Chiefs earned a rest after their third win in 11 days. For some, the rest could be 24 days

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs earned a much-deserved extended rest after their Christmas Day rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers, which capped an unbeaten stretch of three games in 11 days and clinched them the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.

That extended rest? Well, it can be just about as long as Chiefs coach Andy Reid wants it to be.

The Chiefs (15-1) face the Broncos in their regular-season finale next weekend, a game whose kickoff remains up in the air. But it will be at least 10 days after their 29-10 win in Pittsburgh, a nice rest for a weary team whose bye was back in Week 6.

But with nothing to play for in that game, Reid could conceivably give some of his most important players the entire week off ahead of the playoffs. And now that the Chiefs have a first-round bye, that means they wouldn't face anybody until at least Jan. 18 in the divisional round, meaning a full 24 days between games.

“It's been almost 10 weeks of football, grinding on this short schedule at the very end of the year,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “We'll see how Week 18 goes — who plays, who doesn't play. That's up to Coach. But having this break, getting healthy, getting ourselves ready for the playoffs, it was super important, especially with the guys we have banged up.”

The Chiefs dominated the Steelers without four-time All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who was resting his sore calf on Wednesday. They also have not had cornerback Chamarri Conner, who has been out with a concussion, or D.J. Humphries, the former Pro Bowl left tackle who appeared in one game for Kansas City before straining his hamstring.

All of them figure to be healthy for the playoffs. The same for guys who have been dealing with minor injuries, such as right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who played against the Steelers despite straining his hamstring the previous week against Houston, and running back Isiah Pacheco, who dinged up his ribs in the win in Pittsburgh.

“It will definitely help with some of the guys that are banged up, to get guys back, freshened up a little bit,” said Reid, who has rested important players in Week 18 in the past, including last season against the Chargers. “I think it will be a positive for us.”

The trick is to decide exactly how much rest to give everyone.

For those dealing with injuries, that full 24-day span without a game could be exactly what they need. For others, it might be too long between games, and getting at least a half of play against the Broncos would help prevent some rust from setting in.

“I was just talking to my family about it,” Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie said. “My rookie year, we were able to get, you know, all home games, and you just can't be out (on the road) in the playoffs. I mean, I'm excited to go out there. I know we got the first round, you know, off, but I mean, I can't wait to play now.”

The Chiefs won the Super Bowl last season with a wide receiver group that — outside of Rashee Rice — was lacking in dynamic ability.

But with the trade for DeAndre Hopkins, the return of Hollywood Brown from an injury and the emergence of rookie Xavier Worthy, the Chiefs have gone from a position of peril to one of profound strength.

The Chiefs have struggled to the run the ball consistently the past few weeks. Pacheco gained just 18 yards on six carries before hurting his ribs against Pittsburgh, and Kareem Hunt was held to 20 yards on nine carries — a 2.2-yard average.

Worthy has smashed through the rookie wall, just as Rice did at this point last season, and has proven to be more than a speedster. He had eight catches for 79 yards and a touchdown Wednesday, giving him at least five catches in each of his past five games.

Pacheco has not been the same after missing more than two months to injury. He has been held to 55 yards rushing or fewer in each of his past five games, and he's averaging just 2.7 yards per carry over his past three.

There were no significant injuries sustained against the Steelers.

77 — Travis Kelce caught his 77th touchdown pass, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez for the Chiefs record. Kelce finished with eight catches for 84 yards and a score against Pittsburgh, making him the third tight end in NFL history with at least 1,000 receptions. Gonzalez had 1,325 and Jason Witten had 1,228 while Kelce has 1,004 and counting.

The Chiefs get the long weekend off before deciding who will play in Denver in their regular-season finale.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) scores a touchdown against Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (39) during the first half of an NFL football game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid (20) celebrates his interception off Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson during the first half of an NFL football game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) runs against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of an NFL football game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid (20) intercepts the ball intended for Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) during the first half of an NFL football game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of an NFL football game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid walks on the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) celebrates his touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half of an NFL football game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Kansas City Chiefs safety Jaden Hicks (21) breaks up a pass intended for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) during the second half of an NFL football game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

SURIN, Thailand (AP) — Fighting raged Saturday morning along the border of Thailand and Cambodia, even after U.S. President Donald Trump, acting as a mediator, declared that he had won agreement from both countries for a new ceasefire.

