Bo Nix's career day punched the Denver Broncos' ticket to the playoffs with a 38-0 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon.It is the first time since the 2015 season that the Broncos have reached the postseason.Nix completed his first 18 passes and was 26 of 29 for the game, an 89.7 completion percentage that set a new Broncos' single-game record. Nix set a career high with 321 yards and also had four touchdown passes. He led the Broncos with 47 rushing yards as the club clinched the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoffs.With the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs wrapped up, the Chiefs rested Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, Chris Jones, Jawaan Taylor and George Karlaftis.Cortland Sutton had five catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. Marvin Mims Jr. hauled in five passes for 51 yards and two touchdowns and Devaughn Vele had four catches for 50 yards and a touchdown for Denver (10-7).Nik Bonitto had two sacks, Jonathon Cooper, Jordan Jackson and John Franklin-Myers each had a sack for Denver. The Broncos (10-7) held the Chiefs (15-2) to five first downs and 98 total yards.Carson Wentz was 10-of-17 passing for 98 yards for the Chiefs.The Broncos opened the game with a six-play, 70-yard scoring drive. A play-action pass play featured a fake hand off, fake reverse and screen pass from Nix to Mims for a 32-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

The Kansas City Chiefs were reportedly stranded at the airport for more than four hours Saturday due to a severe winter storm before being cleared to fly to Denver for Sunday's game against the host Broncos.Kansas City International Airport halted operations at 2:50 p.m. local time before the Chiefs could leave town.The city is being hit by a major storm that is bringing heavy snow and freezing rain into the area. A blizzard warning is set to go in effect at 3 a.m. CT on Sunday.The Chiefs reportedly attempted to move up their departure time but were unable to due to a mechanical issue with the plane. Also, the airport's de-icing machine was broken, adding to delays.

The Kansas City Chiefs are opening the 21-day practice window for starting cornerback Jaylen Watson, ESPN reported Friday.Watson, 26, has been on injured reserve since Oct. 22 with a broken ankle that required surgery. He sustained the injury in Kansas City's Week 7 win at San Francisco.The Chiefs were optimistic at the time that Watson could return for the playoffs. The Chiefs (15-1) are the No. 1 seed in the AFC and will have a bye week after finishing the regular season Sunday at Denver.

Bo Nix was in high school the last time the Denver Broncos qualified for the playoffs.Should the rookie quarterback snap his team's two-game losing streak on Sunday against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs (15-1), Denver would clinch the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoffs.It would be the first playoff berth for the Broncos since they won Super Bowl 50 during the 2015 season.Nix has thrown for 3,454 yards and completed 65.1 percent of his passes with 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Even though the Miami Dolphins (8-8) and Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) are next in line should the Broncos slip up against the Chiefs, Nix insisted he doesn't feel any stress."I think this lifestyle, the situation as quarterbacks, we live with pressure, it's second nature at this point," Nix said. "I believe pressure is a privilege and I was taught that a long time ago."Because the Chiefs already wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs with a 29-10 Christmas win at the Pittsburgh Steelers, starting quarterback and three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes won't play.Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Carson Wentz will start at quarterback and a number of other starters will sit out or see limited action. The Chiefs want to be well rested as they attempt to become the first team to win a third straight Super Bowl.Regardless of which players see the field, Denver coach Sean Payton said roster limits mean the Broncos will still be challenged."Our focus has got to be on this team in general," said Payton, whose team lost 16-14 at Kansas City in Week 10. "There will be some different people in different places, I'm sure. But this is not like college. We don't have a roster of 105 players."Competing against the Kansas City defense in practice has prepared Wentz. The Chiefs own the No. 2 scoring defense in the NFL, allowing 18.0 points per game. The Broncos check in fifth at 19.4 points per game.

