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When the final whistle blew in Denver on Sunday afternoon, the Broncos were celebrating their ninth win of the season.
Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs fell to 5-5. It’s a record no one thought the reigning AFC champions would have through 11 weeks of the 2025 regular season.
But that’s where these Chiefs are at, as they have seven games left on the schedule. The words “panic level” are starting to appear on morning television and radio talk shows, and it’s fair to have that discussion.
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Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs returns to block during an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders at Arrowhead Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
However, Chiefs veteran center Creed Humphrey says his team won’t listen to them, or even understand the idea of panicking. The Chiefs may not lead the AFC West or even be in playoff position heading into Week 12, but Humphrey has confidence in his group.
“I mean, for us we have all the pieces. It’s just about execution,” he told Pak Gazette Digital, while discussing his partnership with Dairy Queen. “We need to execute better, and that’s all we know right now.
“If we do that, we’re going to like the results. So for us, it’s about making sure we come in every day, one meeting at a time, one practice at a time, and just focusing on the details.”
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The Chiefs were pretty hard on themselves after their loss to their division rival on the road. Patrick Mahomes kept using “I” when talking about what went wrong in the game, something he almost never does. But that’s the kind of responsibility mixed with frustration that Chiefs leaders like Mahomes have in times like these.
While Kansas City has had a lot of success in recent seasons, Humphrey knows that with adversity comes what it takes to win those Super Bowl titles. So a little self-reflection and criticism is not a sign of the ship moving away from that goal this season.
Humphrey thinks it’s exactly the opposite.
“You have to be your toughest critic. You have to look in the mirror and see what’s going on. Everyone is doing that right now, so for us you’re not going to blame other people,” he explained. “It’s, ‘What can I do better right now? What can I do better during the game to help this team win?’ “I think everyone is feeling that right now, and it’s nice that no one is pointing fingers or anything.”
As Humphrey noted, “we’ve lost some close games,” and it’s not just a few. All five of the Chiefs’ losses this season have been by seven points or less. And of those five, three have been by field goals.
Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs plays against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half of the game at EverBank Stadium on October 6, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
But the margin for error is slim every week in this league, and Humphrey knows full well that a mistake in those critical moments can mean the difference between a win and a loss.
It is understood throughout a building that understands what it takes to win titles. So Humphrey sees no panic in these Chiefs. In fact, he knows that the players must continue to be themselves.
“I think it’s important not to lose our personality,” he said. “If everyone starts getting tense, all that stuff, things aren’t going to go as well. Like you said, it’s a game we’ve all been playing since we were five or six years old. It’s about executing it and doing it with swagger.
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“Just like last year, we have a lot of resilient players. A lot of guys who can do the right things at the right times.”
Humphrey’s words will be put to the test this week when they host an Indianapolis Colts team that has shocked the NFL with an 8-2 record coming out of its bye week. There’s certainly pressure on Kansas City in such a tight AFC playoff effort in the final weeks of the regular season, but it’s not like they haven’t been in this position before.
“We’re there, it’s close, we can feel it,” Humphrey said. “…It’s about taking it one day at a time, one meeting at a time, one practice rep at a time, one course rep at a time. All those things. It’s about living in the present, not living in the past, not looking into the future. Just looking at what’s in front of you and what your goal is for this week and that day.”
Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on from the sideline during the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on October 6, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
OFFER WORTH A CELEBRATION
As Humphrey looks to take on the rest of the regular season and hopes to make the playoffs with his Chiefs, he loves what Dairy Queen has to do this week.
The Touchdown Celly sale, running now through Nov. 23, offers customers $3 off Dairy Queen’s signature Stir-Fry Chicken Strip Baskets, a Humphrey’s favorite.
“The Sweet Chili Stir-Fry Chicken Basket > They have great flavor, great crunch. The sides are amazing too, and you always have to get a Blizzard too when you’re there. I always buy the Blizzard cookie dough.”
While Humphrey always likes a good deal, he hopes to host his own touchdown celebrations in the coming weeks as the Chiefs look for another shot at the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
