Cris Collinsworth might enjoy calling Patrick Mahomes and the ratings juggernaut Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, but he’s not blind to the fact that the rest of America might be suffering from a case of “Chiefs fatigue.”
Collinsworth recognized last season that viewers were growing tired of his relentless praise of the three-time Super Bowl champion.
Rather than shy away, he unapologetically leaned into it.
As NFL storylines shift toward players like Jayden Daniels, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Saquon Barkley, even Dan Patrick has noted that sports media collectively seems to focus on anything but the Chiefs.
But why is that?
Collinsworth just might have the answers.
“Because they converted into a defensive team; not that they aren’t capable [offensively], the longtime NBC color analyst said on Patrick’s show Thursday. “But when we’re all overwhelmed watching the Kansas City Chiefs, it was because Tyreek Hill and CO. – and they were taking the top off, and they were throwing bombs and Mahomes was, you know, it was just insane.
“They were scoring points all over the place, and it’s really not what they’re right now. They’re still fully capable of doing that, but they got to 15-1 this year because of the way they played defense. And, honestly, it was the same thing last year: they just really played great defense. Chris Jones and CO are in there; those guys win the game on the defensive side. And then we remember Mahomes making a play, or [Travis] Kelce making a play at the end of the game and scoring a touchdown.”
Just go back to the AFC Championship Game with the Baltimore Ravens last season.
“I mean, it was a fistfight. It was a violent, violent football game,” Collinsworth explained. “And I think that’s what’s missed out of this when you watch Kansas City when people talk about ’em, is you know, Philadelphia I consider a violent football team. I think Kansas City is, too. They got that interior wall inside with those great center [Creed Humphrey] and two guards [Joe Thuney and Trey Smith] — physically can come off the ball. And defensively, I think they’re as good as anybody in the league.”
Collinsworth isn’t just defending the Chiefs like he usually would — he’s pointing out what many in sports media might be overlooking at the moment. Kansas City’s evolution into a more balanced, physical team may not grab the same headlines, but it’s a big reason they’re still one of the league’s best.
And fatigue or not, they’re built to last.
