The much-hyped Sunday night matchup leading up to the season has officially arrived, but the only MVP quarterback on the field will be Patrick Mahomes.Instead of the Mahomes versus Aaron Rodgers showdown on the national stage, Zach Wilson will lead the New York Jets into the contest against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs at East Rutherford, N.J.Hard to find a bigger quarterback mismatch than two-time league MVP Mahomes against Wilson, the 2021 No. 2 overall pick who is back in a starting role only because of Rodgers' season-ending Achilles tendon injury just four snaps into his Jets' debut.Mahomes has thrown 85 touchdown passes -- including seven this season -- since Wilson entered the league. Wilson has tossed just 17 and has an 8-16 record as a starter.Mahomes was in stellar form last weekend when the Chiefs (2-1) rolled to a 41-10 rout of the visiting Chicago Bears. He completed 24 of 33 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns.In the eyes of Mahomes, the Kansas City offense is back after scoring just 37 total points over its first two games."It always feels good to get the whole offense going," Mahomes said. "I mean, obviously, the first two weeks, we were kind of out of rhythm. We haven't had sustained drives going, so just to not have those killer penalties and to kind of get the offense moving in the right direction (was good)."Of course, the Jets have a solid defense that ranks 12th in scoring (20.3 points allowed per game) and features top-flight players such as defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, linebacker C.J. Mosley and cornerback Sauce Gardner."They're really good," Mahomes said. "They are deep everywhere. We have a lot of respect for them. I have to prevent myself from negative plays, just take those easy positive plays. If you get a chance to take a shot, take it. But if it's not there you have to continue to drive and grind out points in this game."New York safety Jordan Whitehead is tied for the NFL lead with three interceptions, but Mahomes acknowledged that he can never forget cornerback D.J. Reed. You see, Reed returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown in 2016 for Kansas State when Mahomes was the quarterback for Texas Tech."Just from watching the tape back then I knew he was going to be special," Reed said of Mahomes on Wednesday. "He is a generational quarterback with his off-rhythm throws. He could throw the ball anywhere and he's very accurate. His deep ball is very accurate and he's just a gamer."

Patrick Mahomes passed for 272 yards and three touchdowns and Isiah Pacheco rushed for 62 yards and a score as the host Kansas City Chiefs routed the skidding Chicago Bears 41-10 on Sunday.Kansas City (2-1) scored the first 41 points of the game. Mahomes led the way, going 24-of-33 passing while hooking up with Jerick McKinnon for two touchdowns.Chicago (0-3) has lost 13 in a row dating to last season, yielding at least 25 points in each game.Mahomes tweaked his ankle late in the first half but appeared to be all right as he returned for the third quarter. Blaine Gabbert entered in relief with the Chiefs leading 41-0 late in the third quarter.Chicago intercepted Gabbert twice. The Bears avoided a shutout when Cairo Santos made a 21-yard field goal with 13:34 to go. Fields found DJ Moore for a 9-yard touchdown pass with 4:20 left.Justin Fields was 11-for-22 passing for 99 yards with a touchdown and interception. Fields also was the team's leading rusher with 47 yards.The Chiefs' Travis Kelce had seven catches for 69 yards and a touchdown.Kansas City rolled to a 34-0 halftime lead, outgaining Chicago 312-85 in the first 30 minutes. The Chiefs had 22 first downs in the first half compared to four for Chicago, which ran just four plays in Kansas City territory over that span.After punting the ball away on their first drive, the Chiefs scored on their next six possessions before halftime while nearly eclipsing their combined point production from the first two games of the season -- 37.

