Monday Night Football: Mahomes makes his return against Broncos in key AFC West clash

If you have been hearing the iconic horns from Johnny Pearson's "Heavy Action" in your sleep, you're not alone. You and millions of your ilk can sing along together Monday for the first "BAH-DA-DA-DUM" of the 2026 NFL season. 

Monday Night Football is back. The Week 1 matchup promises to be one of the best of the season, with two teams challenging for the division throne and perhaps the game's greatest active player looking to open the next chapter in his already historic career. 

The 2025 AFC West champion Denver Broncos will face off against the team that won the previous nine division titles, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Chiefs look to turn the page

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will look to bounce back from his first ever playoff absence, after the team's disappointing 6-11 campaign in 2025 that culminated with the star QB tearing his ACL in December. 

Kansas City head coach Andy Reid will have some new weapons at his disposal as he looks to reshape his squad, notably running back Kenneth Walker III, who was named Super Bowl LX MVP with the Seattle Seahawks last season. 

Walker will give Mahomes & co. their first elite running back since the prime days of Kareem Hunt nearly 10 years ago. He's a threat both on the ground and in the passing game, which can help bring the magic back to a Chiefs offense that also brings back former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. 

The Chiefs will also have a complete receiving corps for the first time in what feels like a decade, with Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and newlywed tight end Travis Kelce all healthy and eligible to play. 

While Mahomes has always been the star of the show, the Chiefs have built their recent championships more on the defensive side of the ball. However, injury concerns to two of their top players could hurt them in Week 1. 

Defensive tackle Chris Jones, the team's premier pass rusher, was a non-participant in Saturday's practice and was limited in practice earlier in the week, but Reid said he will be good to go for Sunday despite a calf injury, per Arrowhead Pride. 

Defensive back Chamarri Conner, who tied for the team lead in turnovers forced last season, will miss the Week 1 matchup with a knee injury, as will left tackle Josh Simmons with a back injury, per the aforementioned source. 

Broncos look to maintain momentum

Unlike the Chiefs, who are coming off a disappointing campaign, the Broncos had by far their best season of the decade, going 14-3 and hosting the AFC Championship Game. 

One thing the Broncos and Chiefs do share, however, is bad quarterback injury luck, which was ultimately Denver's downfall. In the Divisional Round, quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle on a seemingly inconsequential play to set up a game-winning field goal against the Buffalo Bills. This led him to miss the AFC Championship, where the Broncos ultimately lacked the offensive firepower to overcome the New England Patriots. 

The 2026 season is a chance for head coach Sean Payton and the Broncos to redeem themselves, and they're bringing back just about everybody from last year's semifinal run. 

The key to their success has been their defense, and that starts up front. The Broncos led the league in sacks last year by a wide margin. Linebacker Nik Bonitto led the team last year with 14 sacks, followed by Jonathon Cooper with 8. 

Getting to the quarterback is made easier when he has nobody to throw to, and the Broncos are lucky to have perhaps the best defensive back in the league, cornerback Patrick Surtain II. He is a nightmare for opposing receivers, and helps buy time for his defensive line to get to the QB. 

On the offensive side of the ball, the Broncos return the two-headed rushing attack of J.K. Dobbins and R.J. Harvey. The former is a ground-and-pound runner, while the latter brings more of a threat through the air. Together, they form one of the more formidable running back duos in the league. 

Denver's biggest addition this offseason was a weapon for Nix, wideout Jaylen Waddle. Having spent the past few seasons behing Tyreek Hill with the Miami Dolphins, the move gives Waddle the chance to be the featured wide receiver and play more in the slot, where he will be able to take full advantage of his quickness. Many analysts expect a breakout year from the former No. 6 overall pick. 

The Broncos will enter Week 1 completely healthy, with nobody listed on the injury report. 

Our prediction

The Chiefs open as 2.5-point favorites, partly due to the fact that they will play at home. The Arrowhead Stadium crowd is known to be one of the most intense in the league, and the fans will surely be rowdy for the return of Mahomes. 

The home team will try to prove that the 2025 season was the outlier and not the trend, but they will have to prove this on offense. If Kenneth Walker can have the sort of impact he had in the playoffs for the Seahawks, it could open up gaps in the defense that Mahomes hasn't seen for years. 

However, the Broncos defense doesn't usually have any gaps. And there aren't many "ifs" about this team. They bring back practically everyone from last year while addressing a position of need at receiver. Plus, Nix should enter his third year with more confidence at the helm of the offense. 

While the raucus Kansas City crowd will be tough to overcome, I predict Denver to spoil Mahomes' homecoming in a low-scoring affair. Broncos over Chiefs, 20-17.