The Denver Broncos begin their AFC West title defense on Monday night against a Kansas City Chiefs team seeking a rapid turnaround, with both clubs opening 2026 under very different pressure after injury-hit finishes and major offseason changes.
Broncos-Chiefs headline the Week 1 finale
Denver claimed the AFC West in 2025, ending Kansas City’s run of nine consecutive division crowns. The Broncos went 14-3, secured the AFC’s No. 1 seed and beat the Chiefs twice, with each victory decided by one score.
That record has also created questions entering the new season. Eleven of Denver’s wins came in one-possession games, matching the 2024 Chiefs and 2022 Minnesota Vikings for the most in a single season in NFL history. Both of those earlier teams missed the playoffs the following year.
Kansas City, meanwhile, is coming off a 6-11 season, its first losing campaign since 2012. The Chiefs missed the Super Bowl for only the second time in seven years and now face their former divisional pursuer with a chance to establish that last season was an aberration rather than the end of their run.
The AFC West rivals will meet again in Week 8, but their first matchup puts immediate focus on two quarterbacks returning from significant injuries.
What changed for the franchise
Patrick Mahomes is expected to make his regular-season return after suffering a torn ACL in Week 15 last year. The two-time NFL MVP did not play during the preseason and will open against a Denver pass rush that has led the league in sacks in each of the past two seasons.
The assignment is more difficult because Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons is sidelined by a back injury. Undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson is in line to protect Mahomes’ blind side against the Broncos.
Denver quarterback Bo Nix is also back from injury after breaking his ankle in the Divisional Round. He played two drives in the Broncos’ second preseason game, completing 6 of 9 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. Nix looked settled in that short appearance, though Kansas City will test his movement and try to force him off his spot.
The Broncos enter with a deeper running back rotation. J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey combined for 1,705 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns last season and remain atop the depth chart. Dobbins led Denver in rushing despite missing the final nine games, including the postseason, while Harvey developed into a dangerous receiving option after a slower start on the ground.
Rookie Jonah Coleman is listed third at running back but could earn early work, giving head coach Sean Payton three different options against Kansas City’s front.
The Chiefs are taking a more workhorse-oriented approach after signing Kenneth Walker III, the Super Bowl LX MVP. Kansas City has not regularly featured one dominant runner in recent years, but Walker is positioned to carry a major share of the workload as Mahomes works back toward full form. The club previously had strong results with featured backs Kareem Hunt and Jamaal Charles during Andy Reid’s tenure.
Denver also reshaped its passing game by acquiring Jaylen Waddle. The wide receiver joins Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant, who drew strong reviews during training camp. Waddle has ranked among the NFL’s top 15 wideouts in yards per route run in three of the last four seasons, including two top-six finishes, and gives Nix another efficient target.
That group faces a reworked Chiefs secondary. Kansas City lost six defenders who started at least 10 games last season, including safety Bryan Cook, cornerback Jaylen Watson and cornerback Trent McDuffie. Cook and Watson departed in free agency, while McDuffie was traded to the Los Angeles Rams.
General manager Brett Veach again chose to remake the defensive backfield rather than commit to major extensions, following a similar approach with L’Jarius Sneed in 2024. Sneed has returned, while the Chiefs added No. 6 overall draft pick Mansoor Delane and free-agent safety Alohi Gilman.
Denver’s upgraded receiver corps against Kansas City’s rebuilt secondary could decide which franchise leaves the opener with early control of the AFC West conversation.
SEO Title: Broncos vs. Chiefs: Mahomes, Nix return for AFC West opener
SEO Description: The Broncos open their AFC West defense against the Chiefs as Patrick Mahomes and Bo Nix return from injuries and both teams unveil major offseason changes.