Try as he might, Travis Kelce has been unable to deflect conversation surrounding a rumored relationship with pop star Taylor Swift.Some might say Kelce has been unable to "shake it off."The Kansas City Chiefs tight end decided to speak on the topic during his appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" Thursday on ESPN."I told her that I've seen you rock a stage in Arrowhead, so you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead. And see which one is a little more lit," Kelce said with a smile. "We'll see what happens in the near future."The (rumored) "Love Story" began in July when Kelce shared that he was upset that his opportunity to present Swift with a friendship bracelet -- along with his phone number -- went by the boards during her Kansas City stop of the "Eras Tour."The rumor mill began picking up steam throughout the summer about the potential power couple, albeit with unconfirmed reports.Eagles center Jason Kelce was asked about his brother's relationship situation Wednesday on 94.1 WIP in Philadelphia.

Offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is retiring from the NFL.The Super Bowl champion made the announcement on social media on Thursday.Duvernay-Tardif, who also is a doctor, walked away from football in 2020 to work in medicine in his native Canada at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. For his efforts, Sports Illustrated named him the Sportsperson of the Year."I've had the chance to play in the NFL for 9 years and even today, I sometimes can't believe I was able to experience this adventure," Duvernay-Tardif wrote Thursday on Instagram. "Being a professional athlete is a privilege as well as an extremely enriching human and personal experience. The victories, losses and injuries have all been moments to learn how to win and lose as a team while managing a wide range of emotions."

Lacking the offensive explosiveness that has become their calling card, the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs might be finding salve in the form of their schedule.Kansas City will face the visiting Chicago Bears on Sunday in a matchup of the league's top and bottom teams from a season ago.What's more, the Bears (0-2) are currently in turmoil following the midweek resignation of defensive coordinator Alan Williams and renewed unrest under center.The Chiefs (1-1) hope to come untracked against Chicago after managing just 20 and 17 points in their first two games. The Bears have lost 12 games in a row dating back to last season while surrendering at least 25 points in each setback.Kansas City defeated host Jacksonville 17-9 in Week 2 as the offense navigated around three early turnovers. Patrick Mahomes threw for two scores, with one going to tight end Travis Kelce, who missed the season opener with a knee injury."You play bad and win, it's a lot better than playing bad and losing," Mahomes said. "So I was glad we were able to find a way to get a win at the end of the day, but a lot of stuff that we have to be better at."Chicago drove for a touchdown on its opening possession last Sunday but was otherwise less than spectacular on offense during a 27-17 road loss to Tampa Bay.Justin Fields, who is attempting to hone his pocket-passing ability this season, has been inconsistent. He has passed for 427 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, two of which have been returned for scores."I need to play better," Fields said. "That's it, point blank."Fields has also lost a fumble and been sacked 10 times. He'll be behind a shuffling offensive line once more in Week 3, as the Bears placed left tackle Braxton Jones (neck) on injured reserve on Wednesday.While the Bears' offensive struggles remain well-documented, the defense is trying to find its footing, too.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco and wideout Kadarius Toney missed practice Wednesday.Pacheco is dealing with a hamstring injury and Toney has a sprained toe heading into Week 3 against Chicago.Pacheco, 24, has 20 carries for 93 yards and five catches for 31 yards through two games this season.

The Kansas City Chiefs restructured Patrick Mahomes' contract and will pay the quarterback $210.6 million over the next four seasons, his representatives confirmed to ESPN on Monday.His compensation over that stretch from 2023-26 is now guaranteed and becomes the highest salary in NFL history for a four-season span, according to the report.Equity Sports CEO Chris Cabott also told ESPN that the Chiefs and Mahomes plan to revisit the agreement following the 2026 season.Mahomes agreed to a 10-year, $450 million extension in 2020. At the time, it was the largest contract in NFL history in terms of total value.The NFL quarterback market has since been reset, with Mahomes' $45 million average annual salary trailing Joe Burrow ($55 million), Justin Herbert ($52.5 million), Lamar Jackson ($52 million), Jalen Hurts ($51 million), Russell Wilson ($48.5 million), Kyler Murray ($46.1 million) and Deshaun Watson ($46 million), per Spotrac.

