After a disappointing 6-11 finish and mounting questions surrounding Patrick Mahomes‘ recovery, plenty of people have already started writing the obituary for the Chiefs dynasty that once ruled the NFL. Trey Smith is not interested in reading it. When Smith was asked about the growing belief that Kansas City’s run at the top may be over, he did not hesitate. He pushed back immediately and did it in the most Trey Smith way possible.

“We do not care,” Smith told Terron Armstead on June 5, 2026. “That’s real. I don’t give a [__] man. All I can do is just go try to play right guard as well as I can. If you guys want to hate, you guys are mad. All right, bro. Like it is what it is. But like, until every team puts that ball down — you could be the Super Bowl champions like we were, and a lot of those first games we played, we didn’t win. It doesn’t matter. Like it doesn’t matter what you were the previous season.”

That was not exactly a new mindset from Smith either. Earlier in March 2026, he shared the same outlook and even pointed to where it came from.

“I think back to the Mike Tomlin quote, at a press conference or something: ‘We do not care, we don’t care at the end of the day.” Smith said on the Up & Adams podcast, “We’re over here playing ball, we’re just doing our job, we just gotta be better. A lot of times last season, we weren’t playing our best football, we weren’t playing complementary football. At the end of the day, we just have to go back to the drawing board and be great this offseason. Everyone has to repair.”

The Chiefs saw their playoff hopes come crashing down last year following a defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers, which marked the first time in 10 seasons that the team did not make the playoffs, and the Chiefs also failed to make their eighth straight appearance in the AFC Championship.

From the very offset things were not looking great for the Chiefs. They had injury issues all season, but things got worse when Patrick Mahomes suffered an ACL injury during a Week 14 loss to the Chargers, and for months, the fans and experts have not been sure about Mahomes’ readiness for next season.

However, after several months of rehabilitation, the two-time MVP is well ahead of schedule and looking to play on opening night against the Denver Broncos on September 14. During recent OTAs, Mahomes was still wearing a knee brace, but he had already returned for selected drills. Athletic trainer Julie Frymyer, who has helped guide him through injuries throughout his nine-year career, has played a major role in the process.

The progress has been encouraging enough that GM Brett Veach publicly said Mahomes is “way ahead of schedule.” So Smith’s confidence does not feel like empty talk. There are real reasons for optimism in Kansas City.

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During the segment, Smith also emphasized the mindset of approaching the upcoming season as a fresh start.

“Like every year is going to be a new year, and we’re just going to go to work every single day,” Smith added. “We have the hardest training camp coming up. So for me, man, I’m like, how do I be the best version of myself for my team? I don’t buy into the media, hype, or news.”

The team also appears prepared after making key moves aimed at strengthening the roster and improving its outlook heading into the season. For months, retirement speculation surrounded Travis Kelce, but he put those conversations to rest after signing a three-year, $54.375 million extension.

“Chiefs Kingdom, let’s go, baby,” Kelce said. “Excited to put on a Chiefs uniform in front of you guys again.”

Another challenge for the Chiefs’ offense during 2025 was the rushing attack. The team ended up 20th in the league with just 4.2 yards per carry, while without Mahomes, their passing attack failed to get off the ground as well. On the offensive side, Kansas City will be adding a huge piece. Kenneth Walker III joins the roster following his MVP in the Super Bowl, where he had 135 rushing yards against the New England Patriots. During last year’s campaign, Walker had the second-highest explosive run rate in the NFL.

“They know how to win,” Walker said after signing. “We’re going to hit the ground running and bring that trophy back.”

Notably, the changes were not limited to the player roster in an effort to address the team’s shortcomings. Reid turned to someone who already knew the system and understood how to help fix it. Eric Bieniemy returned as the team’s offensive coordinator after previously helping the Chiefs to two Super Bowl victories.

“Bieniemy is such a big piece of this offense, the sideline, and the culture,” Reid said. “He changes the whole energy.”

And if young defenders like Mansoor Delane, Peter Woods, and Mason Thomas make an impact early, the dynasty might not be finished after all. It may simply be getting ready for another run.