The Broncos would clinch a playoff berth with a win on Sunday, and Denver coach Sean Payton isn't concerned that the opposition won't be at full strength.Denver (9-7) plays host to the Kansas City Chiefs (15-1), who have wrapped up AFC West title and the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC playoffs. The Chiefs will hold out quarterback Patrick Mahomes and other starters in the regular-season finale to keep the squad healthy for a run at a third consecutive Super Bowl title.Payton said Wednesday, "Like I said to the team this morning, 'Our focus has got to be on this team in general.' They'll be, I'm sure, some different people in different places. ..."Credit to Kansas City, (Chiefs coach) Andy (Reid) and his team. When you go 15-1, then you're afforded those decisions. I've been in that position where your team might need a break here or there. They've earned that and that's part of the deal. For us, it's about understanding what we're seeing scheme-wise and being ready to play our best game."Chiefs backup QB Carson Wentz will get the start in place of Mahomes. Wentz owns a 47-45-1 record as an NFL starter but is on his fifth team in five years and has made just one start over the past two seasons, a win for the Los Angeles Rams one year ago this week."He's in this league for a reason," Payton said. "He's big, and he's strong. He was a first-round draft pick. We spoke during the offseason a little bit with him and his agents. It's the player but it's also everything around it and understanding what they're trying to do."

The Kansas City Chiefs will rest quarterback Patrick Mahomes and other starters in Sunday's regular-season finale against the host Denver Broncos.The Chiefs (15-1) have locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC and head coach Andy Reid confirmed Wednesday that veteran Carson Wentz will be under center on Sunday.Wentz, 32, has played a total of nine snaps in two games this season, his first with Kansas City. He completed both of his pass attempts for 20 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.Drafted No. 2 overall by Philadelphia in 2016, Wentz is 47-45-1 as a starter with the Eagles (2016-20), Indianapolis Colts (2021), Washington Commanders (2022), Los Angeles Rams (2023) and Chiefs.Wentz has completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 22,312 yards with 153 touchdowns and 67 interceptions. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2017.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce narrowly beat out Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs as the fans' top vote-getter for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games on Feb. 2 in Orlando.Amid another strong season for the AFC's No. 1 seed, Kelce totaled 252,200 votes when balloting ended on Dec. 23, just ahead of Gibbs (252,082).Following Gibbs were a trio of quarterbacks -- the Washington Commanders' Jayden Daniels (242,352), the Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow (239,526) and the Lions' Jared Goff (225,858).NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" will reveal the rosters for the AFC and NFC on Thursday.Gibbs and Goff helped the Lions -- who have a chance to clinch the NFC's No. 1 seed Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings -- finish first among all NFL teams in total votes, ahead of the Vikings, Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Kansas City will rest running back Isiah Pacheco at practice this week and has ruled him out for the regular-season finale Sunday at Denver because of a rib injury, with Chiefs coach Andy Reid saying that he will be ready for the postseason."He'll be available playoff-wise. He is tender," Reid said Monday. "I'll probably hold him back this week in practice just a bit so he can be fresh and ready to go."Pacheco, 25, has played in only seven games (six starts) this season and has 83 carries for 310 yards and one touchdown, along with 12 receptions for 79 yards. The starting running back sustained a broken right fibula in his team's victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2.He played in Kansas City's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day and sustained the rib injury.Kansas City selected Pacheco in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He has rushed for 2,075 yards and 13 TDs on 458 attempts and caught 69 passes for 453 yards and two TDs in 38 games (30 starts).

Patrick Mahomes passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns and the Kansas City Chiefs clinched homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a 29-10 victory over the host Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday.Travis Kelce became the third tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions and also took over the franchise lead with his 77th career touchdown catch. Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson also caught scoring passes and Kareem Hunt rushed for a touchdown for the Chiefs (15-1) during the Christmas Day affair.Russell Wilson completed 23 of 37 passes for 205 yards and one interception as Pittsburgh (10-6) failed to clinch the AFC North for the second straight game. The Steelers have lost three consecutive games.Mahomes was 29-of-38 passing while helping the Chiefs win their sixth straight game. Kansas City also set a franchise record with its 15th victory.Kelce had eight catches for 84 yards to raise his career receptions total to 1,004. Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (1,325) and Jason Witten (1,228) are the only two tight ends with more catches.Ironically, it was Gonzalez's franchise record for receiving scores that Kelce broke. He celebrated by doing Gonzalez's signature dunking of the football through the uprights. Gonzalez was a college basketball player in addition to being a star football player.The Chiefs racked up five sacks and thrived defensively without star tackle Chris Jones (calf).Kansas City led by six at halftime and increased the lead to 16-7 on Harrison Butker's 32-yard field goal with 12:21 left in the third quarter.The Steelers responded with Chris Boswell's 36-yard field goal to move back within six with 5:45 left in the quarter.

Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce became the third tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions during Wednesday's contest against the host Pittsburgh Steelers.Kelce reached the milestone by making a 19-yard catch late in the third quarter. He later caught a touchdown to set a franchise record for receiving scores.Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (1,325) and Jason Witten (1,228) were the first two tight ends to gain membership in the 1,000 receptions club. Witten, a 11-time Pro Bowl selection, retired after the 2020 season and isn't yet eligible for enshrinement.Kelce also caught a touchdown pass to become Kansas City's all-time leader with 77, one more than Gonzalez, who earned 10 of his 14 Pro Bowl selections with the Chiefs.After making the catch to surpass Gonzalez's touchdown mark, Kelce dunked the football over the crossbar. Gonzalez, who also played college basketball, celebrated TD catches with the same maneuver.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany are expecting the arrival of their new addition soon -- as in, very soon.The couple has two children: daughter Sterling and son Bronze. A baby girl will be arriving soon, and the three-time Super Bowl champion said he wants to be in attendance."Any day now," Mahomes, 29, told Netflix studio host Kay Adams of Brittany's due date. "Brittany says I've been stressing her out too much this season, so I gotta try to not put that much stress on her through these football games and get that bye. And hopefully God works the right way and we can have that baby maybe on the bye week somewhere and then everything will work out perfectly.""(She's the) MVP because she'll go in there and crush it and what, three babies? I can take a break for a long time and just focus on playing football and raising those babies."

Kansas City Chiefs star defensive tackle Chris Jones is officially inactive for Wednesday's game in Pittsburgh due to a calf injury.Jones, 30, did not practice on Monday and was limited on Tuesday. The five-time Pro Bowl selection has five sacks, 20 quarterback hits and 37 tackles in 15 starts this season.Also inactive for the Chiefs (14-1) are starting left tackle D.J. Humphries, offensive linemen Ethan Driskell and C.J. Hanson, defensive ends Joshua Uche and Malik Herring, and defensive back Chamarri Conner.

The Kansas City Chiefs have listed defensive tackle Chris Jones and right tackle Jawaan Taylor as questionable for Wednesday's game at Pittsburgh.Jones, 30, did not practice Sunday or Monday but was limited on Tuesday with a calf injury. The five-time Pro Bowl selection has five sacks, 20 quarterback hits and 37 tackles in 15 starts this season, his ninth with the Chiefs.Taylor, 27, has been limited in practice all week with a knee injury. Including 15 starts this season, he has started all 98 games since being drafted in the second round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019.

Patrick Mahomes was pumped up when the NFL schedule was released and he saw his Kansas City Chiefs were playing on Christmas Day for the second straight season.His excitement lasted for only a short time."Until I realized it was on Wednesday," Mahomes said Monday.Plenty of sore bodies will take the field Wednesday when the Chiefs (14-1) visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5) in what will be the third game in 11 days for both teams.Both squads just played on Saturday. The Chiefs posted a 27-19 home win over the Houston Texans and the Steelers fell 34-17 to the host Baltimore Ravens."You're not going to feel great," Mahomes said of the short week. "That's kind of just what it is. You don't make excuses in this league. You go out and play football, and you fight until the very end, and you try to get a win at the end of the day."You're motivated to play a great football team, to play in Pittsburgh in a great environment, a great stadium. It'll be rocking playing on Christmas, so everybody's going to be watching."If Kansas City wins Wednesday, it clinches the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.The Chiefs have 14 victories for the third time in the past five seasons. The franchise has never won 15 games in a season.Kansas City hasn't committed a single turnover during its five-game winning streak.Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson isn't fond of hearing "turnover" after he made two big mistakes in Saturday's loss to the Ravens.Wilson lost a fumble after a 19-yard gain to the Baltimore 4-yard line in the second quarter and later was intercepted by Marlon Humphrey, who returned it 37 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.Wilson called it "unacceptable" and now has his focus on making amends against Kansas City."I don't think there's enough time to really sulk or worry or fear," Wilson said. " ... The one thing I'm not going to do is keep my head down, though. I know for us we got so much great confidence in who we are and what we can do and how we're going to respond."We can't let a tough game like this take us into a negative state of mind because there's a lot more to play for and a lot more we're searching for, and we can still win the (AFC) North."

