Chiefs open 2026 season at home against Broncos

Kansas City will welcome the Denver Broncos to Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night for the opening game of the 2026 NFL season. Both teams return with key players recovering from injuries. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who missed the previous season after ACL and LCL tears, says he is ready to play, while Broncos quarterback Bo Nix also returns after a broken ankle that sidelined him during the 2025 playoffs.

Denver adds speed to its offense with the offseason acquisition of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, joining Courtland Sutton, who posted more than 1,000 receiving yards last season. The Broncos will have Davis Webb calling the plays under head coach Sean Payton, marking Webb's first regular-season play-calling assignment.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo each have historic ties to Denver's staff, adding a layer of familiarity to the matchup. Kansas City has bolstered its running back group by signing Kenneth Walker III and drafting Emmett Johnson, aiming to compensate for the loss of starting left tackle Josh Simmons.

The Chiefs' secondary features several new players, including rookie Mansoor Delane and veteran safety Alohi Gilman, while safety Chamarri Conner remains unavailable. Defensively, Kansas City hopes to improve its third-down performance, which ranked 29th in the league last season, and to increase red-zone efficiency, which slipped to 28th in 2025.

Both teams will look to start the season strongly, with the outcome likely influencing early conference standings in the AFC West.