63 Days until Chiefs football, we are ‘Willie Lanier’ days away

We are 63 days away from the Kansas City Chiefs‘ season-opening game against the Denver Broncos on “Monday Night Football” in Week 1.

The No. 63 jersey is one of the 10 retired numbers in franchise history, in honor of linebacker Willie Lanier, who was a leader on the Chiefs’ defense for the early years, including a shutdown performance against the Minnesota Vikings in the 23-7 Super Bowl IV victory. From 1967 to 1977, Lanier earned eight Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro selections, building a resume worthy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

He is immortalized in the Chiefs’ Ring of Honor, with the No. 63 forever tied with him, but there is another all-time No. 63 in team history:

The other all-time No. 63 in franchise history

Bill Maas (1984 – 1992)

After being selected with the fifth pick in the 1984 NFL Draft from the University of Pittsburgh, Maas hit the ground running in Kansas City by winning AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. He would also appear in two Pro Bowls as a Chiefs representative, but the team was unable to find relevance until after his prime seasons.

He forced 11 fumbles during his time in Kansas City, one of the many factors in his induction into the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame. He is still involved in the local community.

63%: Patrick Mahomes’ completion percentage last season

62.7% is the lowest completion rate quarterback Patrick Mahomes has ever finished a season with; previously, the career-low mark was 65.9% in 2019.

In the previous three seasons, Mahomes completed at least 67% of his pass attempts.

This was touched on earlier in this series, but the pass offense saw a staggering drop-off in its ability to complete passes in 2025. It was undoubtedly a factor in the organization’s decision to change the offensive coaching staff this offseason.

Whether it’s an improvement from the run game, the pass catchers or Mahomes himself, there needs to be a focus on eliminating incompletions when the team decides to throw, keeping more of a rhythm. The ball shouldn’t be falling to the turf as often as it was last year, especially when Mahomes is the one throwing it.