The Kansas City Chiefs kick off the season on Monday night with a divisional tilt against the Denver Broncos.
Here are five things to keep in mind heading into game day.
1. Here's a look at the final injury report for both teams.
The Chiefs will be without left tackle Josh Simmons (back) and safety Chamarri Conner (knee) on Monday night. In regard to Simmons' absence, rookie Kahlil Benson will likely step in at left tackle.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones (calf) also missed Saturday's practice for precautionary reasons but enters Monday night without an injury designation.
As for Denver, the Broncos will be without standout linebacker Jonathon Cooper due to his placement on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Cooper, who has recorded at least eight sacks in each of the last three seasons, is a significant loss for Denver's defense.
2. Kansas City will aim to flip the script on its one-possession struggles from a season ago.
The Chiefs and Broncos experienced the two polar opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to one-possession games in 2025.
Denver was a record-matching 11-2 in those contests last year, tying the 2022 Vikings and the 2024 Chiefs for the most one-score wins in a single season in NFL history. Kansas City, meanwhile, went just 1-9 in one-possession games after winning a league-record 17 consecutive one-score games prior to last season.
In other words, both the Chiefs and Broncos were in virtually every game each team played last season. The difference truly game down to the fact that Denver made the handful of plays necessary to come out on top in nearly every close game that it played while Kansas City consistently came up just short.
Notably, Denver racked up a +64 point differential in the fourth quarter last year (after tallying a +25 margin through the first three quarters combined) while amassing five fourth-quarter comebacks, ranking second in the league in both categories.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, lost nine games in which they (at one point) possessed a lead last season.
That dramatic turn of events was nothing short of shocking considering the Chiefs' historic track record in close games, and now with a blank slate, Monday's game represents a tremendous opportunity to flip the script – against Denver, no less – and make the two or three plays necessary to close out the game.
3. Can the Chiefs' new-look backfield help contain Denver's high-octane pass-rush?
Denver has been among the best defenses in the NFL over the last several seasons, and with the same cast of characters mostly back for 2026, the Broncos are expected to field a top unit once again.
Specifically, Denver's defensive prowess begins with a stellar pass-rush that has led the NFL in sacks in each of the last two seasons. Edge-rusher Nik Bonitto has led that effort with 27.5 sacks during that span – trailing only Myles Garrett for the league-lead – while defensive tackle Zach Allen has led the NFL in quarterback hits in each of the last two years.
Denver won't have edge-rusher Jonathon Cooper on Monday – a significant loss – but the Broncos' pass-rush remains one of the very best in the league, and Kansas City – without its starting left tackle in Josh Simmons – will need to find a way to slow it down.
Fortunately for the Chiefs, Kansas City's new-look backfield may be just the recipe to keep the Broncos off balance. Tailback Ken Walker, the reigning Super Bowl MVP and the Chiefs' marquee signing of the offseason, shed 61 tackles in 2025 while racking up more than 600 yards after contact. Walker also broke off 33 runs of double-digit yardage, and of those, 10 gained 20+ yards. For context, as a team, Kansas City recorded just three runs of 20+ yards all of last season.
The success of Walker, rookie Emmett Johnson – who ranked second among all FBS running backs in receptions last season – and Brashard Smith in keeping the Broncos' pass-rushers off balance may very well be the difference on Monday night.
4.How quickly can Kansas City's rookie class make its presence felt?
The roots of Kansas City's march to three consecutive Super Bowls – outside of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones – can be found in the 2022 NFL Draft, where the Chiefs acquired numerous immediate contributors who each left their mark in Kansas City's championship runs.
It's a tall standard to live up to, but with the franchise now facing a similar sort of crossroads moment as it encountered in 2022, Kansas City's rookie class has the look of a potentially special group.
Cornerback Mansoor Delane, the No. 6 overall pick back in April, has the makings of a star defensive back. Defensive tackle Peter Woods was widely considered a steal at the backend of the first round, and edge-rusher R Mason Thomas led all Chiefs defenders with eight pressures during the preseason.
Offensively, Emmett Johnson paced all tailbacks (among those to play in just three games) in forced missed tackles during the preseason while wide receiver Cyrus Allen impressed throughout training camp.
The jury is still out on this group, but the success of the championship runs from 2022 through 2024 was based in the fact that Kansas City's rookies were ready to contribute early in their respective careers. A similar result this season, and specifically on Monday night, would be a welcome sight as Kansas City aims to return to the postseason in 2026.
5. The addition of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle – and his impact on the Broncos' offense – will be something to watch.
Denver's bread and butter as an offense last season – and really, during the entirety of Bo Nix's tenure as quarterback – has been the short passing game.
Nix led all passers in attempts behind the line of scrimmage last season (with 115) while ranking third in throws within nine yards of the snap (with 271), consistently utilizing the quick passing game as a method of controlling the clock and the flow of the game.
For example, Denver recorded 37 drives of at least 10 plays in 2025, which ranked fourth in the NFL.
The addition of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, however – paired with new play-caller Davis Webb – begs the question of how the Broncos' offense may look on Monday night. Waddle is a legitimate deep threat whose 15 yards-per-reception average ranks third in the NFL since 2022.
Denver may very well attempt to stretch the field early and often on Monday, and the Chiefs' young secondary will need to be ready for it.
