KC Reporter

The Kansas City Chiefs were defeated by the Los Angeles Chargers, 27-21, in the season opener held in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Friday night. The game marked the beginning of the 2025 NFL season for both teams.

In the final minutes, quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected with wide receiver Hollywood Brown for a 49-yard gain that set up a field goal and narrowed the Chargers' lead to six points. Despite this effort and a critical defensive stop that forced Los Angeles into a long third down before the two-minute warning, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert scrambled for 19 yards to secure a first down and seal the win for Los Angeles.

Head Coach Andy Reid addressed fans after the loss: "I want to thank the people of Brazil and Sao Paulo for the hospitality. We didn't give all those fans who showed up the best show," Reid said. "We can learn from this as we move forward, which we'll do. I have to make sure I get my team in a better state there – playing with more emotion. We were a little flat there in the first half, and that cost us."

The Chiefs struggled throughout much of the game, committing 10 penalties and missing an extra point. Despite these setbacks, Mahomes led scoring drives on each of Kansas City's final five possessions. He finished with 24 completions on 39 attempts for 258 yards and one touchdown.

Kansas City played most of the game without wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who left after just three snaps due to a shoulder injury. Coach Reid stated after the game that Worthy would undergo an MRI upon returning to Kansas City.

The Chiefs had difficulty early on, punting on their first three drives while gaining only 33 total yards as Los Angeles built a 10-point lead. However, two field goals—including one from 59 yards as time expired in the first half—kept Kansas City within reach at halftime.

After halftime, Mahomes led an 80-yard touchdown drive capped by his own scramble into the end zone, but kicker Harrison Butker missed the extra point attempt. The Chargers responded with another touchdown drive before Mahomes found tight end Travis Kelce for a 37-yard score. A failed two-point conversion kept Los Angeles ahead.

Herbert then threw a touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston late in the fourth quarter to extend their lead further. While Kansas City managed another field goal following Brown's long reception from Mahomes, Herbert's scramble ultimately ended any chance of a comeback.

"I think we learned a valuable lesson today. We have to be better from the get-go," said Mahomes after the game. "We can't just expect to come back and win every single game. Teams are too good in this league, so this will be a big lesson for us."

The Chiefs will prepare next for their home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium next Sunday.