In the last decade-plus, the Kansas City Chiefs went from AFC also-ran to the NFL's foremost power and main attraction.
Now, a challenging season has left the franchise in unfamiliar territory.
With Sunday's 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars all winning their respective games, the Chiefs are officially eliminated from playoff contention. Kansas City will be absent from the postseason field for the first time since 2014 – three years before Patrick Mahomes was drafted and just the second season of Andy Reid's run as coach of the team.
Mahomes, who took five sacks and was hit throughout the day, left the game in the final two minutes after aggravating his knee injury. Gardner Minshew took over behind center, but his interception in the final seconds of the comeback bid sealed Kansas City's fate.
The 10-season streak of reaching the playoffs was the second-longest stretch in league history – behind only the New England Patriots (2009-19) – and longest active run in the NFL, with the Bills the next closest at six years.
