• Chiefs lose 20-13 to the Denver Broncos in Week 17, dropping to 6-10.
  • Travis Kelce moved into ninth all-time for receptions and is one catch from eighth.
  • Chris Oladokun started his first NFL game and kept Kansas City competitive.
  • Rookie Brashard Smith scored his first career touchdown and returned a punt 44 yards.

Chiefs fall 20-13 but young players show promise

The Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Denver Broncos, 20-13, on Thursday night. The final score masked several encouraging individual performances from young and inexperienced players across offense, defense and special teams.

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Kelce climbs the all-time receptions list

Tight end Travis Kelce caught five passes for 36 yards against Denver. Those five catches moved him past Anquan Boldin into ninth place on the NFL all-time receptions list with 1,077 career catches. Kelce needs two more catches to pass Terrell Owens for sole possession of eighth.

Oladokun delivers in his first start

Quarterback Chris Oladokun — a Chiefs practice-squad member since 2022 — made his first career start. He completed 13 of 22 passes for 66 yards and one touchdown, a 5-yard strike to Brashard Smith. Oladokun led the Chiefs into Broncos territory on four possessions and produced points on three of them despite limited opportunities.

Offensive line holds up against Denver’s pass rush

Facing the NFL’s most prolific sack team, Kansas City’s young tackle pair performed well. Esa Pole and Chukwuebuka Godrick played 26 pass-blocking snaps each and combined to allow only four pressures and zero sacks. Their play provided a bright spot against one of the league’s toughest front sevens.

Brashard Smith breaks through

Running back Brashard Smith emerged as the game’s biggest playmaker for the Chiefs. He scored his first career touchdown on a 5-yard reception and later ripped off a 44-yard punt return. Smith’s speed and agility produced multiple momentum-changing plays.

Silver linings despite roster setbacks

Kansas City dropped its fifth straight game and finished Week 17 at 6-10 — the most losses in a single season for the Chiefs since 2012. The team has battled injuries all year, with 20 players on Injured Reserve, yet several young players got extended snaps: Chu Godrick, Esa Pole, cornerback Nohl Williams, defensive end Ashton Gillotte and linebacker Cooper McDonald.

According to Pro Football Focus, cornerback Nohl Williams graded as Kansas City’s top performer on the night, and Cooper McDonald ranked third. Cornerback Kristian Fulton also had an encouraging outing, allowing just one catch on five targets across 71 defensive snaps.

While the loss ended the Chiefs’ 2025 hopes, the game provided a clearer view of the team’s depth and young talent to build on heading into next season.

Image Referance: https://www.chiefs.com/news/five-quick-facts-following-the-chiefs-week-17-loss-to-denver-upon-further-review