Patrick Mahomes passed for 305 yards and two touchdowns to help the Kansas City Chiefs notch a 17-9 victory over the host Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon.Mahomes threw touchdown passes to Skyy Moore and Travis Kelce as the Chiefs (1-1) rebounded from a season-opening 21-20 loss to the Detroit Lions. Mahomes completed 29 of 41 passes with one interception and Kelce caught four passes for 26 yards after missing the opener due to a hyperextended knee.Kansas City's Chris Jones and George Karlaftis each recorded 1.5 sacks. It was Jones' first game since ending his holdout.The Chiefs had a 399-271 yardage edge while defeating Jacksonville for the eighth straight time, including last season's 27-20 in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs.Trevor Lawrence completed 22 of 41 passes for 216 yards for the Jaguars (1-1). Christian Kirk grabbed 11 passes for 110 yards, but fellow wideouts Zay Jones and Calvin Ridley each failed to get both feet down on end-zone throws on two occasions apiece.The Chiefs were sluggish on offense in the first half but opened the third quarter with a seven-play, 81-yard touchdown drive.Isiah Pacheco began the drive with a 31-yard run and Mahomes converted two third-down throws, including a 9-yard scoring pass to Kelce to make it 14-6 with 11:30 remaining in the third quarter.The score marked the 47th time Mahomes connected with Kelce on a touchdown pass. That set a new Kansas City record, surpassing the 46 times Len Dawson hooked up with Otis Taylor from 1965-74.

The Kansas City Chiefs activated Chris Jones on Saturday, paving the way for the star defensive tackle to make his season debut against the host Jacksonville Jaguars.The move comes one day after head coach Andy Reid told reporters that Jones would play in Sunday's game against the Jaguars (1-0).Jones, 29, ended his holdout that began in training camp after agreeing Monday to a new one-year deal with incentives that reportedly could earn him more than his base salary of $19.5 million -- the final pay due on his four-year, $80 million contract signed in 2020.

Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones will make their season debuts Sunday at Jacksonville, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Friday.The two stars did not play for different reasons in the season opener, a 21-20 home loss to the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7.Kelce, 33, injured his right knee at practice on Sept. 5 and was diagnosed with a bone bruise. He practiced Wednesday and Thursday in a limited capacity.An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Kelce has totaled 814 catches for 10,344 yards and 69 touchdowns in 144 career games (137 starts) with the Chiefs.Jones, 29, ended his holdout that began at training camp after agreeing Monday to a new one-year deal with incentives that reportedly could earn him more than his base salary of $19.5 million -- the finale of his four-year, $80 million contract signed in 2020.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney didn't have a very good week. And his performance in a season-opening loss last Thursday was pretty awful, too.Toney addressed reporters Wednesday for the first time since the Chiefs' 21-20 loss to the Detroit Lions, a game that saw Toney drop two crucial passes, one that ended up going for a Lions pick-6. Toney has been the butt of social media jokes and memes since the loss, but it's his team he most cares about."In reality, I told coach, I told Pat (Mahomes), I told all the guys, that's on me," Toney said. "At the end of the day, y'all count on me and rely on me to make certain plays and I have to be able to do that."Toney finished with one catch for 1 yard against the Lions on a team-high-tying five targets. The Chiefs needed a go-to receiver against the Lions with All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce missing the game with a knee injury.Toney missed training camp after having surgery to repair a partial tear in his meniscus. He played in seven games (three starts) for the Chiefs in 2022 after getting traded from the New York Giants. So, he's still trying to get things figured out.Toney has had the full support of his teammates and coaches, including Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who told him to just settle down.

