help your opponent beat you.

(Falcons DE John Abraham sacks Chiefs QB Tyler Thigpen, Sep. 21, 2008)

Week 11: Nov. 22, 2026 – Sunday at noon.  Red and white vs. Red and white.  Arizona Cardinals come to Arrowhead.

Another team that the Chiefs have only lost to three times.  On Nov. 3, 1986, the Chiefs’ traveled across state to the “St. Louis” Cardinals, who used to be our former interstate rivals.  The Governor’s Cup was at stake.  Not that that always matters, but hey.  Chiefs’ QB Bill Kenney threw over 200 yards (223) with 2 TDs going to WR Stephone Paige.  But it was too little and too late.  Both TDs came as the last scores in the 4th quarter.  No comeback could be mounted.  Chiefs lost one they had no claim for winning.  23-14, Cardinals got the Governor’s Cup.

Lesson to be learned: Don’t wait to get started.

Week 12: Nov. 26, 2026 – Thanksgiving Thursday night.  Chiefs travel to New York to fight our younger brother, the Bills.

Going back to the AFL days, the Chiefs and Bills today almost seem like division rivals with the amounts of times we play each other.  Often twice in the same season.  But the most heartbreaking loss to Buffalo was the AFC Championship game on Jan. 23, 1994.  Bills’ RB Thurman Thomas ran all over the Chiefs for a monstrous 186 yds rushing and 3 TDs.  In addition, Chiefs’ QB Joe Montana was injured with a concussion on the Chiefs’ first series of the second half.  Backup QB Dave Krieg did his best to rally the troops, but the Bills would not be stopped.  (That is, until they went to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Cowboys.  And they still haven’t one a Super Bowl yet while we have won 4!  What bitter memories of that game?).  Bills won handily, 30-13.

Lesson to be learned: Stay healthy and block like your season depends on it.

(Bills RB Thurman Thomas dashed our hopes in the 1994 AFC Championship game)

Week 13: Dec. 3, 2026 – Thursday night (2nd in a row).  Chiefs go to the Chargers’ home stadium but play the Rams instead.

The most frustrating Chiefs’ loss to the Rams was also one of the best games ever played.  On Monday Night Football, Nov. 19, 2018, the red-hot Chiefs took on the red-hot Rams.  Both teams came in at 9-1, and it was a game for the ages.  The highest scoring game in Monday Night Football history, both teams had over 50 points!  There were 6 lead changes.  Patrick Mahomes threw for a career high 478 yards and 6 TDs!  Tyreek Hill got 215 of those yards and 2 of those TDs.  But with under a minute left with KC’s last possession, Mahomes threw a pick with 13 seconds left.  Chiefs became the first NFL team ever to lose a game scoring more than 50 points.  Final score, 54-51 Rams.  (P.S., this was also Bob Sutton’s last season as our defensive coordinator.)

Lesson to be learned: Score more.

Week 14: Dec. 13, 2026 – Sunday mid afternoon.  Chiefs travel to the strange land of chili spaghetti.  At Cincinnati.

By far, the most heartbreaking loss to the Bengals came on Jan. 30, 2022 in the AFC Championship game.  Both Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow were smoking in the frigid Arrowhead conditions.  The first half belonged to the Chiefs.  Mahomes threw TDs to three different targets (Hill, Kelce, Hardman) and the Chiefs’ defense was cooking. At one point, KC led the Bengals 21-3.  (Cincinnati did score a TD before the half ended to make it 21-10).   But the Bengals came back in the second half.  They made better adjustments, whereas Andy Reid attempted to play 52-dimension chess by trying to outthink what the Bengals might be thinking if they were adjusting to what he was trying to outthink them by.  Leading by 3 halfway through the 4th quarter, KC rallied and Harrison Butker sent the game into overtime on a last second field goal.  But the joy was short-lived.  Bengals kicked a field goal in OT and then went to lose to the Rams in the SB.  (Yeah, we were robbed.)

Lesson to be learned: Don’t outthink yourself.

Week 15: Dec. 21, 2026 – Monday Night Football.  Patriots at Arrowhead.

