KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes walked off Arrowhead Stadium with a towel over his head and his left knee in ruins. Behind him, the Los Angeles Chargers celebrated a 16-13 victory that ended Kansas City’s season two months early.
The two-time MVP tore his ACL with 1:43 remaining in the fourth quarter, turning what was already Kansas City’s worst season in over a decade into something far more painful. The Chiefs (6-8) are officially eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2014, and now face three meaningless December games without their franchise quarterback.
Table of Contents
The Breaking Point
Kansas City trailed 16-13 when Mahomes scrambled right on third-and-8, trying to extend the play. Defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand grabbed him from behind and spun him to the turf. Mahomes immediately clutched his left knee.
“It didn’t look good,” head coach Andy Reid said.
An MRI confirmed a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament. Mahomes addressed it later on social media: “Don’t know why this had to happen. And not going to lie it’s hurts. But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again.”
Backup Gardner Minshew took over and connected on three straight completions, moving Kansas City to the Los Angeles 35-yard line. But with 20 seconds left, Minshew forced a throw toward Travis Kelce in the end zone. Derwin James jumped the route for his second interception of the night, sealing the AFC West showdown for the Chargers (10-4).
How Kansas City’s Season Collapsed
The Chiefs opened fast. Mahomes capped a 68-yard drive with a 12-yard rushing touchdown at 8:52 of the first quarter. Harrison Butker added field goals of 27 and 47 yards, building a 13-3 lead with 38 seconds left in the first half.
Then Justin Herbert, playing with a broken left hand, took over.
He completed three passes in 33 seconds to cover 60 yards, finding KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a 16-yard touchdown with five seconds remaining before halftime. That cut Kansas City’s lead to 13-10 and changed the momentum completely.
Cameron Dicker tied the game at 13-13 with a 23-yard field goal on Los Angeles’ opening drive of the third quarter. He gave the Chargers their first lead at 2:40 of the third quarter, drilling a 49-yarder through the December wind.
Kansas City never scored again.
Chiefs vs Chargers Player Stats: Passing Game
Quarterback Performance
| Player | Team | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | LAC | 19/29 | 210 | 1 | 1 | 4-9 | 84.0 |
| Patrick Mahomes | KC | 16/28 | 189 | 0 | 1 | 5-21 | 62.9 |
| Gardner Minshew | KC | 3/5 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0-0 | 30.8 |
Herbert averaged 7.2 yards per attempt and managed the game despite taking four sacks. Mahomes completed 57% of his passes under heavy pressure before leaving with the injury. The Kansas City offensive line gave up five sacks for 21 yards in losses.
Receiving Leaders
Los Angeles Chargers
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Avg | TD | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oronde Gadsden | 4 | 61 | 15.3 | 0 | 5 |
| Tre’ Harris | 3 | 49 | 16.3 | 0 | 5 |
| Keenan Allen | 5 | 36 | 7.2 | 0 | 7 |
| Ladd McConkey | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 0 | 3 |
| KeAndre Lambert-Smith | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 1 | 1 |
Kansas City Chiefs
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Avg | TD | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Kelce | 7 | 70 | 10.0 | 0 | 9 |
| Rashee Rice | 7 | 51 | 7.3 | 0 | 11 |
| Tyquan Thornton | 2 | 47 | 23.5 | 0 | 3 |
| Xavier Worthy | 2 | 35 | 17.5 | 0 | 4 |
Kelce led Kansas City with seven catches but couldn’t find the end zone. After the game, he refused to speak with reporters. “Sorry guys, it’s not the time,” he said before leaving the locker room.
Rice was targeted 11 times, matching the frustration of an offense that converted just 6-of-13 third downs.
Ground Game Statistics
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omarion Hampton | LAC | 15 | 61 | 4.1 | 0 | 26 |
| Kimani Vidal | LAC | 12 | 33 | 2.8 | 0 | 8 |
| Isiah Pacheco | KC | 11 | 21 | 1.9 | 0 | 7 |
| Kareem Hunt | KC | 6 | 12 | 2.0 | 0 | 4 |
Los Angeles rushed for 94 yards on 29 attempts. Kansas City managed just 49 yards on 21 carries. Neither running game broke through, putting extra pressure on both quarterbacks.