Thai officials said they did not agree to a ceasefire. Cambodia has not commented directly on Trump’s claim, but its defense ministry said Thai jets carried out airstrikes Saturday morning.

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said Saturday that some of Trump's remarks didn't “reflect an accurate understanding of the situation.”

He said Trump’s characterization of a land mine explosion that wounded Thai soldiers as a “roadside accident” was inaccurate, and did not reflect Thailand's position that it was a deliberate act of aggression.

Sihasak said that Trump’s willingness to credit what may be “information from sources that deliberately distorted the facts” instead of believing Thailand hurt the feelings of the Thai people “because we consider ourselves — we are proud, in fact — to be the oldest treaty ally of the United States in the region.”

The latest large-scale fighting was set off by a skirmish on Dec. 7 that wounded two Thai soldiers and derailed a ceasefire promoted by Trump that ended five days of earlier combat in July over longstanding territorial disputes.

The July ceasefire was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless Thailand and Cambodia agreed. It was formalized in more detail in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia that Trump attended.

More than two dozen people on both sides of the border have officially been reported killed in this past week’s fighting, while more than half a million have been displaced.

The Thai military acknowledged 15 of its troops died during the fighting, and estimated earlier this week that there have been 165 fatalities among Cambodian soldiers. Cambodia has not announced military casualties, but has said at least 11 civilians have been killed and more than six dozen wounded.

Trump, after speaking to Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, announced on Friday an agreement to restart the ceasefire.

“They have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me, and them, with the help of the Great Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim,” Trump wrote in his Truth Social post.

Trump’s claim came after midnight in Bangkok. Thai Prime Minister Anutin had, after his call with Trump, said he had explained Thailand’s reasons for fighting and said peace would depend on Cambodia ceasing its attacks first.

The Thai foreign ministry later explicitly disputed Trump’s claim that a ceasefire had been reached. Anutin's busy day on Friday included dissolving Parliament, so new elections could be held early next year.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, in comments posted early Saturday morning, also made no mention of a ceasefire.

Hun Manet said he held phone conversations on Friday night with Trump, and a night earlier with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and thanked both “for their continuous efforts to achieve a long-lasting peace between Cambodia and Thailand.”

“Cambodia is ready to cooperate in any way that is needed," Hun Manet wrote.

Anwar later posted on social media that he was urging the two sides to implement a ceasefire on Saturday night. Cambodia's prime minister, also posting online, endorsed the initiative, which included having Malaysia and the United States help monitor it. However, Thai Prime Minister Anutin denied that his country was even in negotiations over the proposal.

Thailand has been carrying out airstrikes on what it says are strictly military targets, while Cambodia has been firing thousands of medium-range BM-21 rockets that have caused havoc but relatively few casualties.

BM-21 rocket launchers can fire up to 40 rockets at a time with a range of 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles). These rockets cannot be precisely targeted and have landed largely in areas from where most people have already been evacuated.

However, the Thai army announced Saturday that BM-21 rockets had hit a civilian area in Sisaket province, seriously injuring two civilians who had heard warning sirens and had been running toward a bunker for safety.

Thailand's navy was also reported by both sides' militaries to have joined the fighting on Saturday morning, with a warship in the Gulf of Thailand shelling Cambodia's southwestern province of Koh Kong. Each side said the other opened fire first.

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Peck reported from Bangkok. Sopheng Cheang in Serei Saophoan, Cambodia, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

A man sits in a tent as he takes refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing home following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

An evacuee cooks soup as she takes refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing home following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

An evacuee tastes soup as she takes refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing from home following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Evacuees cook food as they take refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing homes following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Children raise their hands while receiving donation from charity as they take refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing homes following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Evacuees wait to receive donation from local charity as they take refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing homes following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Village security volunteers and resident run into shelter while the blasts sounded too close in Buriram province, Thailand, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, following renewed border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)