The most excruciating loss to the Patriots ever was the 2018 season AFC Championships.  On Jan. 20, 2019, the Pats shut out Mahomes and the Chiefs in the 1st half.  Meanwhile, Tom Brady and his squad scored 14 unanswered 1st half points.  The 2nd half was a back-and-forth contest that saw Chiefs’ RB Damien Williams scoring three TDs.  With about three minutes to go in the game, KC drove for a score and led 28-24.  On the next drive, the Patriots were slow, sluggish, but efficient enough.  Until…  Tom Brady threw an apparent interception that would have sealed the game and sent KC to the Super Bowl for the 1st time since Super Bowl IV.  But the refs ruled that Chiefs’ DE Dee Ford was offsides.  Pats scored a TD, Butker nailed a last second FG to send it to overtime, and then KC never saw the ball at all in overtime.  Still get frustrated thinking about it.

Lesson to be learned: Don’t forget the small things.

(Tom Brady talks to Patrick Mahomes after robbing the Chiefs of what should have been ours, a trip to SB LVIII.)

Week 16: Dec. 27, 2026 – Sunday afternoon.  Our Super Bowl punching bag buddies are coming to town.  49ers at Arrowhead.

The Chiefs have not always beaten the 49ers in big games.  On Dec. 14, 1991, both KC and San Fran were looking to the postseason and seeding.  A win would go a long way for both teams.  Early in the game, 49ers QB Steve Young was injured, and was replaced by future Chiefs QB but then-49ers-QB Steve Bono.  Bono was outstanding in the match, throwing for 220 yds and 3 TDs.  The Chiefs QB Steve DeBerg was not as consistent as he had been in previous years, and it showed in this game.  Completing only 13 passes, DeBerg was able to score a garbage-time TD and Chiefs’ RB Barry Word ran another one.  49ers won 28-14.  KC did make the playoffs though, and even won a playoff game for the first time since 1970.  You can sometimes find silver linings.

Lesson to be learned: Consistency is key.

Week 17:  Who knows?  Not scheduled yet.  KC flies to Arrowhead West, aka, Chargers stadium.  (Where every LAC home game is a road game)

Oct. 13, 2002 was a heartbreaker.  For the worst loss at the Chargers’ stadium, QB Trent Green and the Chiefs had the momentum.  Leading 17-7 at half and 24-14 after the 3rd, KC had scored by driving down the field and by long passes with lots of YAC.  K Morten Andersen made 2 FGs, the last in the 4th quarter that gave KC a 34-28 lead with 2:35 left to play.  But Chargers’ QB Drew Brees proved his mettle.  He drove the Bolts down the field to hit WR Reche Caldwell in the end zone with 19 seconds left.  There was no getting this one back.  Chiefs lost because the annoying Chargers squeaked by.

Lesson to be learned: Make the clock work for you, not against you.

Week 18:  Again, who knows?  Not scheduled yet.  Raiders come to town to end out the regular season.

While not technically a loss, this game felt like it.  On Nov. 1, 1970, the Raiders came to play KC at the old Municipal stadium.  It was a low scoring game, coming down to the 4th quarter.  KC had the lead, but only by 3.  But the Chiefs got the ball and were trying to run out the clock.  QB Len Dawson had run a bootleg for a game-clinching 1st down.  He got the yards and stumbled, falling to the ground and was clearly no longer making any forward progress.  He was flat on the ground (I’m assuming the refs whistled the play dead).  And that’s when Raiders’ DE Ben Davidson pulled one of the cheapest shots in the history of our franchise, ramming his helmet into Dawson’s back while he was lying down flat.  A fight erupted that saw both teams’ benches emptied as players ran to the field to take swings at each other.  There were so many penalties had to be addressed, all momentum was lost.  Refs ruled that the down didn’t count and they had to repeat the down.  But KC couldn’t get the 1st down they needed.  Oakland got the ball, drove down for a field goal, and the game ended in a frustrating 17-17 tie.  Chiefs couldn’t win the division because of it.

Lesson to be learned: Watch your back.  (And never ever trust a Raider).

(I am assuming this is Len Dawson getting hit in the back by Raiders’ DE Ben Davidson.  Raiders have always been thugs).

“Those who ignore the lesson of the past, will be doomed to repeat it.”  The phrase attributed to George Santayana has taken on new meaning in this article.  If you could stomach reading the whole thing, it’s important to know where you’ve been so you can advance.  Yeah, reading about Chiefs’ historic losses is a frustration.  But there are good lessons to be learned despite it.  And even better, this was Part 1.  Part 2 is going to be coming next, filled with the fantastic games we have won against these same teams.  As angry as Chiefs’ fans might be now, you will be pumped after reading the next one.  So hang in there, step off the ledge, maybe do something more on one of your hobbies.  The next part will rock.  And as always… GO CHIEFS!

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