The Los Angeles Chargers pulled off a gut-check 16–13 victory over the Chiefs that didn’t just settle a divisional rivalry — it knocked K.C. out of th season.
The Chargers, trailing 13–3 late in the first half, chipped away with a late touchdown before halftime and two clutch field goals in the second half to pull ahead. Their defense forced the decisive turnover when Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. intercepted a pass in the final minutes, sealing the upset.
But the story’s heartbreak was centered on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In the waning moments of the game, Mahomes — fighting to keep Kansas City’s playoff hopes alive — was tackled while throwing the ball away and went down grabbing his knee. He was helped off the field and later ruled to have torn the ACL in his left knee, a devastating blow that instantly ended both his season and the Chiefs’ postseason hopes.
Justin Herbert, playing through a broken hand, led the Chargers’ comeback and helped propel Los Angeles into stronger playoff positioning, while Kansas City, now 6–8, saw its first playoff miss since 2014 confirmed in a bitter, snowy loss at Arrowhead Stadium.
