Chiefs and Andy Reid suffer huge blow just as Patrick Mahomes and company start to turn it on

Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and the Kansas City Chiefs have started to roll, but they just lost rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott to a season-ending torn ACL.  Just when things started to click in Kansas City, the team suffered a major setback.  In Sunday’s 31-0 thrashing over the Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee.

On a defense that was beginning to find its rhythm, Norman-Lott had carved out a key role along the interior of Kansas City’s defensive line, but now he’ll be out the rest of the year.  The second-round draft pick suffered his injury late in the third quarter when he tumbled to the ground while chasing Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty.

The play ended with Raiders left tackle Stone Forsythe driving his full weight onto Norman-Lott, drawing a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness.  Norman-Lott was in obvious pain as he clutched his right knee and was helped off the field by teammates Patrick Mahomes, Ashton Gillotte and Nohl Williams.

There were reports that head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo had plans to increase Norman-Lott’s snap count and playing time in the coming weeks. Inside the building, there was a strong belief that he could bolster the pass rush alongside All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones and defensive end George Karlaftis.

Now, the rookie out of Tennessee will have to wait until 2026 to make his mark. He finished his first season with five tackles and one sack across five games. Norman-Lott wasn’t lighting the world on fire or wrecking games, but he was clearly improving week by week and it showed.

While it’s a significant blow for Kansas City, Mahomes and the rest of the team seem to be hitting their stride and have found their swagger.  The Chiefs sit at 4–3, coming off back-to-back wins against the Super Bowl-contending Detroit Lions and the lowly Raiders.  Sunday marked the return of Rashee Rice from his six-game suspension, and his impact was felt immediately. He hauled in two touchdown passes from Mahomes, who spoke glowingly about the third-year receiver after the game.

“I think you saw, he gets so much attention because he is such a special football player,” said Mahomes of Rice. “Whenever you get the football to him, he makes stuff happen.  “So it was good to get him back out here and get the offense rolling. We’re running at a high level all we can do is continue to get better and better. We’re gonna keep working, keep trying to get better. Keep incorporating Rashee and everybody else, and see where we can get to.”

Rice finished with seven receptions for just 42 yards but caught two touchdowns. Mahomes threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns in just three quarters before watching the fourth from the sideline. The Kansas City quarterback is now among the favorites to win MVP, which would be the third of his career.  “We have a lot of weapons. We have a lot of guys and they all love each other, and they want each other to succeed,” Mahomes continued.  “We want to be better than what we are now, but this was a good step in the right direction.”

Rice stated that this was just the beginning. “I think it’s a glimpse of what’s possible,” Rice said, “and what’s to come.”  Reid praised the chemistry between his star quarterback and wide receiver. “I think you saw the trust that Pat has in him,” Reid said. “The energy he brings is infectious.”  The Chiefs currently trail the Los Angeles Chargers due to the head-to-head tiebreaker at 4–3 and sit one game behind the 5–2 Denver Broncos.

Their next four games will play a crucial role in determining their postseason hopes and seeding. They’ll host the Washington Commanders, travel to face Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, enjoy a bye week, and then take on the Broncos and Indianapolis Colts.  All three AFC teams they currently trail.