Patrick Mahomes watched from the sideline as the Kansas City Chiefs ended the preseason with a 0-2-1 record, ending with a 9-9 tie against the Seattle Seahawks. Now, the Chiefs turn their attention to the real 2026 NFL season, opening with an AFC West matchup against Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos in Week 1’s edition of “Monday Night Football.”
While Kansas City struggled during the 2025 NFL season, missing out on the playoffs entirely, Mahomes kept the team in playoff contention. The former Texas Tech quarterback completed 315-of-502 passes for 3,587 yards and 22 touchdowns, adding another 422 yards and five scores on the ground. But a torn ACL in Week 15 forced Mahomes to miss the remainder of the season.
Now, with Mahomes back, the Chiefs will look to get back to the postseason this year. And they will also have a former quarterback joining them on Monday at Arrowhead Stadium.
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Alex Smith, after a college career at Utah, was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. He spent eight seasons in the Bay Area before joining the Chiefs in 2013, where he started for five years. During his stint in Kansas City, Smith earned three Pro Bowl nods and helped mentor Mahomes during his rookie season in 2017.
Smith retired after the 2020 NFL season after spending three years with the Washington Football Team, now the Commanders. And shortly after, he joined ESPN as an NFL analyst, appearing on shows such as “Monday Night Countdown,” “SportsCenter” and his current show, “Sunday NFL Countdown.”
While Smith doesn’t appear on “Monday Night Countdown” much anymore, with ESPN calling the MNF game between the Chiefs and Broncos, he is expected to return to Kansas City. In fact, it was revealed on Wednesday that Smith will be at Arrowhead Stadium for the game, serving as the drum honoree.
“Former Chiefs QB Alex Smith will serve as the drum honoree on Monday Night Football 🥁,” Chiefs reporter Farzin Vousoughian wrote on X.
The Chiefs will face the Broncos on Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET, before taking on Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2.
