Chiefs face long odds of Super Bowl revenge against Eagles, pundit says

Kansas City Chiefs hopes of an immediate Super Bowl rematch upset appear to face steep obstacles, former Buffalo Bills assistant and pundit Phoebe Schecter told BBC Sport, citing roster losses, injuries and a challenging early schedule.

The Kansas City–Philadelphia showdown on Sunday is a repeat of last season's Super Bowl, when the Eagles defeated the Chiefs 40-22. Schecter warned that personnel changes and setbacks for Kansas City have left the team dependent on Patrick Mahomes, while Philadelphia’s depth has strengthened over the offseason.

Schecter highlighted a series of issues for the Chiefs that she said make revenge unlikely in the short term. Wide receiver Rashee Rice is suspended for the first six games of the season, and rookie Xavier Worthy suffered a shoulder injury after colliding with tight end Travis Kelce in Kansas City's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil. That leaves Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster as the Chiefs’ most prominent receiving options.

Kansas City’s running game did not offer much support in the Chargers defeat, Schecter said, noting that Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt combined for limited yardage. The Week 1 game became "very much the Mahomes show," she said, with the quarterback scrambling repeatedly and carrying the ball more than other players at times — a pattern she described as unsustainable early in the season.

Schecter also pointed to roster turnover on the offensive line and elsewhere. The Chiefs lost veteran lineman Joe Thuney in the offseason but used draft and free-agent moves to try to bolster protection, selecting left tackle Josh Simmons in the first round and signing Jaylon Moore. Still, she said those changes may not offset the absence of key weapons and the strain on Mahomes.

Kansas City faces a testing early slate after the Eagles, with back-to-back games against the New York Giants and the Baltimore Ravens. Schecter said those matchups could leave the Chiefs 1-3 through four weeks, a start that would place additional pressure on an offense already showing wobbles.

By contrast, Schecter praised Philadelphia’s personnel and front-office work. She cited quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley and receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith as indicators of the Eagles' depth. In the Eagles’ season-opening win over the Dallas Cowboys, Hurts and Barkley combined for three rushing touchdowns, demonstrating the kind of balanced attack Schecter said Kansas City currently lacks.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman’s roster moves also drew approval. Schecter noted Philadelphia added a tranche of rookies in the draft, signed Barkley to an extension and traded for running back Tank Bigsby. Philadelphia did not have Jalen Carter on the field in Week 1 after an off-field spitting incident, yet the defense still performed effectively, she said.

Coaching continuity was another factor Schecter raised. While offensive coordinator Kellen Moore departed to become head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia promoted Kevin Patullo from passing game coordinator — a move Schecter said preserved existing offensive structure and play-calling familiarity.

Schecter projected the Eagles and Buffalo Bills — fresh off a dramatic comeback win over Baltimore — as the teams most likely to reach the next Super Bowl, saying she expects a Bills-Eagles matchup and adding that Buffalo winning would be a fitting end to Highmark Stadium's tenure as the Bills' long-time home.

The NFL’s 2025 regular season runs from Sept. 4, 2025, to Feb. 8, 2026. BBC coverage includes The Whole 10 Yards podcast every Tuesday on the BBC website and iPlayer, live text coverage every Sunday on the BBC Sport website and app, and live radio commentary of selected games on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds. The Eagles at Chiefs game is scheduled for Sunday from 21:00 BST with live coverage available.

Schecter said she still expects the Chiefs to make the playoffs but warned Kansas City will need to tighten a number of areas — particularly the running game and receiver depth — to repeat the late-game wins that helped the franchise in previous seasons. With the AFC West more competitive than in recent years, she said, nothing can be taken for granted for the two-time Super Bowl winners.