Kansas City Chiefs face a pivotal offseason after a disappointing 6-11 season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — What happened over the last month of the season for the Kansas City Chiefs figures to be a whole lot less interesting than what will transpire over the next few months, when a perennial juggernaut in desperate need of a reset begins work on the retooling.

Will tight end Travis Kelce retire after a superlative 13-year career, or will he come back for one more season in an attempt to wipe away the bitter taste of a 6-11 record? How will the Chiefs navigate free agency with glaring needs at several spots and precious little salary cap space? And what will they do with their first top-10 draft pick since Patrick Mahomes went 10th in 2017?

“Optimistic for the future going forward here,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “(General manager) Brett (Veach) has the controls from here with the draft, and he and his guys will do a great job in the draft, and as we work through free agency.”

There is plenty of work to do.

The Chiefs not only had a streak of 10 consecutive playoff appearances end, they also had a nine-year dominance of the AFC West shattered by Denver. Their streak of seven conference title game appearances is over, and given the way the season went, it's almost hard to believe that the Chiefs played in the last three Super Bowls — with two wins.

But very little went right for the Chiefs this season, beginning with a loss to the Chargers in Brazil and ending with six consecutive defeats, leaving them with their worst record since going 2-14 the year before Reid arrived in Kansas City.

By mid-December, the Chiefs already had been eliminated from the playoffs.

Injuries may have been the biggest problem: Patrick Mahomes tore two ligaments in his knee, backup quarterback Gardner Minshew likewise tore his knee ligament and stars such as Rashee Rice and Trent McDuffie followed them to injured reserve.

But there also were glaring deficiencies on both sides of the ball.

“We've got a good nucleus of guys that are veteran players. They'll be back,” Reid said, “and I think you want that foundation, and that's where you start. And then you give Brett an opportunity to have the draft picks that he has and picking where he's picking; you know he's going to do a great job there. And then whatever happens free agent-wise, or guys we signed up — wherever that goes — you still have a long way to go to add people and do what you need. So, there'll be a fresh start coming up.”

The first big decision in Kansas City may lie not with the team but with Kelce, who is considering retirement. He said the choice to come back last season was relatively easy after a lopsided Super Bowl loss to Philadelphia. But with myriad interests outside football, and his engagement to pop star Taylor Swift, things have changed in his life over the past 12 months.

“I have so much love for this team, this organization and the people here,” said Kelce, who finished with 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns. “I'll spend some time with them, go through exit meetings, get close to the family and figure things out.”

Mahomes is already well into rehab following surgery to repair his knee injury, and the Chiefs are cautiously optimistic that he will be ready for Week 1 next season. Everyone else who landed on injured reserve also is expected to be ready for next season.

Among veterans due to hit free agency are running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, wide receivers Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, cornerbacks Josh Williams and Jaylen Watson, safeties Bryan Cook and Mike Edwards, linebacker Leo Chenal and defensive linemen Derrick Nnadi, Mike Pennel and Charles Omenihu. Several could be back on team-friendly deals.

The Chiefs will pick ninth overall in April, their highest since taking offensive tackle Eric Fisher first overall in 2013. They have a slew of needs on both sides of the ball, but look for them to target offensive playmakers — probably a running back — and someone who can rush the passer after finishing among the league's worst in quarterback sacks this season.

The Chiefs haven't been finished this early in a season in a decade, so at least in terms of getting a jump-start on next season, the next few weeks are a novel luxury. They'll spend it preparing for the NFL scouting combine in late February and the start of free agency.

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Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones speaks during a news conference following an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) runs with the ball as Las Vegas Raiders safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, left, and cornerback Darien Porter (26) defend during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (19) fumbles as he is sacked for an 8-yard loss by Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce heads off the field following an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks during a news conference following an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

PHOENIX (AP) — Sarah Strong of UConn was named The Associated Press women’s basketball Player of the Year on Thursday after leading the Huskies to an undefeated season, setting the stage for a run to the Final Four.

Strong became just the fifth player to win the award in her sophomore year, joining Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (2007), UConn stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014), and USC's JuJu Watkins, who won it last year. The AP started giving out the award in 1995.

It's the 13th time that a Huskies player has won the award with Paige Bueckers being the last to do it before Strong in 2021.

Vanderbilt's Shea Ralph, who was a former UConn player and assistant coach, won the AP Coach of the Year award. They both accepted the awards in front of a full room that included the entire UConn team, which gave a standing ovation when both winners were announced.

“I’m so blessed because I totally got to this point in my life because of my teammates,” Strong said.

Strong received 25 votes from a national media panel that votes for the Top 25 each week. Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes garnered four votes and UCLA's Lauren Betts got the other two. Voting was completed before the NCAA Tournament began.

“Anybody that has watched us play would probably tell you that she's the heart and soul of our team,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “She elevates the play of everyone on our team."

He called Strong “the most low-key superstar you ever saw.”

“You don’t see that look in her eyes, you know, like, oh, my God, there’s always just, a calmness,” he said. “That’s the best way I can describe it. That allows her to just be free and fluid and play without worry. ”

Auriemma has coached some of the greatest in the game including Breanna Stewart, Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi. Strong fits in with them.

“The great ones, the great ones all had it. I never saw (Taurasi) nervous,” he said. ‘You know that they came in as freshmen and you can tell by the look in their eyes, ’I can handle this. This is what I think. This is why I came here.' You know some may pretend, but you know deep down you’re not ready for that moment. She’s ready for that one."

Strong is averaging 18.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 1.6 blocks a game while helping UConn go 38-0. She's shooting 59.4% from the field, 40.4% from 3 and 84.8% from the the foul line while playing just 27 minutes a game.

The sensational sophomore raised her game when the Huskies faced Top 25 opponents, averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. She reached 1,000 career points in her 59th career game, the third-fastest player in school history to reach the milestone.

Strong was the Big East Player of the Year as well as the Most Outstanding Player of the Fort Worth Regional.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Associated Press deputy global sports editor Oscar Dixon, left, presents UConn's Sarah Strong with the 2026 AP Women's Player of the Year award during a news conference at the Women's Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

UConn forward Sarah Strong, front, and Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo compete for a loose ball during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

FILE - UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) reacts during the first half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Syracuse, Monday, March 23, 2026, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

FILE - UConn forward Sarah Strong drives against Notre Dame during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Notre Dame, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)