The Jacksonville Jaguars haven't defeated the Kansas City Chiefs since 2009, and four of the losses have been by 14 or more points.But the Jaguars (1-0) have their eyes on snapping their seven-game slide against the Chiefs (0-1) when two of the AFC top teams meet Sunday in north Florida.Two of the losses came last season, including a painful one in the postseason. Kansas City posted a 27-17 home win during the regular season and then ended Jacksonville's season with a 27-20 home victory in the AFC Divisional round."The challenges are real," Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said. "We haven't fared so well against them, especially last year. It's a great opportunity for our team. It's a home game. We're looking forward to the challenge."After last season's playoff loss, Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence stood in the tunnel that leads to the visitor's locker room at Arrowhead Stadium and congratulated every teammate who passed him.The message was that better things were ahead for the Jaguars."After our season ended, you feel like you left something out there, missed opportunities and all that," Lawrence said Wednesday. "Right now, we have to obviously turn the page. It's a new year and we get another opportunity to play these guys. Obviously, didn't have a lot of success last year. Played them twice and didn't win either of those games."Jacksonville won its opener, 31-21 over the host Indianapolis Colts last Sunday, while the Chiefs fell 21-20 to the visiting Detroit Lions on Sept. 7.Kansas City four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Chris Jones missed the opener due to a holdout. But the final season of his four-year, $80 million contract was sweetened with playing time and performance incentives, and he's now back with the team.Jones said Wednesday he will not further negotiate with the Chiefs during the current season."I don't want to go back and forth during the season," Jones said. "My focus right now is being the best me I can be for this team -- being the best player on this defense, the best player in the league. Anything less than that is a disappointment to myself."Kansas City coach Andy Reid hasn't yet determined how much playing time Jones will receive against the Jaguars. Jones was a limited practice participant on Wednesday."Chris is a good football player," Reid said Wednesday. "So having him back in is an important part of it. We're glad he's back. We'll just see where he's at physically as we go. He normally keeps himself in pretty good shape."

Travis Kelce (knee) will return to practice Wednesday in a limited capacity and onetime holdout Chris Jones will also practice and play for Kansas City in Week 2.Those were the updates ib Wednesday from Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who added that only running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness) will miss the week's first official practice.The Chiefs (0-1) play at Jacksonville (1-0) on Sunday.Kelce, 33, injured his knee at practice on Sept. 5 and was diagnosed with a bone bruise, ultimately missing the season opener, a stunning 21-20 home loss to the Detroit Lions.An eight-time Pro Bowl tight end, Kelce has totaled 814 catches for 10,344 yards and 69 touchdowns in 144 career games (137 starts) with the Chiefs.Kelce had previously missed only three games since 2014. He sat out two games when the Chiefs rested many of their starters and missed one game when he had COVID-19 in 2021.

All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones ended his holdout and agreed to a new one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.The team announced the contract Monday afternoon but did not release financial details. ESPN reported that "multiple incentives" were added that would allow Jones to make "considerably" more money."Chris is an elite player in this league, and over the least seven years, he's really developed into a leader on our team," Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said in a statement. "He's been instrumental to our success and Super Bowl championship runs and it was a priority for us to keep him in a Chiefs uniform."Jones was previously scheduled to make a base salary of $19.5 million this season, the final season of his four-year, $80 million contract signed in 2020.

David Montgomery's 6-yard touchdown run with 7:06 left Thursday night propelled the visiting Detroit Lions to a season-opening, 21-20 win over the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.Montgomery's score and Riley Patterson's point-after kick brought Detroit back from a 20-14 deficit created by Harrison Butker field goals of 35 and 39 yards late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter, respectively.Jared Goff completed 22 of 35 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown for the Lions, who are a trendy pick to win the NFC Central and did nothing to slow down the hype with a solid performance. Detroit made few mistakes, committing only four penalties and one turnover.The Lions' defense came up big in the second half. Brian Branch's 50-yard interception return of a Patrick Mahomes pass that caromed off an open receiver tied the game at 14 just over four minutes into the third quarter. Detroit later stopped the Chiefs on their final two possessions after taking the lead.Mahomes hit on 21 of 39 attempts for 226 yards with a pair of second-quarter touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for a team-high 45 yards but had a spate of passes dropped. Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce (knee) was held out of the game.

Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce (knee) was ruled out for Thursday night's NFL season opener against the visiting Detroit Lions.Kelce, 33, who injured his knee at practice Tuesday and was diagnosed with a bone bruise, was listed as questionable to play on the Chiefs' final injury report. He was scheduled to test his knee before the game.Kelce recorded career-best totals in catches (110) and touchdowns (12) to go along with a team-leading 1,338 receiving yards in 17 games last season.

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt has a hunch about Travis Kelce's status for the Thursday night opener against the Detroit Lions.Kelce, diagnosed with a bone bruise, is scheduled to test his knee prior to the game before a collective decision on whether to play or use the extra days between Week 1 and Week 2 to get healthy.The tight end was listed as questionable on the team's first official injury report."I know he had a little bit of a setback the other day with a minor knee injury. We hope that he'll be able to go tonight," Hunt said in an NFL Network interview Thursday. "He'll be a game-time decision. But he's somebody who loves to compete, so I wouldn't bet against him being on the field tonight."Kelce said earlier this week he feels the excitement of the start of a new season just like he's a rookie taking the field for the first time.The Chiefs use Kelce as a receiving weapon, and he stepped into the lead option role in 2022 following the trade that sent wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.

The 2023 NFL season officially gets underway with the Detroit Lions visiting the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night.It's a matchup between a Lions team many expect to be contenders in the NFC North, while the Chiefs begin their quest for a third championship in five seasons.QUICK PICKThe Chiefs have not lost in Week 1 since drafting Patrick Mahomes, and there's little reason to believe that streak will stop on Thursday night. They have scored at least 33 points in every opener since 2017.Yes, Kansas City might be without tight end Travis Kelce, but Mahomes has plenty of other weapons and Detroit gave up the third-most yards in the air last season.The Chiefs are favored by 4.5 points at BetMGM, where the Over/Under is 53.5 points. The line opened at Kansas City -7, with Kelce's uncertain status a significant factor in the shift along with the absence of holdout defensive lineman Chris Jones.The Chiefs' spread line has still been backed by 61 percent of the bets and 55 percent of the money wagered at the book, while the Lions' +180 moneyline has been popular with 75 and 61 percent of the action, respectively.Prediction: Chiefs 34, Lions 24PROP PICKChiefs RB Jerick McKinnon Over 26.6 Receiving Yards (-125 at DraftKings): This has been the third-most popular player prop at the book for Thursday night's game. McKinnon had multiple receptions for at least 31 yards in four of Kansas City's final five regular-season games last season. With Kelce either out or limited, McKinnon will likely play a significant role in the passing game out of the backfield.THE NEWSThe Lions made it clear they want to be in the position the Chiefs are in, at the top of the NFL heap glaring down on challengers."The guys know all that. They understand that; that's how they work," Kansas City coach Andy Reid said. "They're not going to change that part, that comes with the territory, and you've got to make sure you're ready."Mahomes arrived to training camp with a clenched jaw, challenging teammates to fight to overcome complacency. He's one player Reid won't doubt is ready on Thursday. And Mahomes thrives in season openers. He has five three-plus-TD games in five starts with 18 touchdowns and zero interceptions cumulatively in Week 1.Kansas City rules the AFC West and has hosted five consecutive AFC Championship games.Detroit is buying into coach Dan Campbell's team, selling out season tickets to Ford Field for the first time in the history of the stadium and maintaining optimism quarterback Jared Goff and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson can keep their rhythm from the second half of last season."It's fun being here in a city with all this excitement," Goff said. "That being said, it doesn't mean anything if you don't win. I think we all know that. I know that. I've been on winning teams. I've been on losing teams. People will continue to be excited if we continue to win. Winning fixes everything, as they say."Goff had 29 touchdown passes last season but the Lions lost most of their proven point producers from 2022. Running back Jamaal Williams scored 17 touchdowns and rushed for 1,066 yards. D'Andre Swift had five rushing touchdowns and three receiving TDs and was the second-leading receiver on the team (48 receptions) to Amon-Ra St. Brown (106 receptions, 1,161 yards).

