The Kansas City Chiefs are one step closer to securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC following their 27-19 victory against the Houston Texans on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens clinched a playoff spot with a 34-17 win over their AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Chiefs vs. Texans game was part of the NFL’s Saturday doubleheader, but the contest took a somber turn in the third quarter with the score 17-10 in favor of Kansas City. Houston wide receiver Tank Dell made an incredible 30-yard touchdown catch, bringing the Texans to within one point, but he remained on the ground after the play, clutching his left knee. Replays indicated that Dell's leg appeared to bend awkwardly after being pinned under teammate Jared Wayne in a tangle of bodies.
The lively Arrowhead Stadium quickly turned silent as medical personnel rushed to Dell’s aid. Many Texans players were visibly distraught, with quarterback C.J. Stroud appearing particularly shaken by the injury. Dell was carted off the field, his leg immobilized in a vacuum splint, and later transported by ambulance to the University of Kansas Hospital, a level-one trauma center, for further evaluation.
Dell's Injury and Emotional Aftermath
After the game, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans provided an update on Dell’s condition, describing the knee injury as "significant" and revealing that Dell would stay in Kansas City for overnight evaluations. "We’re a family, we’re in this thing together and Tank means so much to our entire football team, outside of playing, just the person and the man. He means a lot to us," Ryans said, reflecting the team's deep emotional support for Dell.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport later reported, citing sources, that Dell had suffered a dislocated kneecap. The injury came at a tough moment, as Dell was having one of his best games of the season, recording 6 catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. The injury took a toll on the Texans, who saw any momentum they had quickly fade.
C.J. Stroud spoke about the emotional impact of losing his close friend and teammate: “It’s not easy, you know what I’m saying? But after that, I tried to use it as motivation. It’s not easy to just let it go, especially since that’s my best friend. Not easy to move on and just keep playing, but I tried to do as best I could.”
Mahomes Leads Chiefs to Victory
Despite his own injury concerns with a high ankle sprain, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was visibly unaffected by the injury and led the Chiefs to an early lead. Kansas City marched down the field for an 11-play, 66-yard drive that ended with Mahomes scrambling for a 15-yard touchdown. The successful extra point gave the Chiefs a 7-0 lead.
After Dell’s injury, Mahomes connected with wide receiver Xavier Worthy for an 8-yard touchdown that put the game out of reach at 24-16. Both teams exchanged field goals in the fourth quarter, but the Texans were unable to score again.
Chiefs Near AFC No. 1 Seed
With the win, the Chiefs improved to 14-1 on the season, inching closer to securing a first-round bye in the playoffs. Kansas City can clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC if the Buffalo Bills lose or tie against the New England Patriots on Sunday. If the Bills win, the Chiefs will have an opportunity to secure the top seed with a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day.
Meanwhile, the Texans will host the Baltimore Ravens on December 25, continuing their fight for playoff positioning despite the emotional setback caused by Dell's injury.
