The Kansas City Chiefs opened their NFL campaign in a big way on Monday Night Football with a 31-10 victory over the Denver Broncos. Kansas City got off to a good start to the new season, and we’ve had the first taste of how they could be in the league after a terrible 2025 season.
Patrick Mahomes returned to competitive action after missing the last game of last season with a serious knee injury. But even though the quarterback did not come out of it quite right at first, he scored three touchdowns on the night, and Kansas City won the game.
The biggest star was the new Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III. Making his Kansas City debut with the Chiefs as a free agent for the first time after arriving in the organization as a free agent, Walker rushed for 173 yards and scored two touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 18 yards on the field and gained 191 total yards from scrimmage.
Mahomes returns as Chiefs take control
Mahomes completed 15 of 27 passes for 184 yards and two passing touchdowns. He also ran for a 15-yard touchdown in the first half, giving him three total scores on the night.
The quarterback’s return was one of the biggest storylines surrounding the game. Mahomes had not played since suffering his season-ending knee injury in December, but he showed no signs of being limited by the injury.
Kansas City opened the game when Mahomes scrambled for a 15-yard touchdown. Denver went on to a 19-yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix to Evan Engram, but the Broncos could not keep up that momentum.
Mahomes then connected with Rashee Rice for a 13-yard touchdown to give the Chiefs a 14-7 lead before halftime. Kansas City went into the break in command and continued to pull away after the interval.
Walker provided the biggest offensive spark in the game. Early in the third quarter, he broke away for a spectacular 60-yard touchdown run. He scored another touchdown on a short pass from Mahomes in the fourth quarter.
His performance was historic for a Chiefs player. Walker's 173 rushing yards were the most by a Kansas City player since Jamaal Charles ran for 226 yards against the Indianapolis Colts in 2012.
Broncos struggle as Chiefs defense dominates
Denver’s offense never found its rhythm after the opening quarter. Nix completed 17 of 28 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw an interception and lost a fumble.
The Broncos had only 176 total yards, compared to Kansas City’s 392. The Chiefs had four sacks and forced multiple turnovers as their defense kept Denver from mounting sustained drives.
Denver briefly cut the deficit to 21-10 with a field goal in the third quarter. Kansas City followed with another field goal before Walker's fourth-quarter touchdown effectively put the game beyond reach.
TRAVIS KELCE WITH A HUGE GAIN
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The Chiefs finished with 220 rushing yards, and the Chiefs’ ground attack was key to their success. Walker’s explosive performance offered Andy Reid another weapon to keep his team moving along in the game so Mahomes’ return from injury.
The result was also significant because Denver won the AFC West title from Kansas City last season, ending the Chiefs’ nine-year run as division champions. Monday night’s win gave Kansas City an early measure of revenge against its division rival.
Taylor Swift, Tom Cruise add star power
The game also drew lots of attention away from the field. Taylor Swift attended the Chiefs' home opener to support her husband Travis Kelce, who plays tight end for Kansas City.
Swift was seen sitting with actor Tom Cruise at Arrowhead Stadium in a suite. It was her first Chiefs game since she and Kelce married in July. Swift had been nominated for an Emmy, but she didn’t go to the game in Kansas City.
Kelce himself had 71 receiving yards and made a 59-yard catch to set up a Kansas City field goal. He also moved into second place all-time among tight ends for receiving yards, passing Jason Witten’s mark and reaching 13,073 career receiving yards.
For the Chiefs, the night could hardly have gone better. Mahomes came back in, Walker was a significant offensive weapon, the defense dominated Denver, and Kansas City opened the season with a convincing victory.
The Chiefs will build on the performance when they meet the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2. Denver will try to recover when it plays the Jacksonville Jaguars in its home opener.
