The 2026 NFL season closes its opening weekend with an AFC West game that carries a full season's worth of questions. The Denver Broncos visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football at 7:15 p.m. Eastern on ABC and ESPN.
Patrick Mahomes is expected to start for Kansas City after rehabbing the knee injury that ended his 2025 season. The Chiefs finished 6–11 last year, their worst record since 2012, and open this season asking how quickly their quarterback and offense can recover their old rhythm.
Denver arrives with a more stable recent foundation. The Broncos reached the AFC Championship Game last season and return quarterback Bo Nix for his third season. Their defense led the NFL in sacks by a wide margin last year, according to the Chiefs' game preview, making the matchup at Arrowhead especially important for Kansas City's protection.
The first pressure points
Kansas City will be without left tackle Josh Simmons, who has a back injury. Rookie Kahlil Benson is expected to make his first start in that spot. Safety Chamarri Conner is also out with a knee injury, while defensive tackle Chris Jones enters the game without an injury designation after missing Saturday's practice as a precaution.
Denver will be without linebacker Jonathon Cooper, who is on the Commissioner's Exempt List. His absence removes one of the Broncos' most consistent pass-rush pieces from a defense that is otherwise expected to remain among the league's best. The Broncos also added receiver Jaylen Waddle to an offense that finished 14th in points last season.
The opening matchup is therefore clear. Denver needs its front to test Benson and the Chiefs' interior protection before Mahomes can settle in. Kansas City needs its quarterback, Travis Kelce and a reworked line to turn a difficult 2025 into a one-game reset.
The game begins at 7:15 p.m. Eastern from Arrowhead Stadium. Denver's official preview identifies Nix's prime-time record as a central storyline; Kansas City's preview emphasizes the injury report and the return to divisional football. The result will establish the first answer to whether the Chiefs can reclaim the AFC West or whether Denver's recent rise has produced a lasting shift in the division.
