AFC West Ranked Worst Division in NFL, Chiefs May Be 'Only Relevant Team'

Does the Chiefs' dominance cost the AFC West some brownie points across the NFL? A recent list sure thinks so.

Sep 15, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) meets with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) following the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

For most of Andy Reid's tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs, his team has reigned supreme in the division. Dating back to the Alex Smith era, Kansas City has won the AFC West every season since 2016.

That streak, of course, includes each year Patrick Mahomes has been the club's starting quarterback. The Chiefs' eight-season stretch is good for the second-longest run of division titles in NFL history. Mahomes and Co. now trail only the 2000s and 2010s New England Patriots, who dominated the AFC East from 2009-2019.

Does that consistent excellence cost the division some respect leaguewide? A recent list indicates such.

In an article for Fox Sports, David Helman ranked all eight divisions entering the 2024 season. Considering the strength of the teams and their paths to the postseason, he has the AFC West slotting dead last. A lot of it has to do with Kansas City, as well as the state of their competition.

"Interestingly, the worst division in the league features the best team," Helman wrote. "The Chiefs are the envy of the entire NFL, so naturally they've also dominated the AFC West to the tune of eight straight division titles. Behind them, though, the rest of this group seems to be in transition. Denver is starting over with a new quarterback — likely a rookie. The Raiders have a solid overall roster but no franchise quarterback to guide them. The Chargers have the opposite problem: a Pro Bowl quarterback, but a thin supporting cast around him. The Chiefs are great, but they just might be the division's only relevant team in 2024."

The points about the Broncos, Raiders and Chargers are valid. While Denver is coming off an 8-9 season and figures to have a good defense this year, Bo Nix leading them to the postseason seems rather unlikely. Las Vegas was a good story once Antonio Pierce took over as head coach, but is it wise to bank on a Gardner Minshew-led club having success? They seem to have a Wild Card ceiling. Justin Herbert is already nursing an injury and Los Angeles is relying on Jim Harbaugh to help a 5-12 team rebound.

That leaves plenty of room to question whether the Chiefs will have any serious competition. That, in turn, adds merit to Helman's ranking. Kansas City's heavy lifting can only do so much when groups like the NFC South and NFC East – Nos. 7 and 6 – have at least some feeling of things being up for grabs.

Ironically, the biggest praise of the Chiefs is also the most significant indictment of their division. It's safe to say the back-to-back Super Bowl champs will take that trade-off every time, though.

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