How many primetime games do the Chiefs have this year? 2026 schedule

Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs tied the NFL record for most primetime games in a single season. This year, that won't be the case.

In a 2025 season that featured seven Chiefs primetime games, one year after playing in a third straight Super Bowl, Kansas City finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs. After that disappointing season and with quarterback Patrick Mahomes recovering from a knee injury, the 2026 NFL schedule release showed slightly fewer primetime games for the Chiefs.

Still, Mahomes could return in time for Week 1, and tight end Travis Kelce is coming back for his 14th season – meaning his fiancée, Taylor Swift, likely will be around as well. The Chiefs should be expected to have a better 2026, and they'll still pull a primetime audience.

This year's Chiefs primetime schedule features matchups against the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks, the reigning AFC champion Patriots, the NFC runners-up Rams and the AFC runners-up Broncos. They're also due to play their biggest conference rival of the last decade, the Bills, in primetime as well.

The Seahawks and Broncos games will both be on "Sunday Night Football." The Bills matchup is the primetime game on Thanksgiving, and the Rams game is on "Thursday Night Football" one week later. Then, the Chiefs travel to take on the Bengals in Week 14 before facing the Patriots on "Monday Night Football" in Week 15.

Here's what to know about the evening games on Kansas City's 2026 schedule:

How many primetime games do the Chiefs have?

Kansas City will play in six primetime matchups this season after playing in seven of them last year.

Chiefs primetime schedule 2026

The Chiefs' six primetime games appear to be, on paper, their most difficult matchups in the 2026 season. Here's a full look at who Kansas City will face in primetime:

• Week 1 (Sept. 14): Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN ("Monday Night Football")
• Week 2 (Sept. 20): Kansas City Chiefs vs. Indianapolis Colts, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC ("Sunday Night Football")
• Week 7 (Oct. 25): Seattle Seahawks vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC ("Sunday Night Football")
• Week 12 (Nov. 26): Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC (Thanksgiving)
• Week 13 (Dec. 3): Los Angeles Rams vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video ("Thursday Night Football")
• Week 15 (Dec. 21): Kansas City Chiefs vs. New England Patriots, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN ("Monday Night Football")

Chiefs 2026 schedule

Here's a full look at the Chiefs' schedule in 2026:

• Week 1 (Sept. 14): Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN ("Monday Night Football")
• Week 2 (Sept. 20): Kansas City Chiefs vs. Indianapolis Colts, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC ("Sunday Night Football")
• Week 3 (Sept. 27): Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
• Week 4 (Oct. 4): Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
• Week 5: BYE
• Week 6 (Oct. 18): Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
• Week 7 (Oct. 25): Seattle Seahawks vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC ("Sunday Night Football")
• Week 8 (Nov. 1): Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
• Week 9 (Nov. 8): Kansas City Chiefs vs. New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
• Week 10 (Nov. 15): Atlanta Falcons vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
• Week 11 (Nov. 22): Kansas City Chiefs vs. Arizona Cardinals, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
• Week 12 (Nov. 26): Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC (Thanksgiving)
• Week 13 (Dec. 3): Los Angeles Rams vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video ("Thursday Night Football")
• Week 14 (Dec. 13): Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
• Week 15 (Dec. 21): Kansas City Chiefs vs. New England Patriots, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN ("Monday Night Football")
• Week 16 (Dec. 27): Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
• Week 17 (TBD): Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs, TBD, TBD
• Week 18 (TBD): Kansas City Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders, TBD, TBD