The 2020 Kansas City Chiefs season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 51st in the National Football League (NFL), their 61st season overall and their eighth under head coach Andy Reid. The Chiefs, who entered the season as defending Super Bowl LIV champions, qualified for the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, tying a franchise record set from 1990 to 1995 and won the division for the fifth consecutive year. They finished with a franchise-record and league-leading 14 wins. The Chiefs appeared in Super Bowl LV, their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance and fourth in franchise history, but lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31–9. With the loss, the Chiefs became the sixth defending Super Bowl champion to lose the next year's game, after the 1978 Dallas Cowboys, the 1983 Washington Redskins, the 1997 Green Bay Packers, the 2014 Seattle Seahawks, and the 2017 New England Patriots.
Season summary
In the offseason, the Chiefs released the longest tenured player in franchise history, punter Dustin Colquitt, who had been with the team since 2005. Colquitt was later signed to the Chiefs practice squad shortly before the playoffs.
The biggest move of the offseason, however, was signing quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a ten-year, $503-million-dollar extension, the largest contract in American sports history.
On August 17, the Chiefs announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their stadium will be filled at about 22% capacity, or about 16,000 fans. Additionally, fans in attendance will be required to wear a face covering when they are not actively eating or drinking. Season tickets were not sold, however, season ticket holders from 2019 that have not cancelled season tickets already, will still have the option to buy season tickets in 2021.
After a 34–20 Week 3 win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Chiefs set a franchise record for consecutive wins including the playoffs with 12. The streak was snapped two weeks later at 13 with a Week 5 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Following a Week 4 victory over the New England Patriots, the Chiefs became the first team in NFL history to open their season 4–0 in four consecutive seasons. The Chiefs clinched their fifth consecutive AFC West title after defeating the Miami Dolphins in Week 14. The victory also gave the Chiefs their first 12–1 record in franchise history. A Week 16 victory over the Atlanta Falcons gave the Chiefs their franchise record 14th win. It also clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Chiefs finished the season undefeated on the road for the first time in franchise history and with a 14–2 overall record, the best in the NFL during the season. In doing so, the Chiefs became the first team since the 2016 New England Patriots to achieve an 8-0 road record in the regular season.
Following their win in the divisional round of the playoffs against the Browns, Kansas City became the first AFC team ever to host three consecutive conference championship games, and the second team in NFL history to host three consecutive conference championships. The other team was the Philadelphia Eagles from 2002–04, who were also coached by Andy Reid. The win also gave the Chiefs their 3rd consecutive season winning at least one playoff game, after losing 11 of their previous 12 playoff games. In the AFC Championship, the Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills 38–24 and advanced to Super Bowl LV, their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance and fourth all-time Super Bowl appearance. They went on to lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl, becoming the first team since the 2017 New England Patriots to win a Super Bowl but lose the following one the next season.
NFL Top 100
The Chiefs had six players named to the Top 100. Tight end Travis Kelce is the only player who was ranked higher than the previous season. Defending Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the highest rated Chiefs player on the list at fourth. Mahomes selection of fourth (behind fellow quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson, as well as defensive tackle Aaron Donald) drew criticism from multiple NFL analysts and fans. SB Nation’s Chiefs site Arrowhead Pride said they will no longer report on the Top 100 following Mahomes being selected fourth.
Offseason
Coaching staff changes
Players added
Below are players signed following the conclusion of the 2019 season, some of the players signed spent a portion of the 2019 NFL season on the practice squad and/or active roster.
Players lost
Below are players who were on the roster at the end of the 2019 season, but were either released or did not re-sign after their contract expired.