Kansas City finished 22nd in the league in rushing. So, even knowing Pacheco would return, they sought to bolster the position this offseason. They signed veteran Elijah Mitchell, who had the best of his three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers as a rookie in 2021, when he rushed for 963 yards and five touchdowns.

In Kansas City’s current dynasty, the 2023 Chiefs were undeniably the shakiest group. They had the worst record of the three championship teams at 11–6 and failed to secure the AFC West until Week 17. Yet this team won the franchise’s third Super Bowl in five seasons and etched the Chiefs in the same category of other dynastic teams gone by.

The Chiefs begin training camp as a contender and the favorite in the AFC West, but there are two big unanswered questions.