Imagine the Chiefs’ quest for a three-peat as the final season of your favorite binge-worthy show. The hype was Taylor’s Version of epic, the stakes Game of Thrones high. Then, faster than a TikTok trend, the Philadelphia Eagles swooped in like Thanos snapping Kansas City’s Infinity Stones into dust. A 40-22 Super Bowl LIX blowout left Arrowhead Stadium quieter than a Midwest snowstorm. But the real drama?

The credits rolled, and the offseason script flipped. Cue the twist: Andy Reid’s kingdom isn’t just bruised—it’s shedding pieces. But before we get to the meat of the story…

On February 14, the coach quietly exited the field after their blowout Super Bowl loss, quietly counting days until the next season. To him, the path was clear—a run next season that would silence all critics. Initially, Reid seemed self-critical. “This one’s going to hurt. Today was a rough day. We didn’t really play well in any of the phases. I didn’t coach good enough. They did a nice job.”

However, he’s not one to give up either. “Let it hurt. Figure out how to get better because of it…I’m proud of our guys, though, for the battle, the fight that they put in throughout the year, and all the games that they played here over the last few years. We’ll learn from this. Like most games here, when you don’t do very well, you learn from it as a coach, you learn from it as a player, and you move on.” 

“You get this far, you’ve battled your tail off to get this far, very, very hard to do. We spend a lot of time doing this. It’s not a hobby. We’re in it the whole way. Spent a lot of hours doing it, as players, as coaches. So it’s gonna hurt. They all hurt, when you get to this level, and these things happen, three-peat aside or any of that stuff. You get this far, and you don’t play as well as you want to, that hurts,” he said. But looks like his house has shown signs of crumble even before he’s started rebuilding it…

On February 14, NFL insider reported that three Chiefs’ players had moved to other teams. Cornerback Nic Jones, who entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick (250th overall) by the Chiefs in the 2023 NFL Draft, reportedly moved to the New York Giants, alongside wide receiver Montrell Washington—who was picked by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round (162nd overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft, and moved to Reid’s arsenal ahead of the 2023 season. Notably, both the players were part of the practice squad as of late, and were a part of the Super Bowl LVIII winning team when the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers.

The wide receiver had spent most of the 2024 season in the practice squad after failing to make it to the 53-man roster at the end of training camp in August last year. With the Giants, he was signed to a reserve/future contract, and will be on the team’s “90-man roster for the start of the new league year, which will give him a chance to participate in OTAs, minicamp and training camp” as per CBS Sports.

As for Jones, he appeared in just one game in the recently concluded season, after appearing in nine games as a rookie, recording four tackles, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit. As Athlon Sports’ Anthony Licciardi put it, Jones “offers a mediocre athletic profile (with a worrying nine bench press reps during his pre-draft cycle to show for his strength) and a 190-pound frame. He played nine special teams snaps this year.”

“Neither Jones nor Washington contributed in anything close to a meaningful capacity. Washington, like Jones, played in just one game on Kansas City’s trip to New Orleans for Super Bowl 59. He also appeared on special teams, but he hasn’t recorded a statistic on offense since 2022 with the Denver Broncos,” Licciardi further noted. So, it’s safe to say that Reid won’t be missing out on much with the duo’s departure.

Yet Giants GM Joe Schoen sees potential. “[He’s] a long cornerback with average speed but a natural feel for making plays on the football,” NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein once said of Jones. Washington’s return average (7.6 yards per punt) might fill Ihmir Smith-Marsette’s shoes. But let’s be real: This isn’t Remember the Titans. It’s a Hail Mary for camp bodies. Meanwhile, the third departure stings subtly.

As per Nick Jacobs’ X update, hours earlier, linebacker Swayze Bozeman flew to Chicago, inking with the Chicago Bears. The 26-year-old had signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted agent out of Southern Mississippi last season. While he spent most of his time on the team’s practice squad, the linebacker finally made it to the field at the end of the year on special teams, appearing in three regular season games where he garnered three tackles—all during the Chiefs’ December 25 win (29-10) against the Pittsburgh Steelers last season.

In the postseason, too, he contributed in all three playoff games. During the Super Bowl LIX, he racked up two tackles for special teams. As per the Bears Wire, “Bozeman will compete for a role on special teams as a reserve linebacker” with the Bears.

Safe to say, the undrafted LB became a late-season special teams staple, earning trust like a Ted Lasso underdog. His exit, paired with DC Steve Spagnuolo’s staff shakeup, hints at locker-room turbulence. Meanwhile, Chiefs fans must be shrugging: ‘We still have Chris Jones, right?’ Sure. But depth wins January games—and Kansas City’s just got thinner. But the real gut punch?

From dynasties to departures: the ripple effect in Reid’s locker-room

Losing Terry Bradden Jr., the Chiefs’ assistant D-line coach since 2017. On January 13, Bradden tweeted goodbye, swapping red for Nebraska scarlet. “Grateful for 8 unforgettable years,” he wrote, thanking Andy Reid and the “family we’ve built.” His resume?

Three Super Bowl rings and Chris Jones’ development. Nebraska’s gain is Kansas City’s void. “Go be great Terry! Appreciate your friendship and enjoyed working with ya!,” ex-Chiefs QB Chad Henne cheered. But replacing Bradden’s grit? That’s harder than convincing Midwest folks to ditch ranch dressing. Besides, Bradden’s exit isn’t solo.

Assistant DBs coach Donald D’Alesio bolted for Baltimore. Matt House returned as a senior analyst, but the staff’s chemistry feels like a shuffled playlist. For a team that prides itself on stability, these exits itch like a bad sunburn. ‘The road to vengeance begins,’ fans muttered. But with every departure, the path gets rockier. Now, let’s crunch numbers.

The Eagles’ 24-0 halftime lead was the largest in Super Bowl history. Kansas City’s offense? Sputtering like a pickup truck in January. Meanwhile, Bradden’s new Nebraska salary ($400K) pales next to NFL paychecks—but for college ball, it’s a Forrest Gump box of chocolates: full of potential. But the Chiefs’ empire isn’t crumbling.

It’s recalibrating. Losing role players and coaches won’t doom an Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes dynasty, but it’s a reality check. As Bradden plants root in Lincoln and the Giants gamble on Kansas City’s leftovers, the message is clear: Even superheroes need a reboot. Or as Alfred warned in The Dark Knight, “Endure, Master Wayne. Take it. They’ll hate you for it, but that’s the point of Batman.” It’s time for Kansas City and Mahomes to channel their inner Caped Crusader.