Denver
Broncos
0-0
38
FINAL
65
Kansas City
Chiefs
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling start to the 2026 season, the Kansas City Chiefs delivered a commanding performance, defeating the Denver Broncos 65-38. With both teams eager to make a statement, the Chiefs showcased their offensive prowess, setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting year in the league.
Chiefs quarterback Joe Burrow was nothing short of spectacular, racking up an impressive 453 passing yards and tossing eight touchdowns, a remarkable feat that underscores his dominance in the pocket. Meanwhile, Denver's Jahmyr Gibbs was a standout on the ground, amassing 245 rushing yards, but it was Burrow's aerial assault that ultimately stole the spotlight. Receiver Rome Odunze contributed significantly as well, pulling in 121 receiving yards to keep the chains moving for Kansas City.
On the defensive side, the Chiefs made critical plays that shifted the momentum in their favor. Dennis Gardeck led the charge with two sacks, applying consistent pressure on the Broncos' offensive line, while Terrel Bernard's interception helped stifle any potential comeback. The turning point came late in the first half when Burrow connected for two quick touchdowns, leaving the Broncos reeling and unable to recover from the deficit.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Burrow | QB | 32 | 21 | 66% | 453 | 8 | 1 | 135.4 |
| Jalen Milroe | QB | 19 | 7 | 37% | 54 | 0 | 1 | 23.3 |
| Brenen Thompson | WR | 2 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jahmyr Gibbs | HB | 13 | 245 | 18.8 | 16 | 4 | 65 | 0 |
| Jalen Milroe | QB | 6 | 109 | 18.2 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 1 |
| LaDainian Tomlinson | HB | 10 | 39 | 3.9 | 16 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 3 | 13 | 4.3 | — | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Rome Odunze | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Worthy | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rome Odunze | WR | 6 | 121 | 20.2 | 65 | 4 | 65 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 3 | 77 | 25.7 | 45 | 1 | 43 | 0 |
| LaDainian Tomlinson | HB | 4 | 76 | 19.0 | 53 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Marvin Mims Jr | WR | 3 | 65 | 21.7 | 29 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| Stefon Diggs | WR | 3 | 61 | 20.3 | 10 | 2 | 39 | 0 |
| Reggie Virgil | WR | 1 | 44 | 44.0 | 4 | 1 | 44 | 0 |
| Xavier Worthy | WR | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 19 | 0 | 15 | 2 |
| Brenen Thompson | WR | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Luke Musgrave | TE | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Vernon Davis | TE | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Gabe Davis | WR | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis Gardeck | SAM | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Spears-Jennings | SS | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Terrel Bernard | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kamari Lassiter | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dadrion Taylor-Demerson | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Keionte Scott | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler Onyedim | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ronnie Hickman | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Will Anderson Jr | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Dorlus | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Hughes | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minkah Fitzpatrick | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Shavon Revel Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kristian Welch | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marcus Jones | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Josh Hines-Allen | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Demetrius Knight Jr | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quincy Williams | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Deatrich Wise Jr | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Aubrey | K | 1 | 1 | 3 | 22 |
| Charlie Smyth | K | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Ethan Evans | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

