Chiefs' Path Forward Will Still Be Defined By Patrick Mahomes

The Kansas City Chiefs hit a bump in the road in Super Bowl LIX -- but that is all it should expected to be.

At the end of the day, the Chiefs are still where many franchises want to be and that is solely due to the future Pro Football Hall of Fame talent they have in quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Mahomes has set the NFL ablaze since his first season as the Chiefs' starter. He threw a staggering 10 touchdown passes in his first two games as the Chiefs and has already established himself as a Hall of Fame quarterback.

Mahomes' career should ultimately be told in chapters, and last week's loss to the Eagles were merely a handful of pages in an otherwise illustrious career.

The fact the Chiefs were 15-2 and the No. 1 seed to begin with is a testament to Mahomes. This was the most flawed Chiefs team in some time, yet Mahomes got them over the hump time and time again, close win after close win.

No matter what the future looks like for the Chiefs, you can rest assure they will have a fighting chance simply because they have Mahomes under center. He is such a rare talent that he gives the Chiefs the ability to be a contender every single season, no matter the state of the roster or the supporting cast around him.

The Chiefs need to rethink a lot of things this offseason, especially as it pertains to their offensive line and skill groups. They are missing a true starting left tackle on the roster and might need to replace star right guard Trey Smith in free agency.

Then there are the skill groups; the Chiefs lack much explosiveness at running back, largely forcing the offense to have to win with long, sustained drives. When the Chiefs can't stay ahead of the chains -- like we saw against the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX -- that is when they are at their most vulnerable.

The Chiefs will look different in 2025, but what will remain unchanged is how much the Chiefs are set to rely on Mahomes for years to come. As long as Mahomes is the one dropping back, the Chiefs will be just fine.