The Kansas City Chiefs begin the defense of their second Super Bowl title in four years on Thursday night, and they do so as the favorites to claim the Lombardi Trophy again come February.The Chiefs are consensus +600 Super Bowl favorites to open the 2023 season, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes the favorite to claim his third NFL Most Valuable Player award.Kansas City defeated Philadelphia in a dramatic 38-35 win in Super Bowl LVII seven months ago, and it's the Eagles who begin this season as the Chiefs' closest rivals at sportsbooks. That includes Philadelphia being offered at +650 to win the Super Bowl by DraftKings, +750 by BetRivers and +800 by BetMGM.Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills are being offered at +900 by all three sportsbooks. The San Francisco 49ers are also +900 at BetRivers, while they are at +1000 at the other two.BetRivers reported the Chiefs have been backed by the most money to win Super Bowl LVIII at 12.7 percent, while the Eagles lead the way with 15.2 percent of the total bets backing Philadelphia.The Eagles opened at +900 at BetMGM but have seen their odds shorten to +800 with the public backing them with 9.1 percent of the total Super Bowl winner bets and 9.2 percent of the money -- both among the top three at the book. However, that does not put Philadelphia among the book's three biggest Super Bowl liabilities.Those honors belong to Pittsburgh, Dallas and Detroit. The Steelers have drawn 4.3 percent of the money and are current +6600 longshots at BetMGM. The Cowboys have much shorter odds at +1500 and have been backed by 8.8 percent of the money. The Lions, who play at the Chiefs on Thursday night, have seen their odds shift since opening at +2500 and are being supported by 6.3 percent of the money.Cincinnati, which opens at +1100, leads all teams with 9.4 percent of the total bets. The Bengals have also been popular at BetRivers, where they have drawn 10.2 percent of the Super Bowl bets and 8.8 percent of the money.PATTY THRICE?Mahomes, who will turn 28 on Sept. 17, won the MVP award in 2018 in addition to last year.He is the +600 favorite by DraftKings to claim No. 3 this season, followed by the Bengals' Joe Burrow (+750), the Bills' Josh Allen (+850) and the Eagles' Jalen Hurts (+1100) in a market dominated by quarterbacks. The shortest odds at the book for a non-QB belong to 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and Vikings wide receiver Jordan Jefferson at +8000.Mahomes is also +600 at BetMGM, followed by Allen and Burrow at +800 and Hurts at +1100. However, it's Hurts who leads the way with 16.4 percent of the total MVP bets made, while Burrow is tops with 14.5 percent of the money backing him. That's compared to Mahomes at 10.9 and 13.5 percent, respectively.Hurts is also the biggest liability at BetMGM, where he leads with 16.5 percent of the total bets at +1100 -- up a tick since opening at +1000.NO WINS IN THE CARDS?On the opposite end of the spectrum sit the Arizona Cardinals, who have the longest Super Bowl odds at all three books -- +25000 at BetRivers and +40000 at BetMGM and DraftKings.Arizona winning fewer than five games has been one of the most popular future props at BetRivers, drawing 4.1 percent of the money wagered on the Team Win Totals market. It's the only "under" among the top five.Circa Sports took the Cardinals' plight entering the 2023 season a step further.

All the Kansas City Chiefs need to do is deliver the bag, and All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones is ready to suit up for Thursday's opener.A holdout since training camp began, Jones said Wednesday he's merely asking for "a raise" in order to provide his pass-rushing, run-stuffing services to the Chiefs for 2023.Jones said he can "be there tomorrow" if general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid are able to find a workable contract solution for both sides."I can't really talk about it," Jones said at a charity event in Kansas City. "Hopefully, it gets worked out. It's always been my goal to be a Kansas City Chief for life. I've said that multiple times on social media platforms, from interviews, and they know where my position is at. Hopefully we can get something worked out for the long term."The Chiefs open the NFL season and defense of their Super Bowl title at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night against the Detroit Lions.