Patrick Mahomes (Getty Images)
The Kansas City Chiefs’ impressive start to the 2026 NFL season has taken an uncomfortable turn. After opening their campaign with five straight victories, Patrick Mahomes and his teammates have suddenly lost their grip, raising fresh questions about their ability to compete with the league’s strongest sides. Two defeats have changed the conversation around Andy Reid’s team, and FOX Sports host Rob Parker has delivered a particularly harsh verdict. His criticism goes beyond the results, putting the Chiefs’ reputation and their early-season success under the spotlight.
Before the game, he had an 80-2 record when the Chiefs held a lead of at least 10 points in the fourth quarter, including postseason games. That remarkable record is now 80-3. Three points, never in the red zone against Seattle in a 20-3 loss.
The defeat carried historical significance for Mahomes. “Two weeks ago, they scored three points and were never in the red zone. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs were never in the red zone,” he added. “I thought they had the ultimate running back. Now, they’re good to go. All they had to do was add a running game, and now you can’t stop Patrick. Mahomes still had one final chance to rescue the Broncos game. Kansas City reached Denver’s one-yard line with four seconds left, but a false-start penalty pushed the offense backwards. Malcolm Roach then sacked Mahomes on fourth-and-goal to seal the result.
“I think the Kansas City Chiefs, and I know a lot of people wanted to jump on the bandwagon and say, ‘Oh, they’re back, and they’re great,’ and all of the other stuff that comes with it,” said Parker. “But I’m convinced after watching the last couple of weeks that they’re not the team that people thought they were. The Kansas City Chiefs are frauds. They’re fugazi. Is there another F I can find? The Chiefs now face an important test of character. Their early winning streak showed what this team could achieve, but the latest defeats have exposed questions that only stronger performances can answer. For Mahomes and Reid, responding on the field is now more important than answering their critics.