Texans wide receiver Tank Dell sustained a significant left knee injury during his 30-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.While Dell made a diving catch of a C.J. Stroud pass, Texans receiver Jared Wayne tumbled into Dell as both went to the ground. Dell maintained possession of the ball but was removed from the game by emergency personnel via cart with his leg immobilized in a brace.Stroud was visibly emotional as Dell departed. Both were selected during the 2023 draft.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown will make his season debut on Saturday afternoon against the visiting Houston Texans.Brown, who was listed as active for the game, has worked his way back after being placed on injured reserve on Sept. 13 with a sternoclavicular joint injury sustained in the preseason opener.Brown, 27, signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Chiefs in March after three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens (2019-21) and two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2022-23).Brown has 313 catches for 3,644 yards and 28 touchdowns in 72 career games (65 starts). He posted a 1,000-yard season with the Ravens in 2021.The Chiefs (13-1) opened up a roster spot for Brown earlier this week when they released veteran running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Patrick Mahomes passed for 260 yards and accounted for two touchdowns as the Kansas City Chiefs moved closer to securing the top seed in the AFC playoffs with a 27-19 victory over the visiting Houston Texans on Saturday.Mahomes appeared unfazed by the high right ankle sprain that sidelined him in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. He finished 28 of 41 for the Chiefs (14-1), who converted 7 of 13 third downs to keep the Texans (9-6) at bay.Both teams have already clinched division titles.Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud passed for 244 yards and a pair of touchdowns. But he also tossed two interceptions that the Chiefs converted into 10 points, and he was sacked twice. The Texans committed six penalties and finished 1 for 3 in the red zone to undermine their upset bid.Xavier Worthy had seven receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown, while Marquise Brown finished with five catches for 45 yards in his Chiefs debut. Eight Chiefs players caught passes.Jaden Hicks' interception of Stroud snuffed the Texans' initial drive, and when the Chiefs took over, Mahomes moved the sticks with a 12-yard pass to Brown on fourth-and-1. Mahomes capped the 11-play, 66-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead with 6:31 left in the first.Houston rallied to a 10-7 lead, starting with a seven-play, 55-yard drive that culminated in Ka'imi Fairbairn's 33-yard field goal with 3:08 left in the first quarter.

Patrick Mahomes was a full participant in practice Wednesday, taking all of his usual reps for the second consecutive day to mute conversations about the Chiefs' quarterback sitting out Kansas City's game Saturday against the Houston Texans.Mahomes hurt an ankle in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win at Cleveland but said Tuesday his dedicated treatment plan was paying off.Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy took a cautious angle on Wednesday saying the workouts the past two days were light in comparison to usual practices because of the shorter week and games four days apart. The Chiefs (13-1) play Christmas Day -- Wednesday -- at Pittsburgh."I thought for him, it's a lighter day for us with the schedule that we have. So I thought, all things considered, he did well," Nagy said.Head coach Andy Reid outlined a plan for making decisions on player gameday participation later this week. That includes Mahomes and possibly wide receiver Hollywood Brown, who hasn't played since a training camp shoulder injury forced him to injured reserve in September.Mahomes and the Chiefs can clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a win over the Texans and a Buffalo Bills' loss or tie against the Patriots.

Wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown reportedly will make his Kansas City Chiefs debut on Saturday, barring any setbacks.ESPN reported Thursday that the Chiefs (13-1) are planning to activate Brown ahead of their home game against the Houston Texans (9-5).Kansas City opened Brown's 21-day practice window last Friday. He has been on injured reserve since Sept. 13 with a sternoclavicular joint injury sustained in the preseason opener.Brown, 27, signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Chiefs in March after three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens (2019-21) and two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2022-23).

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes "most likely" will start Saturday's game against the visiting Houston Texans, coach Andy Reid said on Thursday.Mahomes was a full participant in practice on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday despite nursing an ankle sprain he suffered during the fourth quarter of last Sunday's 21-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns."We'll most likely end up playing him," Reid said on Thursday.Reid added that he liked what he saw from Mahomes during practice."He did look good out there," Reid said. "He moved around pretty good. So, you're always looking to make sure they can get out the way, not to further any harm to them. So that's what I look at.