Defensive Stats and Impact Players
Los Angeles Defense
| Player | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derwin James Jr. | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Denzel Perryman | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Odafe Oweh | 4 | 4 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tuli Tuipulotu | 4 | 4 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Khalil Mack | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daiyan Henley | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Kansas City Defense
| Player | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drue Tranquill | 14 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Bolton | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryan Cook | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Chamarri Conner | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Charles Omenihu | 3 | 1 | 1.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
The Chargers recorded five sacks and nine quarterback hits. Oweh and Tuipulotu each posted two sacks and three tackles for loss, dominating Kansas City’s makeshift offensive line.
James finished with two pass deflections and the game-sealing interception. Henley’s third-quarter interception in the red zone stopped a promising Chiefs drive.
Team Statistics Breakdown
| Category | Chargers | Chiefs |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 295 | 239 |
| First Downs | 18 | 17 |
| Passing Yards | 201 | 190 |
| Rushing Yards | 94 | 49 |
| Third Down | 5-14 (36%) | 6-13 (46%) |
| Fourth Down | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Red Zone | 1-2 (50%) | 1-3 (33%) |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Penalties | 5-50 | 9-64 |
| Time of Possession | 34:42 | 25:18 |
| Total Plays | 62 | 59 |
Los Angeles controlled possession by nearly 10 minutes and won the turnover battle 2-1. Kansas City’s nine penalties for 64 yards kept drives stalling at bad moments.
Full Box Score
Final: Los Angeles Chargers 16, Kansas City Chiefs 13
Scoring Summary
| Quarter | Time | Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 8:52 | KC | Patrick Mahomes 12-yard TD run (Harrison Butker kick) | LAC 0, KC 7 |
| Q1 | 2:30 | LAC | Cameron Dicker 49-yard FG | LAC 3, KC 7 |
| Q2 | 8:04 | KC | Harrison Butker 27-yard FG | LAC 3, KC 10 |
| Q2 | 0:38 | KC | Harrison Butker 47-yard FG | LAC 3, KC 13 |
| Q2 | 0:05 | LAC | KeAndre Lambert-Smith 16-yard TD pass from Justin Herbert (Cameron Dicker kick) | LAC 10, KC 13 |
| Q3 | 8:55 | LAC | Cameron Dicker 23-yard FG | LAC 13, KC 13 |
| Q3 | 0:51 | LAC | Cameron Dicker 49-yard FG | LAC 16, KC 13 |
Score by Quarter
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chargers | 3 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 16 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
Kicking Stats
| Kicker | Team | FG | Long | XP | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Dicker | LAC | 3/3 | 49 | 1/1 | 10 |
| Harrison Butker | KC | 2/2 | 47 | 1/1 | 7 |
Punting Stats
| Punter | Team | Punts | Yards | Avg | Inside 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JK Scott | LAC | 4 | 150 | 37.5 | 3 |
| Matt Araiza | KC | 4 | 190 | 47.5 | 1 |
Additional Team Stats
- Attendance: 73,073 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
- Weather: Wind chills near zero degrees
- Fumbles: LAC 1-0, KC 0-0
- Interceptions Thrown: LAC 1, KC 2
What Happens Next
The Chargers improved to 5-0 in the AFC West and clinched their second straight 10-win season under head coach Jim Harbaugh.
“It’s a ball team. This is a ball team,” Harbaugh said. “Starting to think this is my favorite ball team that I’ve ever been on. I’ve been on a lot of teams, none better than this team.”
Kansas City faces three games without Mahomes. Minshew takes over as the starter, beginning with a Christmas night game at Denver.
“I’ll do whatever the coaches ask of me,” Minshew said. “And we’ll go try to win some games.”
The Chiefs also lost wide receiver Tyquan Thornton to a concussion after a hit by cornerback Tony Jefferson, who was ejected from the game.
Los Angeles visits Dallas next Sunday. Kansas City travels to Tennessee the same day before the primetime meeting with the Broncos.
For Kansas City, the numbers from this kansas city chiefs vs los angeles chargers match tell a familiar story from 2025: not enough offense, too many penalties, and a defense that couldn’t create the stops when needed. Now they’ll finish the regular season without their quarterback and without any postseason hopes for the first time in 11 years.
